PREFATORY REMARKS.

N the preparation of these Biographical Sketches, the following Histories, Annals, Manuals, Sketches, Biographical and Historical Discourses, Histories of Churches, Genealogies and other publications, have been consulted and free use made of what had a bearing on the lives and labors of those here sketched.

Acknowledgment of such indebtedness was generally made as I proceeded. It is impossible now at the end to recall all such references and indebtedness, and hence this general acknowledg ment History of Presbyterian Church in America, Webster; Constitutional History of Presbyterian Church, Charles Hodge; Sprague's Annals, Vols. III and IV: History of Presbyterian Church, Gillett; Minutes of General Assembly, 1789-1835; Records of Presbyterian Church; Records of Presbyteries of Donegal and Carlisle; History of Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Alexander; History of Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Reid; History of Church of Scotland, Hetherington; The Church of Scotland, Moffat; Scotch and Irish Seeds in Amercan Soil, Craighead; Log College, A. Alexander; Presbyterianism in New England, Blaikie; Presbyterian Encyclopedia, Nevin; Men of Mark, Nevin; Churches of the Valley, Nevin: Pennsylvania Genealogies, Egle; American Presbyterianism, Briggs; Manual of the Reformed Church in America, E. T. Corwin; Manual of the United Presbyterian Church in America, James B. Scouller; Memorial of Presbyterian Reunion, 1870; Centenary Memorial of Presbyterianism in Western

Pennsylvania: Presbyterian Historical Almanac, Wilson; Tribute to the Irish and Scotch Settlers of Pennsylvania, Chambers; Historical Sketch of Synod of Philadelphia, and Biographical Sketches, Robert M. Patterson and Robert Davidson ; History of Donegal and Carlisle Presbyteries, C. P. Wing; History of First Presbyterian Church of Carlisle, Pa., C. P. Wing; Necrological Reports of Princeton Theological Seminary; Life of Nisbet, Samuel Miller; Memoirs of John M. Mason, Van Vechtan; Life of Rogers. Samuel Miller; One Hundred Years Ago, George Duffield; Lower Brandy Wine and its Pastors, Rev. G. E. Jones; Upper West Conococheague, Creigh; Derry Memorial Church, Egle; York Presbyterian Church, Niles; Middle Spring Presbyterian Church, S. S. Wylie: Life and Character of Francis Herron, W. M. Paxton Silver Spring Presbyterian Church, Rev. T. J. Ferguson; In Memoriam, Rev. George Duffield, D. D.; In Memoriam, Rev. David Elliott, D. D.; In Memoriam, Wm. R. DeWitt, D. D.; In Memoriam, Rev. Thomas Creigh, D. D.

E. E.

SKETCHES OF THE MORE PROMINENT DECEASED MINISTERS OF THE PRESBYTERY OF CARLISLE.

By Rev. EBENEZER ERSKINE, D. D.

Introductory.

HE origin and history of the Presbytery of Carlisle having been traced, it has been devolved upon me to give some account of its ministers.

Much may

be learned in relation to the original constitution, doctrines, order and life of the Presbyterian Church in this country by a careful study of the principles, characters and lives of its earliest ministers. This requires an examination into their origin and the influences under which their ministerial characters and lives were molded, and in relation to their views as to doctrine, church order and mode of worship. Whatever difficulty may be experienced elsewhere in obtaining satisfactory information on these points, none need be felt here, for all the early ministers of this Presbytery were either from the Presbyterian Church of Ireland or directly from the church of Scotland, with but one exception, and they all, without any exception, adopted the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms as the confession of their faith, and approved the Presbyterian Form of Government and Directory of Worship as most conformed to the word of God. All the early streams which flowed into the ministry and membership of the churches of this Presbytery were from one or other of these two sources and were of the thorough Presbyterian type. When the way was opened for emigration to the new world, the Presbyterians of Ulster, not being allied to Ireland by any long standing traditions or sacred memories,