170 QUARRELWOOD ChURCH AND ITS MINISTERS. 



appointed him a popular sermon, e.g., homily on Jeremiah xiii., 

 23, " Can the Ethiopian change his skin?" 1st John, xxxiii., 36, 

 "And I knew him not;" an exercise and addition, "An in una 

 essentia divina sunt plures distincti persona;?" Popular lecture, 

 Hebrews i., 10. 



Having passed all his "trials," he was licensed on 21st 

 February, 1761, at Pentland. Two months later he was sent to 

 preach in Ireland. He returned home in August, and again went 

 to Ireland in October by the Presbytery's instructions, and re- 

 turned home in May, 1762. A call came to him from Ireland, 

 but he did not accept it. Then we find this interesting minute 

 of Presbytery: — " Woodhall, first Monday of August, 1763. — In 

 consequence of a minute of last meeting of Presbytery appointing 

 the Rev. John Courtass to moderate in a call to the southern 

 congregation at their desire, the Rev. John Courtass represented 

 to the meeting that, at a meeting of electors at Quarrelwood, July 

 11th last, appointed for said purpose, he had moderated in said 

 affair, and a blank call being presented, it was unanimously 

 agreed by the electors there present, in name of all their con- 

 stituents, that the call should be filled up with the name of Mr 

 John Fairley, preacher of the Gospel, which was accordingly 

 done, and said call subscribed by them in presence of the Mode- 

 rator and two neutral men as witnesses, as is attested on back of 

 said call." 



Mr Courtass laid this call before the Presbytery. At the 

 same meeting a call came to Mr Fairley from America. Both 

 were put into Mr Fairley's hands, and after consultation with the 

 Presbytery he accepted that from the southern congregation. 



The Presbytery met at Leadhills on December 21st, 1763, 

 and ordained him. Mr Courtass was moderator, and ordained 

 " in the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, the 

 glorious and alone Head of the Church." 



Although ordained as colleague to Mr Courtass, he did not 

 come to reside at Quarrelwood, but took up his residence at 

 Thirton House, in view of the castle and near the village of 

 Douglas. He married a Miss Janet Allison, daughter of a Mr 

 Allison, an extensive flax and yarn merchant at Thornhill, near 

 Stirling. His wife is called " an amiable, discreet, and singularly 

 pious woman." 



