of the college and was its acting president until Dr. Witherspoon, who had been previously chosen president of the college and had declined its acceptance and then reconsidered his declinature and accepted the appointment, appeared there in 1769 to enter upon its duties.

It soon became evident that the fund contributed was insufficient for the support of the professor of divinity apart from the other positions which Dr. Blair had filled and from which his support was partly derived, and as Dr. Witherspoon was both able and willing to perform the duties of both positions, it was deemed advisable to suspend the office of a distinct professorship of theology, and assign the duties of that position to Dr. Witherspoon. Accordingly Dr. Blair resigned his position in favor of Dr. Witherspoon and accepted a call to the Presbyterian church of Walkill, Orange county, New York. There he continued until his death, which took place December 8, 1771, at the age of fifty-one.

Dr. John Blair and his brother Dr. Samuel Blair were, without doubt, among the very foremost preachers of their times. Dr. Archibald Alexander expressed the opinion that Dr. John Blair, as a theologian, was not inferior to any man in the Presbyterian church in his day. President Davies spoke of Samuel Blair as the "incomparable Blair," and said, that in all his travels in Great Britain, he had heard no one equal to him, not one to resemble or approach him in the matter and manner of his preaching.

A writer in the Presbyterian Magazine of that time, spoke of Dr. John Blair "as a judicious and pursuasive preacher and that through his preaching sinners were converted and the children of God edified." "Fully convinced of the truth of the doctrines of grace, he addressed immortal souls with a warmth and power which left a witness in every bosom." Though he sometimes wrote his sermons out in full, yet his common method of preaching was from short notes. His disposition was uncommonly patient, placid, benevolent, disinterested and cheerful. He was too mild to indulge in bitterness or severity, and it is said "that he thought that the truth required little else than to be fairly stated and properly under

stood to accomplish its saving results," and that those who could not relish the savor of his piety were still drawn to him as an amiable, and revered him, as a great and good man. He was an intelligent and sincere believer in that system of doctrine set forth in the Westminster standards and approved the Presbyterian form of church government and regarded them as most favorable to the promotion of true religion and the peace and prosperity of the church of Christ.

Mr. Blair married the daughter of Mr. John Durburrow, of Philadelphia. The Rev. Dr. John Durburrow Blair, of Richmond, Virginia, was his son. His daughter was married to the Rev. Dr. William Linn, one of his successors in the church of Big Spring. The Rev. Dr. John Blair Linn, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Philadelphia, was his grandson. Dr. John Blair Smith and Dr. John Blair Hoge, were relatives of his and named after him. Dr. Robert Smith, of Pequea, the father of Dr. John Blair Smith and Dr. Samuel Stanhope Smith, was married to his niece, a daughter of Rev. Samuel Blair. Francis P. Blair, of the "Globe" at Washington and Montgomery Blair his son, were of this same family of Blair's.

His published writings are, Animadversions on "Thoughts on the Examination and Trials of Candidates." "The Synods of New York and Philadelphia Vindicated," "A Treatise on Regeneration," "A Treatise on the Nature and Use of the Means of Grace."

Rev. Samuel Black.

He came a student of theology from Ireland, and was licensed by Presbytery of New Castle, and was ordained pastor of Forks of Brandywine, November 18, 1735. He was tried on the charge of drunkenness and some less heinous offenses in 1740. The Presbytery found him guilty of the first offence and rebuked him for it, and also for slighting his work; afterwards he was suspended and then again, after more particular investigation, restored again and released from that charge.

In October, 1740, he was called to the New Congregation of Conewago, now Dauphin county, Pa., and installed the second Wednesday in the following May. Difficulties arose in this

church and they asked to have Rev. John Steel sent to them. Black was called by the people of North and South-six miles west of Staunton, Virginia, March 6, 1745. He was dismissed from Conewago in April, but in the fall they sought to recall him. A division ensued, and those who were opposed to him obtained one-fifth of the time of Rev. Mr. Roan, pastor of the New Side churches of Paxton and Derry. In 1747 he with Thompson and Craig were directed to take the oversight of the vacancies in Virginia. He was at Synod in 1751 and was directed to supply Buffalo settlement and adjacent places four Sabbaths and the congregations of Rockfish and Mountain Plain, before 1752. He was dismissed from this charge by Hanover Presbytery, July 18, 1759. He died August 9, 1770, Presbytery styling him "an aged minister."

Rev. John Roan.

John Roan came from Ireland, was brought up a weaver, was a student at Log College, Neshaminy, and taught in Neshaminy, probably while pursuing his theological studies under the Tennents. Dr. Rogers, the first Moderator of the General Assembly, was one of his pupils. He was licensed by the New Side Presbytery of New Castle and was sent on a missionary tour to Virginia in 1744. His preaching was very effective in Hanover and the adjoining counties in Virginia. Many are alleged to have been awakened in different places and to have been converted under his ministry. He was bold and fearless in his denunciations of those he regarded as delinquent in duty and inveighed against the clergy of the established church, charging them not only with the neglect of their ministerial functions, but also of gross moral delinquencies. His offensive statements and scathing satire brought upon him the indignation of the parish clergy and their friends and led to prosecutions against him for damaging reflections upon the established ministers and for villifying the established religion. These charges, although the occasion of not a little feeling and trouble, were not sustained and the indictment was dismissed, the chief accuser having fled the country.

In 1745, Mr. Roan was settled over the united New Side

Congregations of Paxton and Derry and Conewago. The last was a division from Black's congregation and had one-fifth of his time. The union of the Synods in 1758, brought Mr. Roan into the Presbytery of Donegal. Here he became involved in a serious controversy in relation to the licensure of William Edmeston, as having declared himself not satisfied with what the majority had accepted as evidence of the young man's piety. Edmeston subsequently prosecuted Roan on various charges to the effect of making him out the principal mover to destroy Sampson Smith, of Chestnut Level, Lancaster county, Pa., who had been arraigned for drunkennesss. Edmeston had been a student of Smith's and had been a prominent witness in his defense. The trial against Roan was protracted, trivial and largely a matter of studied annoyance. The charges were not sustained. Edmeston appealed to Synod and the whole case was referred to a committee which was of the nature of a commission. The matter lingered along and was finally dropped and Edmeston went to England to apply for orders in the established church.

Mr. Roan continued his labors in the congregations over which he was placed during the remainder of his life, died October 3, 1775, and was buried in Derry graveyard. The following is the inscription on his tomb. Beneath this stone are deposited the remains of an able, faithful, courageous and successful minister of Christ."

Rev. Robert McMordie.

Mr. McMordie was ordained by Donegal Presbytery, in 1754, pastor of Upper Marsh creek and Round Hill, now. Adams county, and continued pastor there until 1761. In 1768 he was set off with Elder, Steel and Tate to the Second Presbytery of Philadelphia. By that Presbytery he was sent south the next year. In 1772 he was sent by the Synod to Virginia and North Carolina. In May, 1777, he was called to Tinkling Spring, New Dublin, Reedy Creek and Fourth Creek in the south. He was a chaplain in the army during the Revolutionary War and in 1784, went south again. He died May, 1796. He was married December 12, 1754, to Janet, second daughter

of Rev. Adam Boyd, pastor of Octorara church and son-in-law of Rev. Thomas Craighead.

The Rev. Robert McMordie Laird was a descendent of Mr. McMordie.

Rev. Joseph Tate.

He was received as a licentiate by the Donegal Presbytery March 1, 1748, and was sent to Lower Pennsborough, Marsh Creek and Conewago. A call was presented to Presbytery for him, from Lower Pennsborough, April 4, 1748, which he de clined. On the 14th of that saine month he was called to Donegal. Soon after this the Rev. Andrew Bay, of the New Side Presbytery of New Castle, accused him, before Presbytery, of having preached false doctrine at the Three Springs, Big, Middle and Rocky. He was, however, acquitted of the charge, October 25, of that year, and accepted the call to Donegal, that people giving him £70 to buy a farm and £70 salary. He was ordained and installed there November 23, 1748.

Immediately afterwards he was married, December 15, 1748, to Margaret, eldest daughter of Rev. Adam Boyd, of Octorara church. Mr. Tate, like Elder, Steel and McMordie, finding little prospect of harmony with the New Side brethern of Donegal Presbytery after the reunion, withdrew for a time, and afterwards had leave, with them, in 1768, to unite with the Second Presbytery of Philadelphia. He was sent by the Synod to Western Virginia and North Carolina, and was called to one of those churches. He died October 11, 1774, aged sixtythree

Dr. Samuel Martin said of him, that he was an eccentric man, but faithful and fearless in reproving the vices and errors of his times.

Rev. John Steel.

This orthodox and heroic minister was born in Ireland, and was a licentiate of the Presbytery of Londonderry. He emigrated to this country in 1742, and put himself under the care of New Castle Presbytery, Old Side. By the request of Donegal Presbytery, he was sent, April, 1743, to supply Rockfish,