APPENDIX. 



43 



tity and vice, that they underwent a furprifing change for the Account of 

 better, during the time of Mr Drysdale's minifrry ; — a ftrong 

 proof of the great utility of well-qualified teachers of pure and 

 undefiled religion in any ftate ! 



Thus 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 Oswald found an opportunity of ferving him, by pre- 

 vailing with the late Earl of Bute to ufe his influence with the 

 Town-council of Edinburgh, that Mr Drysdale might be ad- 

 mitted one of the minifters of that city. George Drum mono, 

 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 Prtf- 

 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 Drysdale 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 feflions. 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 patted in 

 the Prefbytery of Edinburgh hoftile to the translation 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 



