ee 
Kirx-SEssion Recorps or Ironcray, 1691-1700. 131 
persons of position or property. But the oath of abjuration could 
be administered to anyone by anyone holding a commission from 
the Privy Council, and to refuse to take it was a capital offence. 
Many of the people in Irongray must have sympathised with 
Cameron: and Grierson of Lagg, was their near neighbour, and he 
was delighted to come over and administer the oath and carry out 
the penalty if required. It speaks well for the stout hearts of 
the men of Irongray that so few took it. 
On Friday, August 18, 1693, at three o’clock in the morning, 
Mr John Sinclair, the minister, died—as the records tell us. 
After his death the parish had no fixed minister till September 
13, 1694—-more than a year. The minutes tell us, however, the 
names of the ministers who officiated during the interregnum. 
On September 13, 1694, James Guthrie was ordained minister 
of Irongray. His ministry lasted for nearly 62 years. He died 
June 8, 1756. There are in my custody some later minutes of the 
Kirk-Session, which at some other time I may speak of, but 
to-night I confine myself to his first six years in Irongray. The 
minutes are evidently in his handwriting, a beautiful, scholarly 
hand, very easy to read—a great contrast to that of his predeces- 
sor’s and the session clerk’s during the vacancy, James Grierson. 
Guthrie divided his parish into seven parts, and over each he 
placed an elder, who was required to report to the session the 
needs and the misdeeds of his province. It was with one of his 
elders, however, that Mr Guthrie’s first trouble arose. 
A TROUBLER FROM URR. 
“November 4, 1694—This day the session, finding that 
William Welsh of Scar is so frequently absent, notwithstanding 
his being present at sermon, they appoint John Welsh of Cornlie 
and William Anderson in Shalloch to speak to him upon the 
head, and to make report next session.’’ 
“November 25—Cornlie makes report that he discoursed 
Scar according to appointment, and that though he apprehends 
he is a little tainted with Mr Hebron’s errors, yet if the minister 
would discourse him upon the head and inform him about some 
thing he might be got of from the way to attend the session as 
formerly.”’ 
The minister did discourse him, but had to report failure on 
December 27. “ He finds William Welsh of Scar averse to sit in 
