£08 
questions, it is uncertain to whom the pro- 
perties will belong. 
At Johnstone, in the 33d year of his age, 
John King, esq. Affectionate as a husband, 
dutiful as a parent, generous as a friend, pub- 
lic spirited as a member of society, consistent 
in character and conduct as a christian, he 
was in life highly esteemed, and is in death 
deeply and deservedly regretted. Interested 
in the rising generation, he established, at 
his own expence, a school for the education of 
orphans and indigent children. 
At Culhakyle Houfe, in Strathspey, Mifs 
Marianne Grant, eldeft daughter of the late 
Sir Frederick G. of Grant, Bart. 
At Inver, near Dunkeld, Niel Gow, 79. 
As a composer of Highland reels, he has 
been excelled by none, and his fpirited perform- 
- ance of that favourite fpecies of national mufic 
will long be remembered. 
At Glasgow, Malcolm White, in the 102d 
year of hisage. He retained all his faculties 
to the lat, and was abie on the morning of 
his death, to rife from his bed, and do fome 
things about tne houte; he ufed to go about 
town and country feiling religious books ; 
and wa. a native of Cowal, Argylfhire 
At Maufielburgh, Captain Thomas Jones 
formerly of the 48th regiment. 
At Hightae, in the parith: of Kelton, Cap- 
tain James Lorimer, of the royal marines, 
Sz 
At Stewart-hall, Mrs. Gallaway, reli& of 
Robert efq, of Eorrowmeadow. 
At Mauchlin, Margaret Paton, 106. 
At Duddington Houfe, Walter Little Gil- 
mour, efg. of Craigmillar. 
At Invernefs. William Chifholm, efq. M. D. 
late provest of that town. 
At Muirkirk, John Paterson, 101. He was 
a shepherd from an early period of his life, 
till within these few years and was always 
healthy. 
At Drumgieth David Fyfe, esq. 80. 
At Orchard, Patrick Ballantine, esq. 
At Aberdéen, at the house of his sou Bishop 
Skinner, the Rev. John S. 66 years minister 
of the episcopal congregation in Longside, 
85.—Dr. George Donaldson, 43. 
At the Bush, Robert Trotter, esq. of 
Castlelaw, postmaster general for Scotland. 
At Ayr, William M’Gill, D. D. one of - 
the ministers of that town; known by his 
*« Practical Essay on the D:ath of jesusChrist.” 
His uncommon abilities and extensive know- 
ledge ; his friendly disposition and simplicity 
of manners, with the injurious treatment’ 
which he met with from some of his co- 
presbyters, have endeared his memory to those 
who were best acquainted with him. He was 
a native of the parish of Penningham, in the 
county of Wigton. His father, a respectable 
- farmer in that parish, perceiving his early | 
love of books, gave him the advantages of a 
liberal education. When he had acquired a 
competent knowledge of the Latin tongue, 
he was sent te the University of Glasgow, 
North Britain. 
[Sept. 1, 
where he diligently attended the different 
professors for seven years; and had the 
advantage of studying moral philosophy and 
theolegy, under the justly celebrated Dr. 
Adam Smith, and Dr. Willlam Leechman, 
From them he learned to value and to ex~ 
ercise the right of private judgment in all 
questions of philosophy and theology; and 
by his unwearied application he acquired an 
extensive knowledge of fhose/sciences. Ha- 
ving lived as a private tuter in sume respec- 
table families for a few years, he was licensed 
to preach the, gospel by the presbyters oF — 
Wigton, who were highly satisfied with the 
specimens which he gave them of his learning, 
and his skill in composition. Soon aiter his 
being licensed, he was invited by the late 
Mr. Ferguson, minister of Kilwinning in the 
county of Ayr, to be his assistant. That. 
reverend gehtleman being in easy circum- 
stances generously gave, the whole of the 
stipend to his assistunts, reserving to himself 
only the manse and glebe. During his short 
residence of about two years at Kilwinning, 
Dr. Mé«Gill acquired high reputation as a 
rational accurate preasher. A vacancy of 
one of the ministerial charges having taken 
place in the town of Ayr, he received an 
unanimous call from the magistrates and 
council, the kirksession, and the incorpora- 
tions of that town, to be one of their ministers. 
Among them he lived for 46 years in the 
faithful discharge of the duties of his office; 
and a short time before His death, tho’ in a 
very infirm state of health, he dispensed the 
sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, to an affece 
tienate people by whom he was highly 
esteemed. His private life was checquered 
by many severe domestic trials, which he 
bore with the composure of a philosopher, 
and the resignation of a Christian. He pub- 
lished a few sermons at the earnest request of 
his hearers. Inthe year 1786 be published 
by subscription, his ‘* Practical Essay on the 
death of Jesus Christ,” the reception which 
it met with from the world at first was not 
favourable: but from causes which the author 
of this sketch has no intention to explain at . 
present, on acccunt of it he was exposed toa 
severe prosecution before the different ju- 
dicatories of the church, which harrassed and 
aflicted him for some years. This cir- 
cumstance perhaps soured his mind, and cer- 
tainly added to his strong abhorrence of all 
bigotry and false zeal for religion, which he 
frequently expressed in his public discourses 
as well as in private conversation with his 
friends. Dr. M‘¢Gill was ever distinguished 
by the regularity and propriety of his conduct 
even his enemies were forced to be silent 
upon that point His time was filled up by - 
allotting different portions every day to his 
devotions, his studies, his other parochial 
duties, his excercise for the benefit of his 
health; to social intercourse with friends 5 
and his evenings were almost always spent at 
home with his family or in his cleset, By 
- thi 
