88 REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1901 



the thirteenth century, and the first notice of that church 

 was, he thought, the burning of it in one of the English 

 raids in the middle of the sixteenth centurj'. At that time 

 the bell was carried away, and it was said to be hung 

 in the tower, or steeple, or belfry of Carham Church. He 

 had heard a slight variation of that story, the resting-place 

 of the bell being given as Norham, but wherever it was, if 

 any member of the Club could succeed in tracing it, he would 

 be exceedingly pleased to try and get it back, if only for 

 the reason— it was not the sole reason — that Eckford badly 

 needed a new bell. The present church of Eckford dates 

 back to 1665 or 1668 — he had seen 1665 given in print, but 

 on the dial at the doorway the date is 1668. From time 

 to time it has undergone various alterations and renovations, 

 the latest being after he came to the parish, four or five years 

 ago. The pulpit then stood in the centre of the church, and 

 there was a broad passage flanked on either side by old 

 box pews. It is probably well known that the habit of 

 communicating in the pews in the Scotch Church is com- 

 paratively recent. In olden days a long table was set in the 

 broad passage, and the officiating clergyman took his seat at 

 the head of the table. Perhaps the most interesting property 

 of the church consists of three minute books, dating from 

 1694 to 1754, but before quoting therefrom it is perhaps 

 worth noting the list of ministers since the Reformation. 

 Previous to the Reformation the church belonged to Jedburgh 

 Abbey. Afterwards, from 1572 to 1591, it was supplied by 

 John Clerk, reader. The first appointed minister was Andrew 

 Clayhills, who was settled in 1593, and went to Monifieth 

 in 1599. Succeeding him were — Patrick Urquhart, went to 

 Lindean in 1605; John Boyle, appointed 1608, and left 1609; 

 Thomas Abernethie, appointed 1610, died 1640 ; Robert 

 Mairtine, settled 1641, died 1665; William TurnbuU, settled 

 1666, ceased (probably from death) 1677 ; William Nasmyth, 

 settled 1678, deprived 1689 for not praying for William and 

 Mary, but for restoration of James VII. ; James Noble, settled 

 1694, died 1739; John Johnston, settled 1731, died 1754; 

 William Paton, settled 1755, died 1807 ; James Young, settled 

 1807, died 1822; George Gray, settled 1822, and went to 

 Maybole in 1828; Joseph Yair, ordained 7th May 1829, and 



