In South Carolina. 41 



origin to the name of the Circular Church. The Rev. 

 William Dunlop, "whom," says Woodrow, "I can 

 never name without the greatest regard to his memory, 

 transported himself, and voluntarily withdrew from 

 the iniquity of this time; and, if I mistake not, the 

 excellent and truly noble Lord Cardross left his native 

 country at the same time." Cardross determined, in 

 1683, to seek the freedom of conscience in America 

 which was denied him in Scotland, and conducting a 

 colony of ten families, and a considerable number of 

 persecuted men, who were exiled from their native 

 land, planted a settlement on Port Royal Island, where 

 the first colony of William Sayle had landed, and built 

 Stuart's Town, so called in honor of the family of Lady 

 Cardross. The settlement was broken up by a com- 

 bined attack of Indians and Spaniards in 1686, and of 

 the miserable remnant some returned to Scotland, and 

 others scattered themselves through the province. 

 During its continuance, the Rev. Mr. Dunlop regu- 

 larly conducted worship at Stuart's Town according to 

 the forms of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, 

 and afterward, returning home, became, in 1690, the 

 principal of the University of Glasgow. The Rev. 

 Mr. Stobo continued to labor with diligence and suc- 

 cess through a period of about forty years, and after his 

 retirement from the Independent Church in Charles- 

 ton, was occupied in founding Presbyterian Churches 

 through the colony. He was instrumental in forming 

 the first presbytery of the province about 1728, which 

 was the third in priority of time in the whole country, 

 and was composed of the following members, viz.: 

 the Rev. Archibald Stobo, of Poirpon Church (Walter- 

 boro); the Rev. Hugh Fisher (Congregationalist), of 

 Dorchester; the Rev. Nathan Bassett (Congregation- 



