DUMFRIESSHIRE AND GALLOWAY MINISTERS IN CUMBERLAND. 67 
ministers of the Independent persuasion—an undenominationalist 
indeed in whom there was no guile. 
Leaving Kincaid, we pass to another minister, the Rev. Robert 
Wight, M.A., whose name must be familiar to the congregation 
of St Michael’s. From Scott’s “ Fasti Ecclesize Scoticana ’’ we 
extract the following data:——‘ Robert Wight, son of William 
Wight, tenant in Glengelt, was laureated at the University of 
Edinburgh, 12 May, 1703. Licensed by the Presbytery of Earl- 
ston 12 March, 1709. Ordained as minister over the Presby- 
terian congregation at Brampton, 20 Augt., 1712. Presented by 
Charles Duke of Queensberry and Dover to Torthorwald, 22 
Oct., 1724. Recalled to Brampton, 30th May, 1725. Called 
to St. Michael’s, 23 July, 1732, and admitted assistant and 
successor, 30 Nov., 1732. Rebuilt St. Michael’s, 1747. Died, 
4th Decr. 1762, in his 80th year, and 53rd of his ministry. He 
married 3rd Novr., 1724, Jean, daughter of Alexander Robesone, 
minister of Tinwald, and had two sons and six daughters.’’ No 
more methodical minister was ever placed in a pastoral charge 
than Robert Wight. Fourteen days of his Brampton incumbency 
had not passed over until he called a meeting of his session 
together, at which it was agreed “ that there be two paper books, 
one of them to be a register of collections, baptisms, etc., in the 
Dissenting Congregation of Protestants att Brampton, the other 
to be a register for recording what briefs are received.’’ One of 
the first things he did after getting his “two paper books’ was 
to insert in one of them a memorandum of the names of this con- 
gregation admitted to partake of the Sacrament of the Lord’s 
Supper. Then follow the names of four elders and fifty-seven 
members, the whole concluding with a note saying :—“ All these 
were members before Mr Wight’s ordination, being admitted to 
partake of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in the time of his 
predecessors.—Robert Wight, Minister.’’ 
Mr Wight, it thus seems, came to a not insignificant congre- 
gation, which, as we shall see, almost trebled itself in his incum- 
bency. These registers are still in existence, and are so beauti- 
fully written and kept as to rejoice the heart of any who may be 
acquainted with contemporary parish registers. Thenceforward 
minutes of the session’s proceedings, records of baptism, dis- 
cipline, and finance are kept with a scrupulous accuracy and care 
which evinced the careful and methodical character of the man. 
