Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 3.djvu/208

236 same evils were apprehended by the kirk session of Stirling, and the observations of both presbytery and session were confirmed by the town council.—“We beg leave," say they,“ briefly to represent that Mr Erskine was settled as an ordained minister amongst us for the greater edification of the place, and that with no small trouble and expense that we have always lived in good friend. ship with him, after now two full years' acquaintance—that we find him to be of a peaceable disposition of mind, and of a religious walk and conversation, and to be every way fitted and qualified for discharging the office of the ministry amongst us, and that he has accordingly discharged the same to our great satisfaction—that, therefore, our being deprived of his ministerial performances must undoubtedly be very moving and afflictive to us, and that the putting the foresaid act (the act of suspension) into execution, we are afraid, will in all likelihood be attended with very lamentable circumstances, confusions, and disorders, too numerous and tedious to be here rehearsed, and that not only in this place in particular, but also in the church in general.” The kirk session and town council of Perth presented each a representation in favour of Mr Wilson, as did the presbyteries of Dunblane and Ellon, praying the commission to wait at least for the instructions of another assembly. Full of the spirit of the assembly which had appointed it, however, the commission was deaf to all admonitions, refusing to read, or even to allow any of these representations to be read, with the exception of a small portion of that from the presbytery of Stirling, which might be done as a mark of respect to Mr Erskine's character, or it might be intended to awaken the envy and rage of his enemies. Mr Erskine prepared himself a pretty full representation, as an appellant from the sentence of the synod of Perth and Stirling, as did also Mr James Fisher. Messrs Wilson and Moncrief, as protesters against that sentence, gave in papers, under form of instrument, insisting upon it as their right to choose their own mode of defence, which was by writing. Mr Erskine was allowed, with some difficulty, to read his paper, but none of the others could obtain the like indulgence, so they delivered the substance of them in speeches at the bar. They did not differ in substance from those formerly given in, and of which we have already given the reader as liberal specimens as our limits will permit. “In regard they were not convicted of departing from any of the received principles of the church of Scotland, or of counteracting their ordination vows and engagements; they protested that it should be lawful and warrantable for them to exercise their ministry as heretofore they had done; and that they should not be chargeable with any of the lamentable effects that might follow upon the course taken with them." The commission, without any hesitation, suspended them from the exercise of the ministerial function in all its parts. Against this sentence they renewed their protestations, and paid no regard to it, as all of them confessed when brought before the commission in the month of November. Applications in their behalf were more numerous, at the meeting of the commission, in November, than they had been in August, and they had the advantage of those of August, in that they were read. The prayer of them all was delay; and it carried in the commission, to proceed to a higher consure only by the casting vote of Mr Goldie, (or Gowdie,) the moderator. The sentence was pronounced on the 16th day of November, 1733, to the following effect:—“The conmission of the general assembly did, and hereby do, loose the pastoral relation of Mr Ebenezer Erskine, minister at Stirling, Mr William Wilson, minister at Perth, Mr Alex. under Moncrief, minister at Abernethy, and Mr James Fisher, sinister at Kinclaven, to their said respective charges; and do declare them no longer ministers of this church. And do liereby prohibit all ministers of this church to employ them, or any of them, in any ministerial function. And the commis-