pendents and the Presbyterians complained of their preponderance in official places, and Richard Baxter bluntly said, 'In Ireland the Anabaptists are grown so high that many of the soldiers were rebaptized as the way to preferment.'

Probably the first Irish Baptist Church since the Reformation was formed in Dublin by Thomas Patience, assistant pastor to Kiffin in London. The date is not clear, but in 1653 a Church was found there, with others in Waterford, Clonmel, Kilkenny, Cork, Limerick, Wexford, Carrickfergus and Kerry. It is most likely that these were largely English, and their republican principles were so stanch that they opposed Cromwell's Lord Protectorate, and he sent over his son, Henry, to watch and influence them. After the Restoration, 1660, their feeble Churches began to decline, though a few of them continued; and after a hard struggle, we have but 23 Churches and 1,639 communicants in Ireland at this day. They deserved to decline, for, as they came in with the conquering army, they so far forgot their principles as to accept State pay with the Independents and Presbyterians. Their course was severely condemned by the Welsh and English Baptists as a sacrifice of their principles, but in 1660, by a special inquiry, they were deprived of this State support, to the gratitude of their British brethren.

The most illustrious of the Irish Baptists is DR. ALEXANDER CARSON. Born in the north of Ireland in 1776, he became, perhaps, the first scholar in the University of Glasgow, and settled, as a Presbyterian pastor, at Tubbermore, 1798, where he received £100 per year from the government. He was a Greek scholar of the first order, and might have become Professor of Greek in the University of Glasgow on signing the 'Standards' of the Church of Scotland. But he gradually adopted Baptist views, gave up his living, and gathered a little band of Baptists about him in a Church without a meeting-house, and, with himself, enduring deep poverty. In his day he was probably the leading scholar in the Baptist ranks in Britain, and was a voluminous writer and profound reasoner. His work on Baptism has no superior and few equals. Some have called him the Jonathan Edwards of Ireland,' and with reason; for it is doubtful whether Ireland has produced his equal since the death of Archbishop Usher. He died in 1844, after nearly half a century spent in the ministry; but his name is fragrant wherever his works are known.

CHAPTER X.

THE SCOTCH AND ENGLISH BAPTISTS.-MISSIONS.-MEN OF NOTE.

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HERE are distinct pre-Reformation traces of Baptist principles and practices in Scotland. Councils were held at Perth in the years 1242 and 1296, the canons of which require that in baptism, 'Before the immersion the aforesaid words should be pronounced.' In Holyrood Chapel was a brazen font in which the children of the Scotch monarchs were' dipped,' which was removed by the English in 1544, and destroyed in the time of Cromwell. The Edinburgh Encyclopædia' states, that sprinkling was never practiced in Scotland in ordinary cases till 1559, when it was introduced from Geneva. Many of Cromwell's army, which went to Scotland in 1650 under command of. Monk, were Baptists, who kept up religious worship in their camps and immersed the converted soldiers. When Monk left the army, in the beginning of 1653, to command the fleet against the Dutch, he left Major-General Robert Lilburn in command of the troops in Scotland. Monk had been opposed to the Baptists, but Lilburn, being a stout Baptist himself, afforded his soldiery every facility for the spread of their principles. He was anxious to employ Baptist chaplains, for he said that there were divers honest Scotch people that longed to be gathered into the same gospel order with themselves.' When some of the troops were garrisoned at Leith and Edinburgh, they formed Baptist Churches; and we are told that many persons were immersed in the water of Leith, which passes Edinburgh on the north and falls into the Frith of Forth at the town of Leith. Amongst these was Lady Wallace of Craigie. Troops were stationed also at Cupar in Fife, where a Mr. Brown preached, and immersed several persons in the river Eden. In 1653 the fourth edition of the Confession of Faith, framed by the London Churches, was published in Edinburgh. It was accompanied by a Preface, signed by Thomas Spencer, Abraham Holmes, Thomas Powell and John Brady, by appointment of the Churches in Leith and Edinburgh. The army remained in Scotland from 1650 to 1659, but Lilburn was in command only about a year, when Monk resumed command.

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Baptist principles spread so rapidly in Scotland, that Presbyterians became alarmed, and at a meeting held in Edinburgh, October 1651, some of the elders expressed the opinion that children should not receive baptism until they made confession of faith. Some ministers also were complained of, as Alexander Cornnell, of Linlithgow, and Thomas Charteris, of Stenhouse, because they 'baptized old people, maintained Anabaptism and would not baptize infants.' Whitlock writes,

CROMWELL AND THE BAPTISTS.

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that, in 1652, Parliament issued a declaration against the Scotch Dippers; and in 1653, George Fox complains of the firm resistance which he met from the Baptists of Carlisle, Leith and Edenbro,' but claims a great victory over them. John Knox, afraid of 'their poison,' plied his powerful pen to write them down. They were also bitterly persecuted, for on January 24th, 1654, they presented to Monk, the commander-in-chief of all the forces in Scotland,' The humble address of the baptized Churches, consisting of officers, soldiers and others, walking together in gospel order, at St. Johnston's, Leith and Edinburgh, for toleration or freedom quietly to worship God; which freedom we conceive is a fruit of the purchase of our dear Redeemer.' But when Heath reached Leith, 1659, he shut up Colonel Holmes and all the other Baptist officers there, first in Timptallan Castle, and then on Basse Island. The fact, that Baptists had become so numerous, both in the army and navy, and were taking such high ground against the assumptions of Cromwell, excited the fear of the rulers that they would rise, seize the government and proclaim freedom of conscience for all. Guizot writes: The king's interest is also supported by the Presbyterians, although they are republicans in principle; and it is only the fear that the Anabaptists and other sectaries may obtain the government, which leads them to oppose the present authorities.''

Baptist opposition to Cromwell's aggressions cost him much trouble, and, broad as he was, he began to persecute them, as is clearly shown in a letter sent to him and preserved by Thurloe, his secretary, which puts some very troublesome questions to him. After saying that Baptists had filled' his 'towns, cities, provinces, castles, navies, tents and armies,' the writer asks him whether, 1. You had come to that height you are now in if the Anabaptists had been as much your enemies as they were your friends? 2. Whether the Anabaptists were ever unfaithful either to the Commonwealth, etc., in general, or to your highness in particular? 3. Whether Anabaptists are not to be commended for their integrity, which had rather kept good faith and a good conscience, although it may lose them their employment, than to keep their employment with the loss of both?' Then the writer asks: Whether one hundred of the old Anabaptists, such as marched under your command in 1648, 1649, and 1650, etc., be not as good as two hundred of your new courtiers, if you were in such a condition as you were at Dunbar?' This last allusion is to the battle which Cromwell won near Edinburgh, with ten thousand troops, many of whom were Baptists, over thirty thousand Scotch soldiers. All record of Baptists, however, in Scotland, is lost, from 1660 to something beyond 1700. Sir William Sinclair, of Keiss, Caithness, was immersed in England, and returned to Scotland to preach there; he immersed his candidates, and formed a Baptist Church upon his own estate, but suffered much. The Baptist Church at Keiss was formed about 1750, and is now the oldest in Scotland.

The next, in point of age, is the Bristo Place Church, Edinburgh, which came into existence on this wise: Rev. Robert Carmichael, who had been pastor of a

Glassite Church in Glasgow, and of a Scots Independent Church in Edinburgh, came to reject infant baptism, and went to London, where he was immersed by Dr. Gill, October 9th, 1765. On returning to Edinburgh, he baptized five members of his former Church, and formed a Baptist Church, which met in St. Cecilia's Hall, Niddry Street. Archibald McLean, had been a member of Carmichael's Church in Glasgow, and came to Edinburgh, where he was also baptized. He organized what is now the John Street Baptist Church in Glasgow, baptizing its first members in the Clyde, near Glasgow Green. In about a year, McLean became colleague to Carmichael, who removed to Dundee in 1769, when McLean was left as pastor proper, with Dr. Robert Walker, a well-known surgeon, as joint elder. McLean was born at East Kilbride, 1733, but early in life resided in the Island of Mull, where he acquired the Gaelic language. At school he became a fair Latin scholar, and afterward studied Greek and Hebrew. When young, he heard Whitefield preach and was largely influenced thereby. In 1746, he became a successful printer at Glasgow, where he remained till 1767, when he removed to Edinburgh. While pastor in Edinburgh he wrote much; as, a work on Christ's Commission, a Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews,' and a 'Review of Wardlaw's Abrahamic Covenant.' His works were collected and published in seven volumes, 1805; he died December 21st, 1812, at the age of about eighty, his life having been wonderfully blessed of God. Although not the first Scotch Baptist in point of time, yet his labors and writings exerted so much influence, that in this respect he may be called their founder.

ROBERT HALDANE was born in London, 1764, being a babe there when Gill baptized Carmichael. He studied at the High School and University of Edinburgh and removed to Airthrey in 1786, where he inherited a large estate. He became a great writer and philanthropist, giving $350,000 for charitable purposes within fifteen years, and during his life educating three hundred ministers of the Gospel at an expense of $100,000. Amongst these was Dr. Bogue, of Gosport, and Mr. Ewing, of Edinburgh. At Geneva he lectured to the students on the Epistle to the Romans, who, with D'Aubigné, Malan, and Gaussen, were delighted listeners. He published his Exposition of Romans, also his Evidence and Authority of Revelation,' and his work on 'The Inspiration of Scripture.' He died in Edinburgh

in 1842.

JAMES ALEXANDER HALDANE, his brother, was born at Dundee, 1768. He entered the navy, as Robert had also. But early in life he became a devout Christian, and traveled all through Scotland and the Orkney Islands, preaching to great multitudes. In 1799 he was ordained pastor of an Independent congregation in Edinburgh, where he labored for nearly fifty years, with great success. brother, Robert, built for him a large Tabernacle in 1801, and in 1808 the brothers became Baptists. Wilson gives an interesting account of their conversion. After speaking of their zeal in behalf of primitive Christianity,' and of the erection by

His

JAMES ALEXANDER HALDANE.

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them of many 'meeting-houses of large dimensions,' he relates that several persons. from Scotland, in connection with them, settled in London, 1806, and formed a Church in Cateaton Street. William Ballantine, formerly of the University of Edinburgh, a man of good classical and theological attainments, was their leader. He says that the Messrs. Haldane, and the societies in their connection, were hitherto Pedobaptist.' But after about two

years... several persons, suspecting that they were in an error upon this point, began to study the controversy, were convinced of their mistake, and received baptism by immersion. This put the Messrs. Haldane themelves upon an examination of the subject, and the result was that they also became convinced, and were baptized, though at some interval from each other. The report of these changes reaching London, Mr. Ballantine was necessarily put upon a more careful examination of the subject, and the result was that he also renounced his former sentiments, and was baptized by immersion. But this occasioned a convulsion in the society. Mr. Ballantine relinquished his station and joined the Scotch Bap

JAMES ALEXANDER HALDANE.

tists in Redcross Street. . . . Most of the members of this Church gradually renounced their former notions, and, we believe, they are now (1808) entirely Baptists. But they allow of mixed communion, and in this respect differ from all the other Particular Baptist Churches of London.' 10

During the first half of the present century REV. CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON was the foremost man among the Baptists of Scotland. He was a native of Edinburgh, born in 1782. He was converted in 1799, under the ministry of the Rev. James Haldane, when he was still a Congregationalist. Intercourse with English Baptist students at the University reawakened his interest in the subject of baptism. He had previously held that believers only should be baptized, but, not agreeing with the Scotch Baptists in their views of the ministry and church government, had not regarded the matter as a personal duty. He was immersed by one of the English students, and was promptly excluded from Mr. Haldane's Church. A few years after