ment of the Home Mission, and was much consulted and employed in the attempt to extend the Presbyterian Church in the South of Ireland.

He survived the union of the Synods in 1840, but at that time was so far advanced in years as to be unable to take a prominent part in the public business of the Church. While health permitted he never failed to take an interest in ecclesiastical affairs, and to attend Synod with diligence, while he was noted among his brethren for personal tact and for shrewdness of character. Persons still alive, who knew him in old age, speak of him as "a tall, well-built, and handsome old gentleman, who was understood to possess a large share of good common sense, and who was much employed in the transaction of Synodical business."

Dr. Horner died on the 16th of January, 1843. He was a man of sound judgment, and of kind and genial spirit. His grandson, Dr. M'Dowell, is at present Professor of Anatomy in Trinity College, Dublin.

CHAPTER XCVII.

GEORGE HAMILTON (1794-1803),

MINISTER AT ARMAGH (SECOND CONGREGATION).

The Great Necessity of Itinerant Preaching. A Sermon delivered in the new Meeting-house of Armagh, at the formation of the Evangelical Society of Ulster, on Wednesday, 10th of October, 1798. With a short Introductory Memorial respecting the establishment and first attempt of that Society. [Luke xiv. 23.] 8vo, pp. xvii. and 36. Armagh, 1798. A. C. B.

THE Secession Congregation, now the Second Congregation of Armagh, was founded in 1785. Its first stated minister was George Hamilton, who seems to have been settled there about 1794.

He founded the Irish Evangelical Society, an organisation formed for the purpose of preaching the Gospel to that portion of the people of Ireland lying beyond the various churches. The sermon preached at the foundation of the Society, on the text Luke xiv. 23, was subsequently published. It is an earnest evangelical discourse, in which he shows that Gospel compulsion is moral in its nature, that the end it proposes to attain is conversion, and that there are strong arguments why numbers should go forth in quest of wandering sinners, and compel them to come in. He concludes with the enforcement of suitable lessons.

In 1803 the Secession Synod condemned the principles on which this new organisation was based, whereupon Mr. Hamilton withdrew from their fellowship, and became an Independent. The Society that he founded passed over with its founder, and became practically an

organisation carried on by Independents. The Seceding congregation in Armagh was much weakened by the withdrawal of a number of its members, who followed their pastor.

Mr. Hamilton afterwards became pastor of an Independent church at Carrickfergus in November, 1816; but he died of typhus fever in the following year, and was buried in Carrickfergus. His son is Sir James Hamilton, for many years Chairman of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners.*

ORIGIN OF THE IRISH EVANGELICAL SOCIETY.

A few ministers and laymen being assembled at Armagh on a sacramental occasion, the author of the following sermon proposed, as matter of solemn deliberation, on Monday evening, this question-"Is there anything practicable by us in order to our more extensive usefulness in spreading the glorious Gospel?" After prayer and much serious conversation on the subject, it was judged proper to call a meeting, to be held at Armagh, on the 10th of October next, and that in the meantime a circular letter be prepared, in order to be addressed to evangelical ministers and private Christians of every denomination, requesting their attendance. A copy of the circular letter is here inserted.

(Signed) WM. HENRY.

DAVID HOLMES.
LEWIS BROWN.

JOHN LOWRY.
GEO. HAMILTON.

To this address several answers were received of a very encouraging and satisfactory nature. At length the day appointed arrived; and although there happened a great fall of rain, still a considerable number of people, with about thirteen ministers of four different denominations, had the pleasure of assembling on the occasion. The public worship was conducted in the following manner. The Rev. George Maunsel, Rector of Drumcree, began with reading the first chapter of Haggai, and then gave out the latter part of the 90th Psalm. The Rev. Thomas Campbell, pastor of the Antiburgher Congregation of Ahorey, then prayed; after which, and the singing of a few verses of the 72d Psalm, the following discourse was delivered. A part of the 132d Psalm

*Stuart's Armagh, p. 498: Killen's History: Rev. Mr. Graham, in Northern Whig, July 1, 1878.

was then sung, and the Rev. William Henry of Tassagh having prayed, and a select portion of the 102d Psalm (long measure) having been sung, the congregation was dismissed with the usual benediction.

Mr. Maunsel was then called to the chair, and prayer being offered up, the circular letter calling the meeting was read; and after some remarks respecting the desirableness of the object in view, it was proposed that the minsters and brethren now convened do signify their desire to form themselves into a Society, for the purposes already stated, by a solemn lifting up of their hands. The unanimous wish of the meeting being thus ascertained, Mr. Hamilton proceeded, according to appointment, to read over the sketch of a plan previously digested. A committee of five persons was then appointed, who having retired into the vestry, made some little alterations on the plan proposed, expressed their approbation, and returned it to the examination of the meeting. It was then read a second time, discussed article by article, and with a few corrections unanimously adopted.

The attention of the meeting was now directed to the choice of a committee, a treasurer, and a secretary. Mr. Samuel Carson of Armagh was immediately nominated as treasurer, and the Rev. George Hamilton as secretary: with this designation the meeting unanimously concurred. The following gentlemen were then chosen as members of committee:-The Rev. Messrs. Maunsel, Henry, Reed, Campbell, and Messrs. Jackson, Craig, Kinlay, Nehemiah Carson, Gordon, and Jones. A subscription book was then opened, and the thanks of the meeting being voted to Mr. Maunsel for his very proper attention to the business of the day, the whole was concluded with prayer by the Rev. W. B. Mathias. -Itinerant Preaching, Introductory Memorial, pp. v-xi.

CHAPTER XCVIII.

JOHN GLENDY, D.D. (1778-1798),

MINISTER OF MAGHERA.

An Oration on the Death of Lieutenant-General George Washington, composed on the special request of the Commandant and his brother Officers of the Cantonment in the Vicinity, and delivered at Staunton on the 22d day of February, 1800. [Reprinted, 8vo, pp. 31, Baltimore, 1835.-T. W.]

JOHN GLENDY was born near Londonderry on the 24th of June, 1755. He received his education at the University of Glasgow. In 1776 and the year following he was passing through his trial sermons before the Presbytery of Derry. He was licensed to preach the Gospel in April, 1777.

On the 19th of May, 1778, a deputation from Maghera, consisting of Messrs. Alexander Clark and William Paterson, appeared before the Presbytery, bringing a unanimous call for Mr. Glendy, and asking to have his settlement among them "expedited." He accepted the call, and was ordained on the 16th of December in the same year.

The old Presbyterian church of Maghera stood upon the Fair Hill. The building of a new edifice on the present site, in 1785, was among the first duties which engaged the attention of the young minister; but afterwards he was unfortunately induced to participate in less innocent avocations. He sympathised warmly in the political movements of the United Irishmen. Beyond a foolish march of the country people, armed with guns and other weapons, into town, of which they held pos