the refractory members of Presbytery, and commanded the attendance of every member of Presbytery upon pain of deposition from office. Mr Grant's admission at last took place on the 27th of July 1756, not one of the parishioners attending to witness the ceremony. The entire session and the whole congregation, with the exception of three or four heritors, withdrew from the Established Church and formed themselves into a worshipping assembly, without any ecclesiastical connection. They were ministered to for about six years by the Rev. Roderick Mackenzie, who had been settled in Lochbroom on the call of the people, but had been minister of a Presbyterian church in England some time before obtaining a call from Lochbroom, and was therefore considered a Dissenter. While under call to Nigg he inducted the Rev. Thomas Boston, one of the founders of the Relief, into the church built for him in Jedburgh, 7th December 1757, and introduced him to the people of his charge by preaching for him the Sabbath following. He began his ministry in Nigg in the early part of 1758. He preached to the people of Nigg in a large dwelling-house at Ankerville, about the centre of the parish, which had been built by a person who had made a fortune in Poland, and from this circumstance was called "The Polander's House." Mr Mackenzie resigned his appointment after three years' ministry, and returned to England, where he again obtained a charge. The Seceders in Nigg attended the ministry of the Rev. Mr Porteous of Kilmuir, who refused to baptize their children and perform other pastoral duties to them. Among the Seceders who travelled to Kilmuir, was Donald Roy, then in the 91st year of his age, and 66th of his eldership. He died in January 1774, having reached the age of 105 or 109, and having been an elder for 80 years. His son, Andrew Roy, had visited Glasgow, and there acquired a knowledge of the Secession, which on his return he communicated to his father and the other leading men. The Rev. Mr Fraser of Alness, author of the well-known treatise on "Sanctification," who had property in the parish at Pitcalzean, and who was in the habit of preaching to the Seceders and baptising their children, it is said advised them to apply to the Secession Church for supply of sermon. In compliance with this advice, a petition, signed by 14 elders and 50 members, was presented to the General Associate (Antiburgher) Presbytery of Perth, craving that the petitioners be taken under their inspection, which was granted, 1764. First church built at Ankerville, and thatched with heather, 1765, of which they were deprived by the tyranny of the proprietor of the land on which it stood. He made use of the stones to build farm steadings. They then worshipped for a short time in the open air at a place called Drumdile, a hollow between two hills in the neighbourhood. Second church built at Chapelhill, 1803; sittings, 627. The foundation-stone of a new church was laid by Rev. Dr Scott, Glasgow, 2d August 1871. The church was opened on 20th March 1872 by Rev. Dr Finlayson, Edinburgh; opening collection, £81, 15s. 6d. The accommodation is for 600, and the cost above £1200.

1st Minister.-PATRICK BUCHANAN, from the village of Callander, Perthshire. Seceded from the Established Church while a literary student at Edinburgh University. Ordained at large, as a missionary to the North Highlands, at Alloa, 1764. Called to Greenloaning, Pathstruiehill, and Nigg. Admitted 2d June 1765. Died 7th August 1802, in the 81st year of his age, and 38th of his ministry.

2d Minister.-JOHN MUNRO, from the congregation of which he became minister. Ordained as colleague to Mr Buchanan, 1799. Died 1845, in the 73d year of his age, and 47th of his ministry.

The congregation called Mr M'Donald, who preferred Lossiemouth.

3d Minister.-JOHN B. MUNRO, previously of Cambuslang. Admitted to Nigg, 12th April 1848. Laid aside on account of ill health. Died at Inverness, 25th May 1871, in the 62d year of his age. Author of "The Great Question, What must I do to be Saved?"

4th Minister.-ARCHIBALD M‘MARTIN, A.M., from Lawers Free Church. Ordained as colleague to Mr Munro, 10th September 1867.

FORRES.

Forres is a burgh town in Morayshire, 12 miles west-by-south of Elgin, 11 eastby-north of Nairn, and 27 north-east of Inverness.

The Rev. John Squire, minister of Forres, in 1740, when "The Four Brethren" were deposed by the General Assembly, protested against their deposition, and otherwise led many of his people to feel such interest in them, as to withdraw from his own ministry, and take part in the formation of the Secession congregations of Urquhart and Auldearn, now Elgin and Moyness. They remained connected with these congregations till 1772, when the persons belonging to them resident in and about Forres, applied to the Presbytery to be disjoined from them, and formed into a separate congregation, which was granted. First church built, 1772. Second built, 1813; sittings, 712. The foundation stone of a new church was laid on 8th September 1870, by Colonel the Honourable James Grant, M.P. The accommodation is for 600, and the cost nearly £3000. The church was opened 26th November 1871, by Rev. Dr. M'Ewen of Glasgow, and Mr Watson; opening collection, £330, 17s. 6d.

1st Minister.-WILLIAM BENNET, from Milnathort (Second). Ordained 16th August 1774. Died 29th November 1798, in the 49th year of his age, and 25th of his ministry.

2d Minister.-THOMAS STARK, from Falkirk (South). Ordained 25th November 1802. Called to Potterrow, Edinburgh, 1807, and to Kirkwall, 1819, but continued in Forres. Died 9th February 1849, in the 70th year of his age, and 47th of his ministry.

In 1841 the congregation called Mr Thomas Stevenson, afterwards of Auchtermuchty, but the call was not prosecuted.

3d Minister.-ADAM L. SIMPSON, from Nicolson Street, Edinburgh. Called to Tain, Keith, and Forres. Ordained as colleague to Mr Stark 1842. Resigned his charge 3d February 1857, and was appointed librarian of the Theological Hall Library, Edinburgh; afterwards minister of Derby. Author of "The Pleasures of Literature," a lecture, and Funeral Sermon on the Death of his Colleague.

4th Minister.-WILLIAM WATSON, M.A., from Aberdeen (St Nicholas Lane). Called to Aberdeen (St Nicholas Lane) and Forres. Ordained 5th November 1857.

HOWFORD (Now EXTINCT).

Howford is a place in Nairnshire, about 2 miles south of the town of Nairn. The General Associate (Antiburgher) Synod, encouraged by the successful itinęracies of the Rev. Mr Buchanan of Nigg, about the year 1770, resolved to attempt a wider diffusion of Evangelical preaching and Secession principles in the northern Highlands of Scotland. Having no preachers or students who could speak the Gaelic language, they were prevented from carrying their resolution into immediate effect.

They determined, however, to make it imperative on some of the students to acquire that tongue. With this view, and by way of experiment, they fixed upon Mr Howison, a young man from Logiealmond, then in the second year of his theological studies, and set him to the prosecution of this task. In order to facilitate his acquisition of the language, he was sent to Comrie, and supported there partly by the Synod and partly by persons in the county of Nairn who had. become interested in the scheme. On examination, Mr Howison was not found to have made the progress expected, and the reason assigned was the circumstance that a mixture of English pervaded the dialect spoken in Comrie, which hindered him from becoming acquainted with all the vocables necessary for intelligibly addressing a purely Celtic audience. He was therefore ordered to proceed to Nigg, in Ross-shire, the only other place at that time where there were Seceders speaking the Gaelic language, with intimation to expect no encouragement from the Synod, as a Divinity student, if he did not comply. After being a year at Comrie, and a year-and-a-half at Nigg, inclusive of his attendance at the Divinity Hall, he was licensed to preach the Gospel, and sent to Nairn, with instructions that he should preach the Gaelic language only. The town of Nairn had been long previously noted for "standing so exactly on the boundary line between the Highlands and Lowlands, and being so completely bisected by the mutual repulsion of the Moray men on the east, and the kilted Gael on the west, that the Lowland Scottish dialect was spoken at the one end of the street and the Gaelic language at the other." But Mr Howison was not sent to Nairn because Gaelic was spoken in part of it as the common language, but because there were persons there who had claims upon his services as having contributed a part of the expense incurred in qualifying him for the discharge of them.

After Mr Howison had officiated in Nairn for a short time, and itinerated through other portions of the Highlands, three elders and sixty-one members of the United congregations of Boghole (now Moyness) and Nairn, applied to the General Associate Presbytery of Perth to be disjoined, and formed into a separate congregation on the express understanding that public worship was to be conducted among them in Erse only. The congregation of Boghole, from which they sought to be disjoined, objected to the erection of a place of worship in Nairn, as certain to draw away all the Seceders in and about that town, seeing the seat of the congregation was six miles distant from Nairn. The Synod finding the congregation of Boghole decided in its opposition to the erection of a place of worship in Nairn, ordered the persons wishing the Gospel preached to them in Erse to make the seat of their congregation at some distance from the town. In compliance with this order, a place called Balblair, about a mile distant, was fixed upon, and the congregation assembled there for a year, worshipping for the most of the time in the open air. At the end of that time, they were required to move still further away in consequence of another complaint from the people of Boghole. Howford, on the banks of the Nairn at a greater distance, was then fixed upon, and in 1777, a place of worship was erected there containing 500 sittings.

1st Minister.-ALEXANDER HOWISON. Called to Thurso and Howford. Ordained at Howford 12th April 1780. From his inability to speak Gaelic in a manner quite intelligible to native Highlanders, he had recourse to English, and ultimately preached wholly in that language. This was held to be a violation of the compact made both with the Presbytery and the people, and complaints were again made against him on that ground by the congregation of Boghole. The com

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plaint was carried to the Synod, and occupied its deliberations many years, no decision come to proving satisfactory to both parties. Mr Howison persevered in his attempts to acquire a more perfect command of the Gaelic language, but without success. On 22d May 1792, he resigned his charge, as a step necessary both for his own comfort and the edification of his people. He was admitted to the list of probationers, and in a short time became minister of the congregation of Auchtergaven, Perthshire. Having no other person capable of supplying the vacant congregation at Howford, the Synod proposed placing it under the inspection of the Rev. Mr M'Bean, a Highlander, who had been ordained five years before at Inverness, intending that he should supply both places, notwithstanding they are 16 miles apart. To this Mr M'Bean demurred, and the matter was not pressed. Supply of sermon was continued to Howford till 1795, when, for want of preachers skilled in Erse, it was withdrawn, and the congregation became extinct. A small white cottage with thatched roof, near the wooden bridge of Howford, is the last relic of the church premises erected there a century ago.

NAIRN.

Nairn is the county town of Nairnshire, 11 miles west-by-south of Forres, and 18 north-east of Inverness.

This congregation originated with persons in the parish who sympathised with the parishioners of the adjoining parish of Auldearn in their opposition to the intrusion among them of the Rev. Mr Gordon in 1747. The Seceders in both parishes were formed into one congregation under the designation of the United Congregations of Boghole and Nairn, with its seat at Boghole. In 1763, the portion of the congregation resident in and about Nairn built a place of worship for themselves, but still continued united with the congregation of Boghole, the minister supplying both places on alternate Sabbaths. Nairn was disjoined from Boghole, and recognised as a separate congregation, 1769. The first place of worship stood on the banks of the river at the foot of a narrow lane leading off from High Street. A small cottage, covered with thatch, is the surviving memorial of the early settlement of the Secession in Nairn. Second church built, 1815, at a cost of £820; sittings, 512. Third church built 1852, at a cost of £1600, with sittings for 825.

1st Minister.-HENRY CLERK, from Abernethy. United congregations of Boghole and Nairn, 1763. Nairn in 1769. See Moyness.

Ordained as minister of the Ceased to be connected with

2d Minister.—ISAAC KETCHEN, from Alloa (First). Called to Cabrach and Nairn. Ordained at Nairn 13th April 1780. Mr Ketchen became son-in-law to Brodie of Brodie, by whom an offer was made to him of one of two livings in the Church of Scotland, in the gift of the Brodie family, but which he refused. Called in 1816 to Stronsay, but remained in Nairn. Died 12th May 1820, in the 70th year of his age, and 41st of his ministry.

3d Minister.-JAMES MEIN, from Blackfriars, Jedburgh. Ordained 30th January 1822. Died 9th June 1841, in the 50th year of his age, and 20th of his ministry. The congregation called Mr George M'Kenzie, afterwards of Carnoustie, and Mr T. Stevenson, afterwards of Auchtermuchty.

4th Minister.-JOHN BISSET, from Erskine Church, Arbroath. Ordained 27th September 1843. Called to Lethendy, but declined the call.

INVERNESS.

Inverness is the county town of Inverness-shire, 38 miles south-west of Elgin, and 119 west-north-west of Aberdeen.

FIRST CHURCH (Now EXTINCT).

This congregation originated in the itineracies of the Rev. Mr Buchanan of Nigg, about the year 1788.

1st Minister.-ENEAS M'BEAN. Ordained 31st November 1790. Suspended from office 27th April 1810, and died in 1824. The congregation became extinct in 1810.

UNION STREET.

Twenty persons formerly connected with the First congregation, Inverness, formed a second, by applying for and obtaining supply of sermon from the General Associate (Antiburgher) Presbytery of Elgin in 1817. Church built, 1821; sittings, 650. A new church was built in Union Street in 1864, containing sittings for 700, at a cost of £3000.

1st Minister.-JAMES SCOTT, D.D., from Pitcairngreen. Ordained 21st March 1821. On 11th April 1871, Mr Scott was presented with a silver salver, and £150, at the celebration of his jubilee. He received the degree of D.D. from Monmouth College, Illinois, in September 1871. Author of Funeral Sermon on the death of Rev. T. Stark.

2d Minister.-GEORGE ROBSON, M.A., from Glasgow (Wellington Street), of which his father was minister. Called to Dennyloanhead and Inverness.

at Inverness, as colleague to Mr Scott, 14th November 1866.

QUEEN STREET.

Ordained

Mr Munro, afterwards minister of this congregation, was sent by the United Associate Synod to the North Highlands, as a Gaelic missionary, in 1829. While itinerating there, he preached sometimes for the Rev. Mr Scott of Inverness. Certain persons resident in the town and neighbourhood, hearing him upon some of these occasions, became desirous of having regular supply of sermon from the denomination to which Mr Munro belonged, with Mr Munro for their preacher. The Presbytery agreed, on application, to gratify this desire, on condition that the petitioners agreed to pay a guinea for each Sabbath's supply, which was to be afforded, on an average, once a month, the other three to be occupied by Mr Munro itinerating elsewhere, and all other expenses to be paid by the Synod. These terms were accepted. The congregation thus formed kept their pledge till the Voluntary controversy arose and made some progress in 1834, when it became necessary, in consequence of diminished attendance and reduced collections, to petition the Synod to reduce the stipulated sum by a third, which was allowed. In 1836, the rent of the place of worship which they occupied was increased, and it therefore became necessary to erect a church for themselves or break up the congregation. They were enabled to adopt the former alternative by one member becoming wholly responsible for the expense incurred; and a place of worship, containing 260 sit