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kneu not, and said she had important bussines with him. He caused take her into a closet; and in a litle time left his company, and went to her, and continoued very near an hour with her. When he came out, he was in some concern; Mr Montgommery and his freinds asked what she was? He said he did not knou, never having seen her before; but, as he expressed it, he belived she was either a god or a devil, for she had warned him not to go aboard the ship, for he would never return; and, as a sign, she told him many secret passages of his life, which he was sure no body but himself could knou. They asked, what he would do then? He said he would go on in his designe, come what would! And went that day to the ship, and in a litle the ship perished, and he in her.

Mr M'Lauren tells me, that he hears from the North that Bishop Gatherer is perfectly managed by Dr Garnes the Burignian, and if the Burignians be under the managment of the Papists, no wonder the doctrines advanced by Gatherer be favourite subjects to the Burignianists.

He tells me, when I was telling him what I heard, that the Non-subscribers at London recon upon some young Ministers here, favourers of their scheme, that he heard of one Mr Telfair, (if I be not forgote,) setled some where about Dunce; that when passing tryalls made some bustle about subscribing, but came off his difficultys, when he sau there was none there would license him without subscribing.

He tells me, that when walking in some of the Halls of Oxford with some Scots youths Episcopally enclined, he sau Wallis' picture, the Mathematician; and they affirmed to him that he was the author of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism. Consider if [he was] a member of the Assembly; and if so, he must have been very young. But I doubt this account has some mistake in it. It seems true.*

I hear more and more noise about the Students at Glasgou from Mr Gray, the Principal, and others, which seem to give ground to fear that the Non-subscribing principle is gaining too much ground among

them.

The last sentence seems to have been afterwards added.

They say that the case about Pharoh's hardned heart above was casten; because the words of the Confession wer only brought in, without any other thing as an answer. This is denyed by others of them, and I find some that assume the name of bright young men, or get that name given them, bear hard upon others, and speak their sentiments only to one under secresy; that they use much prevarication in facts, and what they say is not much to be depended on : That none of them are of any standing or reading. I hear a case, brought in some feu dayes since, about the "necessity of a search into truth," makes some noise; but I have not distinct accounts of it: That one of them said to another, telling him if he spoke it again he would deny it, that he had carefully read over the Old Testament, (and, if I remember, the Neu also,) and found no satisfying proofes of our Saviour's Divinity.

I find it is suspected that ther was a designe at the last Communion at Glasgou in getting a peculiar set of helpers, that there has been a club at Edinburgh for some years, Mr Wishart, Mr Telfer, Mr Wallace, wer all members of it, who wer of opinion that we're in a way of too narrou thinking in this country; and that some of the younger students inclined to have some greater freedom of thoughts; and a tryall was to be made hou notions of liberty and searching* would go doun. But Mr Telfer failed, and only Mr Wallace came. What is in this, time must discover.

I hear from Mr Gray that last week he had a letter from his son, who acquaints him that last summer a violent Non-subscriber, one Mr Colvil, Minister of Drummore, I think, in Ireland, dyed. This Minister had a son a preacher. A good number of the parish wer for young Mr Colvil, who is yet a more violent Non-subscriber than his father, to that parish; but a greater number wer against him. The Presbytry wer pretty joyntly against Mr Colvil, and sided with his opposers. The Non-subscribers, finding Mr Colvil could not be ordeaned with them, advised him to go over to London, and wrote letters with him, amply recommending him to Dr Calamy, and some other Non-subscribers there. Accordingly, he is lately come over, and ordeaned, indefinitly,† at London, and is coming • Into theological questions.

† At large, or in ministerium vagum.

back, ordeaned to Ireland. This is a practice, if continoued, which may have vast consequences.

That this Mr Colvil reports, at London, that lately at Glasgou ther wer four sermons preached by one of the Ministers there against Church authority. Mr Gray, conceiving that this meaned of Wishart, wrote to him yesterday, December 28, acquainting him that he had some matter of importance to communicat to him, and desired to knou where he might meet with him. Mr Wishart came to him, and he acquainted him that his name had been abused by such storys writt over to Ireland of him by some people at Glasgou. The other said it was a gross abuse of him, and gave him account of his sermons. He was, if [I] remember, on these words, "And we your servants, for Christ's sake:" That he did indeed say none was Lord of conscience but Christ alone, but that he handled the subject only against the Popish impositions: That he wondered hou any could apply what he said to the bussines of Church authority, or the Churches pouer to demand subscription to Confessions, which he was of opinion was a just point of authority. Mr Gray said he was perswaded it was a calumny, and was of opinion he should vindicat himself of it; and he said he keeped litle correspondence with London or Ireland, but could write to Dr Calamy or Mr Haliday. The other said these wer unfitt persons, and might probably suppress what he wrote upon such points. He did not find such a warm concern for a vindication as he wished, which prevented his going on to use freedom with him as to severall things he designed, particularly a certain set of persons in Glasgow with whom he thinks the other is too much in conversation, and his bringing Mr Wallace to the last Communion; and so he offered to write to his son what he had just nou said in his oun vindication, that he might challange Mr Colvil, and contradict his informa. tions from Ireland. This the other alloued him to do. He proposed Mr Hamilton and me, as having correspondence with Ireland, that we should labour to disabuse people there. This met not with that reception that Mr Gray expected. Our cloud seems grouing darker and

darker.

In the end of this moneth, adresses from shires and touns are throng

against the Resolution of the House of Commons for the additionall sixpence on the Scots ale, and the taking of the premium on exported victuall for Scotland. The story goes that Mr Walpole proposed six thousand pound, as necessary to the Treasury from Scotland, to a meeting of our Scots people, and desired them to fall on a fund, which they declined: That at lenth he proposed that scheme, and said, he had it from one of their number, which was reconed Shaufeild ;* but, in a speech before the Committy, (which vide,) he refused the charge: That ther wer very warm debates in that matter, and when it was urged, a breach of the Union, severall of the English said, " And what though it was ?" Most part of all our shires have addressed, and some instructed their Members to leave the House and protest; but protests are not form in the House of Commons. All our Scots men, they say, are joynt, except Major Cocherane, our representative in this shire, if he be not wronged, and seven or eight English Members who have been in Scotland, and see the inability of the country, General Carpenter, General Wade, &c. There was a struggle at Glasgou about a clause moved by some of the merchants which pointed at Shaufeild, notwithstanding some of our oun countrymen had misrepresented us in that matter; but it was droped for harmony and peace. The Magistrates refuse, at Edinburgh or Glasgou, to signe, as Magistrates, but only offer as inhabitants. This matter is like to breed a great deal of discontent at the Goverment, and the Jacobites never had a more popular handle of clamour since the King's accession. They seem very bussy abroad, and to have great hopes from Spain and France.

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M.DCC.XXV.

January.—In the beginning of this moneth we hear of my Lord Dundonald's illness, and few expect his recovery, and that estate is like to go out of the Cocheran's hands to the House of Hamilton, if this present Duke's son live; which will make a considerable change in this shire.

*

At Glasgou the debates among the Students continou, and make no litle noise. There seems to be a humor getting in among them of opposing Confessions, and exalting reason, under pretence of search after truth. The Triumpherian Club, they say, is reneued with neu vigor there, and they talk Mr Harvey is writing in defence of Mr Wallace's Sermon upon Reason. They say Mr Wishart meets with that Club; which, if true, is a strange step, and he is ill-advised. The Non-subscribers in Ireland give it out that he is the Minister of Scotland they have their eye most upon, and one of the brightest men in it. Some thing in his extemporary tryalls begin [now] to be talked of. Mr George Campbell interrogat him upon the equality of the Son with the Father. He gave an answer in the words of others, not his oun, that a subordi nation was spoke of by many ancient writers. At the approbation, Mr Campbell declared his dissatisfaction as to what he had said upon the subordination. Severall others observed that he had spoken the words of others, and not his oun. It's said, and I belive true, that he has lately sent to desire Mrs Clerk to provide herself of another seat; which was not agreable to that prudence was expected of him, and what he sau need to go himself and make an apology; for the reason of this is said to be, that Mr B[oy]d the Irish factor, a great tool of the Non-subscrib

• Afterwards called "Trinampherian Club," see Feb. 1725.

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