towards his God." A grand-niece of Mr. Moore is married to the Rev. William M'Ilwrath of Newtownards.

18. WILLIAM STAVELY, Minister at Ann's Borough, near

Belfast.

1. Truth Restored, or the New Mode of Swearing Religious Oaths by Touching and Kissing a Book examined. Newry, 1775. 2. War Proclaimed and Victory Ensured; or the Lamb's Conquests illustrated. [Rev. xvii. 14.] 8vo, pp. 66. Belfast, 1795. M. C. D.

The writer of these pamphlets was one of the founders of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and the second of that body who committed any of his productions to the press. He was," says The Covenanter of January 1865, "a remarkable man in his day, known, respected, and honoured throughout the whole province of Ulster as a zealous and indefatigable preacher of a pure Gospel, at a period when vital godliness was at a low ebb." Mr. Stavely was grand-uncle to Rev. J. N. M'Leod of New York, and father to the late Rev. Dr. W. J. Stavely of Dervock, a venerable man and an excellent Christian minister.

19. WILLIAM BLAKELY (1770-1779), Minister at Carrickfergus.

The Nature and Foundation of Civil Government, and Duty of Subjects. A Sermon from Rom. xiii. 1-3, preached in Carrickfergus on December 13, 1776, being the Fast Day appointed by Government. pp. 23. Belfast, 1777.

The writer of this sermon was ordained at Carrickfergus on the 12th of December, 1770; but was deposed for intemperance on the 2d of December, 1779.

20. John Baird, D.D. (1767–1777), Minister at Dublin. Dissertations, Chronological, Historical, and Critical, of all the Books of the Old Testament; through which are interspersed Reflections, Theological and Moral, arising from the various Subjects. Vol. i. pp. 531. Dublin, 1778.

M. C. D.

The writer came from the Isle of Man, and was ordained as minister of the congregation of Capel Street (Mary's Abbey), on the 11th of January, 1767. He did not live in harmony with his people, and was obliged to resign, after a ministry of ten years. His Dissertations, dated from "Mary's Abbey, November 12th, 1777," was published soon after his resignation. Its chapters were originally lectures delivered to the congregation, but before publication they received material additions at his hand. The work shows reading and thought, but contains little which would now be regarded as of much value. He had intended to go through the Old Testament in the same way; but his performance fell short of his intentions, for the only volume published ends with Exodus, chap. xx. The world has not lost much by this failure. The taste and judgment of the author may be estimated from the statement of the preface, that these discourses were delivered to a certain sort of people, whose temper and behaviour in general must necessarily render it very uncomfortable and dangerous to preside over them in religious affairs." We are not now in a position to judge who was in fault; but it is possible to conjecture, when we remember that his successor, Dr. M'Dowell, found on his arrival in Dublin that the congregation was reduced to six families and a few individuals, and that under his ministry it grew to be a flourishing church, over which he presided in honour for forty-seven years.

Dr. Baird dedicated his Dissertations to the Bishop of Down, in terms much too sycophantic to be becoming in a man who had the honour of being a Presbyterian minister, and suggestive that the writer expected his flattery to be rewarded. So far as known, the Bishop, to his credit, took no notice either of the book or the man. The step to which the dedication was preliminary was taken soon after. Dr. Baird joined the Establishment, and reaped his reward in the small benefice of Cloghran. He died in 1804.

21. HUGH DELAP (1751-1787), Minister of Omagh. An Inquiry whether and how far Magistracy is of Divine Appointment, and of the subjection due thereunto. A Sermon preached in the Old-Bridge Meetinghouse near Omagh, the 14th of November, 1779, before the Omagh and Cappagh Volunteers. 4to, pp. 23. Strabane, 1779. A. C. B. The writer of this discourse was ordained minister of Omagh on the 5th of June, 1751. An act of immorality, from which he did not clear himself to the satisfaction of all his congregation, was the cause of a number of the people withdrawing from his ministry and forming a second congregation, which was recognised by the Synod in 1752. Mr. Delap died on the 12th of June, 1787, and was succeeded in his congregation by his son and namesake.

22. JAMES STOUPPE, M.A. (1769–1780), Minister at Enniskillen and Dunmurry.

The Uncertainty of Life. A Sermon delivered at Lisburn, April 18, 1779, occasioned by the death of the Rev. George Kennedy, M.A., late Pastor of the Protestant Dissenting Congregation of that place, and published at their desire. [James iv. 14.] 12mo, pp. 32. Belfast, 1779. A. C. B. Mr. Stouppe was licensed at Lurgan by the Presbytery of Bangor on the 28th of June, 1768. He succeeded the Rev. Thomas Plunket, father of Lord Chancellor Plunket, as minister of Enniskillen on the 29th of November, 1769. Two years after, he received two calls, one to Greyabbey and one to Dunmurry. He accepted the latter, and was installed there on the 3d of June, 1772. The untimely death of his neighbour, Mr. Kennedy of Lisburn, in the twenty-eighth year of his age, elicited much sympathy from his people, and at their request Mr. Stouppe published the eloquent funeral sermon which he preached on the occasion. He resigned in 1780. Dr. Montgomery afterwards said (Irish Unitarian Magazine, vol. ii. p. 399), that he himself was the fifth minister who preached New Light doctrine in Dunmurry. If this was so, Mr. Stouppe must have been the first of the five, and in his person the new opinions first entered the pulpit, from which,

in older and better days, good old John Malcolm (see ch. xxviii.) had lifted up a loud protest against nonsubscription and heresy.

23. WILLIAM NEVIN (1748-1780), Minister at Downpatrick. The Nature and Evidence of an Overruling Providence Considered. A Sermon preached before the Downe Volunteers and Fusileers on the 5th of September, 1779, and published at their desire. [Ps. cxxiv. 8.] 12mo, pp. 32. Belfast, 1779.

A. C. B. When his father, Rev. Thomas Nevin of Downpatrick (see ch. xxxviii.), died, William had almost completed his medical studies at the University; but the congregation persuaded him to study theology, and, when his course was finished, called him to occupy his father's place. He was ordained in 1748. He acted as minister and medical adviser to the people, and as he took no fee, and was, moreover, a cautious, safe, and skilful practitioner," he must have had practice in abundance. He was endowed with a great power of reasoning on abstract subjects, and had the gift of expressing much in few words. He aided in establishing the Widows' Fund. His life was shortened by a fall from his horse. He died a few years after, in November, 1780. His sermon is a fair exposition of the doctrine of Divine providence, but it is as barren of evangelical sentiments as the other Volunteer sermons of the time. The facts now stated are derived from the Funeral Sermon preached for him by Sinclair of Larne.

24. ANDREW FERGUSON, Jun. (1725-1787), Minister at Burt. Sermon preached before the Volunteers.

Mr. Ferguson was ordained at Burt, as successor to his father, on the 16th of February, 1725. I have not seen a copy of his Volunteer sermon. He died on the

31st January, 1787. His grandson was made a baronet in 1801. His great grandson, Sir Robert A. Ferguson, was for many years M.P. for the city of Derry in the Liberal interest, and a statue to his memory stands in the Diamond.

25. JAMES CARMICHAEL, Minister at Donacloney.

The Protestant Volunteer Characterised, and the warrantableness and necessity of his appearing in arms stated and illustrated, from Judges v. 2-9. A Sermon preached, December 21, 1779, at Donacloney, to the Volunteers of that Congregation. [Dedicated to Sir Richard Johnston, Bart.] 12mo, pp. 48. Newry, 1780. A. C. B.

Mr. Carmichael was a native of Saintfield, and was ordained at Donacloney in 1770. Rev. G. H. Shanks of Boardmills is his grandson.

26. SAMUEL LIVINGSTON (1765–1802), Minister at Clare. The Obligation Men are under to exert themselves for the Defence of their Country. A Sermon preached before the Clare Volunteers on the 9th of January, 1780. [1 Chron. xix. 13.] 8vo, pp. 32. Newry, 1780.

A. C. B.

Mr. Livingston succeeded Mr. Cherry (see No. 1 of this chapter) on the 20th of August, 1765, and died on the 26th of February, 1802.

27. SAMUEL SLOANE (1780-1793), Minister at Markethill. Sermon occasioned by the death of the late Rev. George Ferguson, preached at Markethill, June 23, 1782. [Job xiv. 14.] pp. 31. Newry, 1782. A. C. B.

Mr. Sloane was ordained at Markethill on the 13th of June, 1780. His Funeral Sermon for Ferguson is the ornate production of a young man. Dr. Clark of Cahans charges him with never praying for the pardon of original sin when administering baptism; but this charge must be taken with some allowance. He died on the 15th of March, 1793.

28. WILLIAM WILSON (1765-1807), Minister at Magherafelt and Dublin.

The Christian's Consolation in the hope set before him. [Heb. vi. 18.] A Sermon preached at Lurgan before the Rev. General Synod of Ulster on the second day of their meeting. pp. 32. Belfast, 1783.

Mr. Wilson was ordained as minister of Magherafelt on the 19th November, 1765. He was Moderator of