PRESBYTERY OF STRANRAER p. 750

PRESBYTERY OF STRANRAER

Existed 13th Nov. 1622, when the Records commence, which are contained in eleven volumes; having chasms from 1659 to 1662, and when the Presb. was conjoined with Wigton from 22d Oct. 1696 till 7th Oct. 1702. A volume began 14th Aug. 1665, but it is not known to be in existence.

STRANRAER.

Though proposed by the Synod, and approved by the Gen. Assembly 19th March 1600, it was not disjoined from Leswalt and erected till 1633.

1633. ROBERT AIRD, A.M., was laureated at the Univ. of Glasgow in 1628, became schoolmaster at Stranraer, and was ord. and adm. (by Thomas, Bishop of Galloway and the Presb.) 9th Oct. 1633; demitted "as he could not withdraw his affection for Episcopacy" 24th May, which was received 27th June 1638. He was afterwards settled at Cumbray.-[Mun. Univ. Glasg. iii., Presb. Reg., Chambers's Ann. ii.]

1638. JOHN LIVINGSTONE, A.M., son of Mr William L., min. of Lanark, born in 1603, was educated at the grammar-school of Stirling, and entered the Univ. in Oct. 1617; while a student he shewed a spirit of nonconformity in disobeying the Articles of Perth; he and two or three other young men were obliged to remove from the communion-table in 1619, at the command nf the Archbishop; he got his degree, however, from the Univ. of Glasgow in July 1621, and was licen. in Jan. 1625. Proposals were made for his settlement at Anwoth, Torphichen, North Leith, Linlithgow, and Kirkcaldy, which were prevented by the bishops because of his nonconformity. He officiated as domestic chaplain to Margaret, Countess of Wigton, for two years and a half, where he formed acquaintance with many pious and influential characters. Assisting at a communion in Shotts 20th June 1630, where there was a vast assemblage, including all the eminently pious women in the district, so deep an impression was made by the solemnities of the day that many lingered and spent the night in conference and prayer, and next day requested Mr L. to give them a sermon. Reluctant to obey, he endeavoured to escape, when the remonstrance occurred to him, “Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, a land of darkness `I" He then returned, and preached from Ezekiel xxxvi. 25, 26. In concluding, his exhortation and warning were strengthened by a heavy shower which caused his audience to take to their cloaks and mantles. Taking advantage of it be said, " If a few drops of rain so discompose you, how discomposed will you be, how full of horror and despair, if God should deal with you as you deserve: for thus will he deal with the finally impenitent. The Son of God, by tabernacling in our nature, and obeying and suffering in it, is the only refuge and covert from the storm, and none except penitent believers shall have the benefit of