SYNOD OF LOTHIAN AND TWEEDDALE

PEESBYTERY OF EDINBURGH

[Excepting blanks from 1st November 1750 to 3rd June 1753, the Registers are complete from 14th May 1701 to the present day. One volume previous to 1638, and all after till 14th May 1701, were destroyed by a fire at the Presbytery Clerk's house in the Lawnmarket, 28th October 1701. Three volumes of Records, from 19th April 1586 to 24th August 1603 (with blanks from 24th March 1589-90 to 13th April 1591)—and the Synod volume mentioned above—were restored by the University of Edinburgh, in whose possession they had been for over two hundred years. The Presbytery raised an action in the Court of Session, which was defended. On 16th July 1890, Lord Wellwood gave judgment in favour of the pursuers, finding the Presbytery entitled to the books and documents claimed, and ordaining the defenders to deliver them up. The grounds of decision were : (1) that the Presbytery were the successors of the Presbytery to whom they belonged ; (2) that the Records, being those of the established courts of the country, were extra commercium, and the pursuers were not barred by prescription or the presumption arising from long possession or acquiescence. The decision was appealed to the Inner House, but was abandoned by the University when the case was about to be heard in the Second Division of the Court, 28th November 1890. For a complete statement of the case see Appendix to Report to Assembly, 1891, and Scottish Law Reporter, xxviii., 567.]

ADDIEWELL (Q.A).

[A Mission in connection with West Calder was started in 1871, the services being held in a hall.  Amongst those who served as missionaries were William Fotheringham Cameron (afterwards of Tweedmouth); John Kerr (Dirleton); John Gunson (Kingston, Glasgow); and, in 1879, William Peter M'Laren. The Mission became a separate charge in 1882.  A church, costing £1550, was opened 3rd April 1885, and on 23rd Jan. 1893 Addie-well was erected into a parish quoad sacra.]

VOL. I.

WILLIAM PETER M'LAREN, born Edinburgh, 12th July 1843; educated at Edinburgh Univ.; student missionary at Addiewell from 1879; licen. by Presb. of Edinburgh 6th May 1882; ord. 12th July 1882, died 2nd May 1894. He marr. 1871, Jean Robertson, and had issue —William David, professor in Thomas-son College, Roorkee, India; David John, min. of Patna; James Archibald, died in infancy.