SEVERAL minifters, who at the first were members, did fome time after, when the debates concerning ecclefiaftical power and christian liberty became very warm, withdraw themselves from the fociety: The following (afterwards diftinguished by the name of non-subscribers) continued to purfue the defign of it with much diligence; namely, Dr. James Kirkpatrick, and Mr. Samuel Haliday, both of Belfaft; Mr. Michael Bruce of Hallywood, Mr. Thomas Nevin of Downpatrick, Mr. John Mears, then of Newtown, Mr. Harper, then of Moyza, Mr. John Henderfon of Dunane, Mr. Thomas Shaw of Abghill, Mr. William Taylor of Carncastle, Mr. Jofas Clugfton of Larne, Mr. Thomas Wilfon of Ballyclare: Of these, Meffieurs Kirkpatrick, Haliday, Bruce, Shaw, Taylor and Harper, are fince removed by death. As they were Mr. Abernethy's intimate friends, and conftant members of the Belfast-fociety, it will not probably be unacceptable to the reader, to give him a short account of their characters.

DR. KIRKPATRICK was a perfon of a very great compafs of knowledge: He

had.

had been in his youth induftrious in his studies; and, with a very quick apprehenfion, he had a memory so strong and faithful, that he lost very little of what he had read. He was skilful in the languages and claffical learning, which he fo retained, that to the last, when upwards of sixty, he could speak in the latin tongue with ease and fluency, though his bufinefs in life did not call him to any particular care to preferve it. He understood the philofophy, which was taught in the universities at the time he attended his ftudies in them; and had made great progrefs in divinity, efpecially in the polemic part, in which he was thought to excel. When he appeared in the world as a preacher, he was highly esteemed; and his thorough knowledge of the prefbyterian conftitution, and all the rules of that discipline, in which he was very exact, made him very useful to the fynod. He all along retained an active temper, and induftrious in ftudy: He made himself well acquainted with the late improvements in natural philosophy, and had a genius capable of most confiderable advances in any branch of learning; so that in the decline of life, having applied himself

to

gree

to the study of phyfic, and taken the deof doctor (which degree he took likewife in divinity) he practised as a physician, feveral years before his death. He was a moít zealous advocate for the just liberties of christians, greatly useful to the Belfastfociety, and was the author of several papers which they published in their controverfies with the general fynod. He was of a mind conftant and refolved, not to be moved by clamor and importunity, or unjuft reproach. He had a very great knowledge of the world, and a good judgment in affairs. He had the interefts of reli

gion very much at heart, and upon all proper occafions discovered a most zealous fpirit. He was a laborious and conftant preacher; but frankly acknowledged to his friends, that he did not beftow much thought or time upon exactness of stile or compofition, thinking it enough, if the fentiments were juft and plainly expreffed calculated to answer the great ends of preaching, in folemn addreffes to the confciences of men. He was a perfon, through the whole of life, of ftrict fobriety and temperance. He spoke and argued with much ftrength and judgment; and was, withal, a VOL. I. d

man

man of a cheerful fpirit, affable and courteous to all, and, upon proper occafions, could entertain and divert his friends with much true humour.

MR. HALYDAY was a gentleman, who had the advantages of a very liberal education, and of spending fome years in travelling through Europe. He was an excellent fcholar, and of a polite tafte. He had frequent opportunities of advancing himself another way, but, from mere principle, chofe to be a diffenting minifter. He was most zealous for the caufe of liberty, and a great enemy to all unjust encroachments upon it, under whatsoever pretence. He had studied divinity with diligence, but especially the popish controverfies; and, as he thoroughly understood the principles upon which

the reformation was founded, fo he was very jealous of all appearances of biggotry, and an impofing fpirit, as utterly inconfiftent with them. His fettlement in Belfaft, which was a little after the debates in the north began, met with confiderable oppofition from fome, who were zealous for what they accounted the juft authority of the church, and for the method which had . been

been for fome years before pursued, of requiring fubfcription to the Westminster confeffion of faith from intrants into the miniftry. This gave occafion to his writing a book, containing his reasons against the impofition of such fubfcriptions, which has been thought by many, one of the best books upon that argument. Mr. Haliday lived in very great efteem; for, as he had much of the gentleman in his behaviour, fo his life and manners were worthy of his character as a minifter. He was a perfon of warm affections, and a very fincere friend. A most correct preacher, but all his difcourfes were eafy and plain: The great principles of practical religion were his main topics, and to ferve the true ends of chriftianity, his conftant aim,

MR. Bruce was a man of uncommon worth, and as uncommon modefty. He had a clear understanding and found judgment. No man could argue with greater force, or fet things in a ftronger, or more convincing light; fo that his reafoning was often found quite irrefiftible, even when hist hearers had been strongly and long prejudiced against the truth. He was a principal d 2 manager