 The outcry in Scotland against patronage became so loud that statesmen saw they must be up and doing and a committee of the House of Commons was appointed to hold an inquest upon the alleged grievance.It was natural that the most distinguished of Scotland's ecclesiastical historians should be heard upon the subject, more especially as his testimony was likely to be unbiased either by party feeling or self-interest; and accordingly, besides the many eminent ministers of the Established Church who were summoned before the committee, Dr. M'Crie was called to give his statement upon the effects of ecclesiastical patronage.He repaired to London at this authoritative summons, although with reluctance, and underwent two long examinations before the committee, the one on 2 May 1834, the other on 7 May 1834.