A few Coleraine, County Londonderry Presbyterians who requested a minister to join them from Scotland
Copy of blank call sent by Coleraine congregation to Scotland with Mr. WYLIE, who had supplied Coleraine during the troubles in Scotland. (Woodrow MSS. Advocates Library, Edinburgh)
Colerain, the 25th June 1673
Right Reverend,
We, the under subscribers, with many others in this Towne and Congregation, being, we trust, deeply sensible of the desolat and deplorable condition we are into by reason of our so long want of a faithfull overseer settled among us to watch for our Souls, rightly dividing the word of Truth, and sent minister and Steward of the mysteries of God, bringing forth things new and old, giving every one their portion of meat in due season, that we might in this dark and evil time hear a word crying behind us, ” This is the way; walk ye in it,” when we turne to the right-hand or when we turne to the left; and now finding to our great griefe that our expectations of worthy Mr. WYLIE’s setling among us are frustrate, he declaring unto us his unclearnesse and desiring us to pitch upon another.
We doe therefore unanimously invite and call you, Minister of the Gospel, to be our minister, willingly taking the oversight of us, the Flock of Christ in this place aforesaid. We are hopefull the love you have to spend and be spent in your Master’s service, the free and open doore that waits here for your coming overto help us; the expectation we have of your kindly acceptance in the place and usefulnesse in the worke of the Gospell amongst us, and the expectation you may have of our ready and chearfull subjection in the Lord unto you in the exercise of Doctrin, worship, discipline, and government according to the rules and laws of His own house, together with all due and competent encouragement externall, that so you may doe your worke with joy and not with griefe, which by these presents we doe engadge our selves for. We are hopefull, we say, these things being duely pondered by you that you shall be engadged to this our serious and cordialle call and if Mr. WYLIE’s unclearnesse to return to us should be any obstruction to your coming among us, we are confident as to that he will satisfie you abundantly and truely we know of nothing convenient within our power which we would not willingly have done for purchasing the soe savoury and satisfying labour of that worthy man amongst us whom we have now commissionate to press home this our Call upon you; all which putes us in expectation of an successfull and happy result. Thus waiting for your answer by the first occasion and your own presence with all convenience, and humbly beseeching the Great Shepherd of the Sheep that He may cause you to come with the fulnesse of the Blessing of His Owne Gospell, we not loving to multiply words take leave, remaining, Sir, your affectionate friends;
Daniel (D. W.) WALKER
David WYLEY
John (J. W.) WYLEY
John HENDERSON
Robert WYLEY
Thomas HILL
Mat. LINDESAY
Thos. ADAMS
James AUSTIANE
Alexander CAMPBELL
Robert WALLACE
John WOODBURN
James WOODBURN
John FULSTON
Wm. HENDERSON
Robert BARR
Jo. WADDELL
Wm. GAIT
John THOMPSON
John GAIT, senr.
John GAIT, junr.
Hugh (H. C.) CRAIG
Will. WADDELL
John FORTICK
Richard ADAMS
Michael RYAN
John LESSLIE
John SCOTT
Wm. LESSLIE
Gilbert WILSON
Saml. SINKLER
Thos. SHAW
Ja. CARTHER
transcribed by Teena from Annual Meeting of the Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland held in the church-house, Belfast Feb. 9, 1909