David Dickson was ordained minister to the town of Irvine in 1618. Some years later the bishop of St. Andrews pronounced his sentence in the words: “We deprive you of your ministry at Irvine and ordain you to enter Turriff in the north in 20 days.” “The will of the Lord be done”, said Mr Dickson; “though ye cast me off, the Lord will take me up. Send me where you will, I hope my Master will go with me, and as He has been to me heretofore, He will be with me still, as with His own weak servant.”
While in Turriff, he was employed to preach by the minister there, but he found greater difficulty both in studying and preaching than formerly. Some time after, his friends prevailed on the Archbishop of Glasgow to reprove him, upon condition that he would take back his declination, and for that purpose wrote to Mr Dickson to come to Glasgow. He came, as desired but though many wise and gracious persons urged him to yield yet he could not be persuaded. At last it was granted to him that if he and any friend would go to the Archbishop’s castle, and either of them should lift the paper from off the hall-table and take it without seeing the Archbishop at all he might return to Irvine. Mr Dickson saw that to be but juggling in such a weighty matter, in point of public testimony, and resolved not to meddle but to return to his confinement. Accordingly he began his journey, and was scarcely a mile out of town till his soul was filled with such a joy and approbation from God, that he seldom ever felt.
All the time of his absence, many Christians from Irvine and the west were pleading earnestly with God for his restoration. Among the rest a godly woman Margaret Campbell having been long at prayers, and then meeting a Christian acquaintance asked what hopes there were of the minister’s return. He said there was no hope at all. She then said: “I shall not believe that, for just now I got assurance of it in prayer.”
He returned to Irvine and was instrumental in the conversion and confirmation of many, and was the means of godly young men being trained for the ministry.
In December 1662 when Mr Dickson was lying on his death-bed, his close friend for nearly 40 years, Mr John Livingstone, went to visit him, and on enquiring how he found himself, Mr Dickson replied: “I have taken all my good deeds, and all my bad deeds, and cast them together in a heap before the Lord, and have betaken myself to Jesus Christ, and in Him I have full and sweet peace.”
From: WODROW’S CORRESPONDENCE