(Continued from page 57.)
TRAINING OF HIGHLAND BOYS AT SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.
11th October, 1648.—”The Assembly [i.e., the Synod], considering that the General Assembly, out of zeal for the glory of God and love to have the gospel flourishing in the Highlands, especially when the Lord’s harvest is so great in these bounds and the labourers so few, has found out a way for the entertaining of Highland boys of good spirits at schools and colleges
*Extracts from the Records of the Synod of Argyll.
for the use aforesaid, and did appoint the ministers of Glasgow, to wit, Mr. David Dickson, Professor of Divinity in the College of said town, and Mr. Robert Ramsay, minister there, to receive the collections of the several Presbyteries of the kingdom, and employ the same for the maintenance and education of the said boys. And the assembly, having tried the subsequent number of boys, finding them to be of good capacities and expectation to prosper in their learning, do recommend the said number to the foresaid ministers to see them maintained and educated at schools during the time prescribed by the General Assembly. (Here follows a list of twenty-two names thus recommended.) The assembly, apprehending that there was not a present way for the entertaining of the whole number of forty boys nominated by the former Provincial, has thought fit for the present to recommend only the above-mentioned number, humbly desiring withal, if there be means for sustaining of more, that whoever comes with a recommendation from the province may be accepted.” (I. 123-124.)
9th May, 1649.—“Ordains that the Shorter Catechism be translated into the Irish (Gaelic) language by the following:—Mr. Ewen Cameron, Mr. Colin MacLachlan, Mr. Dugald Campbell, Mr. Martin MacLachlan, Mr. Nicol MacCalman, Mr. John MacLachlan and Mr. Dugald Darroch, and that these from the Presbyteries respective bring their translations to be conferred and collected at the next Provincial.
“Ordains that whatsoever of the brethren has any parcel or part of the Bible translated in that language, and that either by their own or other folk’s pains, they present them to their several Presbyteries, and from these to be brought by the Moderator to the next Provincial.” (I. 127.)
10th October, 1649.—“Alexander Cameron, laird of Glennevis, and Angus Cameron, Captain of Inverlochy, who were ex-communicated by the Synod for their compliance and joining in rebellion with James Graham and Alexander MacDonald, gave in their supplication before us, bearing a hearty acknowledgment of that fearful sin in joining with God’s enemies against their religion and covenant, as also their heavy sense of that dreadful sentence of ex-communication justly pronounced against them, earnestly desiring relaxation and to be received to the fellowship of God’s people again. The assembly, therefore, did appoint two of their number to confer with them more particularly, who after diverse conferences made report that they found them weighted for their guiltiness, and sensible of their present woe condition, which they gave testimony of also themselves by their ample and clear confession, which the assembly considering, for the great solemnity of the action, and being ex-communicated by the Synod, as also their wanting a minister in their own bounds, have appointed them upon Saturday next, after prayer in time of divine service, to stand in public in this kirk and give testimony of their repentance, and to remove when the sermon is ended, and appoints Mr. Farquhar Fraser to preach on Saturday next for that effect. Further, it is enjoined them to stand in like manner on the Lord’s Day next ensuing both before and after noon, and Mr. Ewen Cameron to relax them, all of which accordingly was done.” (I. 144-145.)
(To be continued.)