Nicholas Lane, Aberdeen, who had gone to reside there. They applied for and obtained supply of sermon from the Associate (Burgher) Presbytery of Perth, 1803. Church built the same year, cost £500; sittings, 400. A new church was opened 16th March 1862, cost £1000, and has sittings for 350.

1st Minister.-JOHN BALLANTYNE, from Lochgelly. Called to North Berwick and Stonehaven. Ordained 19th March 1805. Died 7th November 1830, in the 53d year of his age and 25th of his ministry. Author of a "Comparison of Established and Dissenting Churches," and "An Examination of the Human Mind."

2d Minister.-DAVID TODD, from School Wynd, Dundee. Ordained 31st August 1831. Resigned 10th April 1855. Emigrated to Canada. Returned on account of ill health. Died at Liverpool, 7th December 1859, aged 53 years.

The congregation called Messrs J. Harrower, Peter Davidson, and Robert Scott, who declined the calls.

3d Minister.-THOMAS SCOTT, from Edinburgh, Portsburgh. September 1857.

Ordained 2d

OLD MELDRUM.

Old Meldrum is a market town in Aberdeenshire, 18 miles north-west of Aberdeen, and 5 miles north-east of Inverury, on the road from Banff to Aberdeen.

The congregation of Old Meldrum originated with members of the congregation of Craigdam, resident in and about the town, who, partly for convenience-the distance between the places being 3 miles-and partly for the sake of securing evangelical preaching to the place, in which there were then many inhabitants, with only two places of worship, the one belonging to the Church of Scotland, and the other to the Scottish Episcopal Communion. In anticipation of immediately obtaining a disjunction from Craigdam, in which, however, they were not successful till 1825, they built a church in 1822, at a cost of £250, containing 312 sittings.

1st Minister.—JAMES M'CRIE, D.D., from Colmonell. Ordained 1st February 1827. Had the degree of D.D. conferred upon him by Princetown, New Jersey, in June 1861. In 1863, Dr M'Crie, though retaining his connection with Old Meldrum, removed to Colmonell.

Author of "The Primal Dispensation: The Original Character of its Delegated Head, His First Sin, with its Immediate and Remote Consequences;" "Autopedia, or Instructions on Personal Education;" "Jehovah's New Covenant Love: Its Signs, Sacrifices, and Salvation;""Memory, its Character, its Improvement, and its Power."

2d Minister.-ROBERT HALL, from Glasgow, St Vincent Street; called to Bonhill and Old Meldrum. Ordained as colleague to Dr M'Crie, 24th April 1862.

LUMSDEN.

Leith Lumsden, is a village in the parish of Auchindoir, and district of Strathbogie, Aberdeenshire, 34 miles north-west of Aberdeen.

In 1830, the United Associate Presbytery of Aberdeen extended their home missionary operations up Strathbogie. In carrying out these, the Rev. Messrs Templeton and Stirling, and Robb of Tough, occasionally visited the parishes of Kildrummy and Auchindoir, preaching to the people on Sabbath evenings in barns, dwellinghouses, stables, or any other place they could command. There were then no Dissenters

in these parishes, nor in several others around them. Several persons, however, soon formed the resolution of becoming such, and, on application to the Presbytery, had regular supply of sermon granted them. A society hall had been built shortly before in Kildrummy, of which they obtained the use as a place of meeting, and, at the same time, there happened to be an unfinished house in Leith Lumsden, Auchindoir, of which they were also allowed the use for a like purpose, having sermon in the one in the forenoon, and in the other in the evening. They continued to worship in these places till 1833, when they removed to a place of worship which they had built for themselves in Leith Lumsden, at the cost of £120, containing 200 sittings. The congregation then consisted of 36 persons, who had all previously belonged to the Established Church.

Before obtaining a fixed pastor, the congregation called Mr Robert Morris and Mr Robert Lees, both of whom declined the calls, the former from the state of his health; but neither of them obtained any other settlement.

Admitted to Leith Afterwards acted in

1st Minister.-ROBERT CREASE, previously of Peebles. Lumsden 17th January 1838. Resigned 16th March 1841. several places as town missionary. Died 1852, in the 56th year of his age.

The congregation then called Mr Robert Ferrier, who preferred Tain; Mr A. M. Wylie, who declined the call, and afterwards went abroad; Mr William Main, who preferred Campbelton, Inverness-shire; and Mr Alexander Walker, previously of Blackett Street, Newcastle.

2d Minister.-WILLIAM THOMSON. Ordained 28th March 1854. Translated to Burton-on-Trent, 12th May 1863.

3d Minister.-WILLIAM SIMMERS, A.M., from Savoch of Deer. Ordained 25th November 1863. Translated to Portsoy 16th March 1868.

The congregation called Mr W. Watson, who preferred Kirkcudbright.

4th Minister.-JAMES WILSON, from Glasgow, Cathedral Street. Ordained 24th February 1869.

PRESBYTERY OF ANNANDALE.

THE Associate (Burgher) Synod formed a Presbytery of Annan and Carlisle, by a division of the Presbytery of Selkirk, in 1815. This Presbytery underwent some modification at the union of the two great branches of the Secession in 1820. It was divided and formed into separate Presbyteries at the union of the Secession and Relief Churches in 1847, the northern one taking the title of the Presbytery of Annandale, being made up of the Secession and Relief congregations in the district.

ECCLEFECHAN.

Ecclefechan is a village in the parish of Hoddam, Annandale, Dumfriesshire, 16 miles east of Dumfries, and 5 north of Annan.

The parish of Hoddam is bounded on the north by the parish of St Mungo. In 1735 the parishioners of St Mungo gave a call to Mr John Reddoch, probationer, to be their pastor, while the crown, as patron, presented Mr William Forrester, probationer, to the vacant charge. The case was litigated through the Church Courts, and finally settled in 1736 by the General Assembly deciding in favour of the

E

patron's presentee. Several of the parishioners refused to submit to the incumbent's ministry, and finding a number of sympathisers in the adjoining parishes, they united with them in a petition to the Associate Presbytery for supply of sermon, which was granted. Some praying societies in the district, formerly under the inspection of the Rev. Mr Hepburn of Urr, had been previously received into connection with the Presbytery. These, with the parties referred to above, now associated together, under the designation of "The Correspondence of Annandale," in contradistinction to a larger association, of which Mr Hepburn's adherents had formed a part, entitled "The Societies of the South and West." The more frequent place of meeting for "The Correspondence of Annandale" was at Ecclefechan, but occasional meetings were held at other places, to which particular reference is made in the history of Lockerbie congregation, with which that of Ecclefechan is identified till 1746. In that year a paper of grievances was laid upon the Presbytery's table, setting forth that "some societies of persons in and about Ecclefechan, Woodhall, Blacketridge, and Sarkshields, have so little sympathy with or concern about their minister, that never as yet would they assist in casting or leading (driving home) elding (fuel), nor be assistant in anything of that kind; that they refuse to bear public burden with the rest to defray expenses of manse and glebe, nor will they concur to build a house to preach in according to the Presbytery's decision at West Linton in July 1745;" and "that the place of worship should be at Lockerbie." The Presbytery appointed Mr Murray, who had been ordained over "The Correspondence of Annandale" three years before, but had recently been confining his public ministrations almost wholly to Lockerbie, to preach a few Sabbaths in the summer time in the Ecclefechan district. But this attempt of the Presbytery to reconcile the people proved unavailing. Those in and about Ecclefechan determined that the place of worship should be in their neighbourhood, either for the "Correspondence" as a whole, or for themselves as a separate congregation. The controversy respecting the Burgess Oath had now begun to agitate the Church, and when the Breach resulting from it took place, the majority of the people in and about Ecclefechan adhered to the Associate (Burgher), while the greater portion of those in and about Lockerbie adhered to the General Associate (Antiburgher) Synod, and thus became separate congregations. Those forming the congregation of Ecclefechan worshipped in the open air till 1766, when they took possession of a church they had built for themselves containing 600 sittings. A new church was opened in 1864 at a cost of £1750.

Ordained 26th August

1st Minister.-JOHN JOHNSTON, from West Linton. 1761. Called to Cumbernauld 1763, but continued in Ecclefechan. Died 28th May 1812, in the 82d year of his age and 52d of his ministry.

The congregation then called Mr John M'Kerrow, who was appointed by the Synod to Bridge of Teith; Mr Robert Balmer, who was appointed to Berwick; Mr Andrew Hay who declined the call, and never obtained another; and Mr Brash, who was appointed by the Synod to Campbell Street, Glasgow.

2d Minister.-ANDREW LAWSON, from Selkirk, of which his father was minister. Called to North Middleton, Yetholm, and Ecclefechan. Ordained 2d October 1816. Translated to Selkirk 1st June 1824.

3d Minister.-GEORGE JOHNSTON, D.D., from Ayton (West). Ordained 12th April 1826. Translated to Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, 1831, after being twice

called.

The congregation called Mr M'Gill, who preferred Rigg of Gretna.

4th Minister.-JAMES HARKNESS, from Rose Street, Edinburgh. Ordained 15th August 1832. Resigned, 5th March 1839. Emigrated to America.

5th Minister.-WILLIAM TAIT, from Fala. Ordained 23d June 1841. Died 19th July 1867 in the 57th year of his age, and 27th of his ministry.

6th Minister.-NATHANAEL FORSYTH M'DOUGALL, previously of Portsoy. Admitted 7th January 1868. Died 1st January 1872, in the 34th year of his age and 7th of his ministry.

LOCKERBIE.

Lockerbie is a market town in Annandale, Dumfriesshire, 12 miles east of Dumfries, 10 north of Annan, and 16 south of Moffat.

The Rev. John Hepburn, to whom more particular reference is made in the notice of the congregation of Urr, Presbytery of Dumfries, had a number of adherents in Annandale, who, after his death, met as praying societies till the rise of the Secession, when most of them acceded to the Associate Presbytery. They were then known as "The Societies of the South and West." After the accession of the Seceders in Hoddam and neighbourhood, by whom the congregation of Ecclefechan came afterwards to be formed, these societies were divided into "The Correspondence of Annandale," and "The Correspondence of Nithsdale." The first meeting-places of the Seceders in Annandale were at Borlain, where the Rev. Ralph Erskine and the Rev. James Fisher preached to them on the 25th August 1738; and Cousten and Shaw, where these ministers again preached to them in the summer of 1739. When about to call a minister, a dispute arose among the members of the correspondence as to the regular place of meeting, of which some account has been already given in the notice of Ecclefechan congregation, which indirectly was formed from it. The Presbytery decided that "the house for public worship be built with all expedition at North Croft, and that until said house be built, the place of public worship on Sabbath days be at Caldains, in the summer time, and at Norwood, if need be, in the winter time."

The first minister was ordained at Ecclefechan two years before a place of worship was provided for the congregation, and he continued to preach there more frequently than elsewhere for a time. In July 1745, a petition was presented to the Presbytery by members of "The Correspondence of Annandale," resident in its northern bounds, craving that Lockerbie be appointed the seat of the congregation. Those of them resident in the southern district were strongly hostile to this proposal; but the Presbytery decided, notwithstanding, that the place of worship should be in Lockerbie, and the church was erected there in 1745. Second church built, 1810; cost £800; sittings, 570.

Before obtaining a fixed pastor, the congregation called Mr Cleland, who was appointed by the Synod to the Holm of Balfron.

1st Minister.-GEORGE MURRAY. Ordained 2d May 1744. Adhered, with the majority of his congregation, to the General Associate (Antiburgher) Synod at the Breach in 1747. Died 1758, in the 14th year of his ministry.

The congregation then called Mr Grahame, who was appointed by the Synod to Whitehaven.

2d Minister.-GEORGE MURRAY, from Dunse (East). Ordained 6th October 1762. Died 5th November 1800, in the 64th year of his age and 39th of his ministry. The congregation next called Mr Bayne, who was appointed by the Synod to Eastbarns, now the second congregation, Dunbar.

3d Minister.-WILLIAM PATRICK, from Cumbernauld (Second). Called to Hamilton and Lockerbie. Ordained 16th September 1802. Resigned 17th July 1815. Emigrated to America, and became minister of a congregation in Merigomish, Nova Scotia.

The congregation called Mr Reid, who was appointed by the Synod to Sanquhar. 4th Minister.-JOSEPH TAYLOR, from City Road, Brechin. Ordained 29th August 1816. Suspended 1825. Returned to Brechin, and died there, 12th September 1827, in the 37th year of his age.

The congregation then called Dr John Taylor, who was appointed by the Synod to Auchtermuchty.

5th Minister.-HUGH DOUGLAS, from Ayr (First.) Ordained 25th March 1828; died 20th December 1864, in the 64th year of his age and 37th of his ministry.

6th Minister.-DAVID THOMAS, from Balfron. Called to Stronsay and Lockerbie. Ordained 15th March 1865.

NEWCASTLETON.

Newcastleton is a village in Liddesdale (by which name the congregation is sometimes called), Roxburghshire, 10 miles east of Langholm, 20 miles south of Hawick, and 26 south-west of Jedburgh.

The United Presbyterian Congregation in this place originated in the violent intrusion of a minister into the parish of Castleton. The persons opposed to his settlement among them, applied for and obtained supply of sermon from the Associate (Burgher) Presbytery of Edinburgh, 1753. Their first place of worship was situated in the corner of a moss, on the banks of the Liddle. The congregation was reduced very low after the resignation of the first minister; but so rallied again under the ministrations of Mr Smart, afterwards of Paisley, who supplied them for a time as a probationer, that they were induced, in 1803, to build a new church in the village of Newcastleton; sittings, 400.

Before obtaining a fixed pastor the congregation called: 1st, Mr Wylie, who was appointed by the Synod to Scone; 2d, Mr William Ronaldson; 3d, Mr James Mitchell. Neither of the latter calls was prosecuted after being given, nor were those that received them ever settled as ministers.

1st Minister.-JAMES FLETCHER. Ordained 12th May 1762. Mr Fletcher wrote a Preface to a new edition of Dr Watts' work on "The Sonship of Christ," for which he was cited before the Presbytery on the charge of having countenanced heretical opinions; but instead of answering the citation, he sent in the resignation of his charge, 1st September 1801. Removed to Dalkeith, where he lived privately till his death.

2d Minister.-WALTER DUNLOP, from Eastbank, Hawick. August 1804. Translated to Dumfries 24th May 1810.

Ordained 15th

The congregation then called Mr Willans, who was appointed by the Synod to Pitcairn.

3d Minister.-JOHN LAW, from Linlithgow (West). nock, and Newcastleton. Ordained 26th August 1812. Dunfermline, 1st October 1828.

Called to Annan, KilmarTranslated to St Margaret's,

4th Minister.-JOHN BLACK, from Well Wynd, Airdrie. Ordained 7th October 1829.