APPENDIX. 43 
rity and vice, that they underwent a furprifing change for the 
better, during the time of Mr DryspAte’s miniftry ;—a ftrong 
proof of the great utility of well-qualified teachers of pure and 
undefiled religion in any ftate! 
Tuus he lived for fifteen years, difcharging with fidelity the 
functions of a country clergyman, enjoying the domeftic fo- 
ciety of his own family, and the converfation of many literary 
and clerical friends who occafionally vifited him. 
At length, in the year 1763, his fincere and ftedfaft friend 
Mr Oswatp found an opportunity of ferving him, by pre- 
vailing with the late Earl of Bure to ufe his influence with the 
Town-council of Edinburgh, that Mr DryspALe might be ad- 
mitted one of the minifters of that city. Grorcze DrummMonpD, 
Efq; at that time Lord Provoft of Edinburgh, exerted himfelf 
with great activity on that occafion. Though it was pretty 
well underftood, that the right of prefenting minifters to the 
city was vefted in the Lord Provoft, Magiftrates and Council, 
yet a practice had prevailed for the Council to wave the exercife 
of that right, and to permit the general kirk-feflions of the 
‘city to be the electors of their own minifters. The Lord Pre- 
voft thought proper, for good reafons, to deviate from that mode 
of election on this occafion ; and he prevailed with the Council 
to grant a prefentation to Mr Dryspate to fupply the vacant 
‘charge. This produced a confiderable degree of oppofition on 
the part of thofe who were defirous that the election of mini- 
fters fhould remain in the hands of the general feffions. But 
the Council were determined to maintain what they imagined 
to be their right; and after a civil procefs, the queftion was de- 
cided in their favour. Several interlocutors had been paffed in 
the Prefbytery of Edinburgh hoftile to the tranflation of the 
prefentee, which caufed the affair to be brought before the Sy- 
nod of Lothian and Tweeddale, where they were all over-ruled, 
(F 2) and 
Account of 
Dr Dryfaale, 
