ECCLESIOLOGY. 521 



which serve to show the veneration in which the saint 

 was held. 



Some of the other islands of the Outer Hebrides are 

 also of ecclesiological interest. The remains of greatest 

 importance in North Uist, are those of the historical 

 Trinity Church, at Carinish. At Howmore, in South Uist, 

 traces are left of its former ecclesiastical greatness. At 

 Balivanich, in Benbecula, there are the remains of a 

 chapel; and Kilbar, in Barra, commemorates the vene- 

 ration of St. Barr in that island. In pre- Reformation 

 times, all the churches and chapels in the Outer Hebrides 

 were sanctuaries. It can be conceived, without any undue 

 stretch of the imagination, that they were in frequent use 

 by criminals, fleeing from the avenging hand of Justice. 



We get only a few passing glimpses of the Lewis 

 churches, in the early ecclesiastical history of Scotland. 

 In 1506, James IV. presented Sir John Poison,* Precentor 

 of Caithness, to the rectory of Ui, when it should be vacant 

 by the irregularity, or inability, of John Macleod. In 1534 

 and 1536, the Rector of Ui was Sir Magnus Vass, Commis- 

 sary of Inverness. In the latter year, James V. presented 

 " Master Roderic Farquhar (Hector's son) " to several 

 churches vacant by the death of " Master Martin McGil- 

 martin," including the rectory of the Church of Our Lady 

 in Barvas. In 1552, the Rector of Ui was Sir Donald 

 Monro, doubtless the Archdeacon of the Isles. In 1559, 

 Queen Mary presented Master Lauchlan Maclean to the 

 rectory of Ness, vacant by the death of Sir John Finlay. 

 In 1561, the parsonage of Ui belonged to the Bishop of 

 the Isles. In 1573, Ranald (Angus' son) appears on 

 record as the parson of Uig, when he subscribed a bond 

 entered into between Ruari Macleod and the Bishop of the 

 Isles, Ruari himself being unable to write.t 



The abolition of Roman Catholicism in Scotland, in 

 1 560, necessarily led to a re-modelling of the ecclesiastical 



* "Sir" was a title of respect formerly given to clergymen. The prefix 

 of " Mr." to a name, signified that the bearer of it was a Master of Arts, 

 t Origins Parochiaks, Vol. II., Part I., p. 381. 



