_At Abernethy the 5th Day of July 1746._
The Presbytery of Abernethy, taking to their Consideration That the
Reverend Mr. John Grant minister of the Gospel at Urquhart had been
taken up and shipped off for London upon a Suspicion of treasonable
practices during this wicked and unnaturall rebellion, Could not but
in Justice to Mr. Grant’s Character Certifie of him as follows. First,
That he was born in the Bounds of this Presbytery of Honest parents
who professed the Protestant Religion according to the Principles
of the Established Church of Scotland and he had his Education in
this way. 2^{dly} That as Mr. Grant very early in his younger years
thought of applying himself to the Work of the Ministry he attended
the Colleges of Philosophy and Divinity and brought from the several
Professors sufficient Testimonials of his diligence and progress in his
studies as well as of his morall Character so that this Presbytery had
Encouragement to enter him upon Trials and upon finding him qualified
Did Licence him to preach of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 3^{dly} That,
after he was licenced he continued in the Bounds of this Presbytery for
the space of some years and both in his publick Discourses and private
Conversation discovered the firmest attachment to His Majesty King
George his Person and Government. And had the same Principles and views
with respect to Government that all the Members of this Judicatory
have particularly That the Security of our Religion and Liberty is
inseperably connected with the stability of our Most Gracious Sovereign
King George his Throne and the Succession of his Royall Line. And since
Mr. Grant removed from our Bounds and was ordained Minister at Urquhart
in the neighbouring Presbytery of Abertarph, which will be about
six years agoe he has continued in the strictest friendship and most
intimate Correspondence with the most of our Members and still they
found that neither his Principles nor practices were anyways Derogatory
from what he had early imbibed, publickly owned, and all along
practised while among them. And from the Report of some of our Members
who have been in the Parish of Urquhart since Mr. Grant was carryed of
It is notour and well known there that several Attacks were made on Mr.
Grants Life during the Rebellion for his Attachment to the Government
and his continuing in his duty to pray for His Majesty King George and
the Royall Family.
At one time a Man who had the Rank of an Officer in the Rebellious
Mob threatned on a Sabbath Day immediately after Divine Worship to
seize him, carry him to a Loch in the neighbourhood, and Drown him
there, and gott about thirty or fourty of the same Gang to Join in
the Undertaking. At anoy^r time two Ruffians broke into a Company
where Mr. Grant was, attacked him with drawn Durks untill hindered by
those who were present. Again on a Sabbath day immediatly as he came
out from Sermon some of the Rebells Wives and others fell upon him,
tore his Cloaths and abused him so that with great Difficulty he was
rescued from them and gott into his own house. Another party of the
same wicked Crew threatned publickly to burn his House and Family,
when they got their opportunity. Therefore from our Knowledge of Mr.
Grant’s Principles, our through Acquaintance of him, together with the
Notouriety of thes facts with respect to his Usage by the Rebells,
we cannot but hope that he is entirely innocent of any charge of
Dissloyalty can be brought agst. him, and we are apt to presume that
some invidious person or persons have given in an Information against
him which tho’ false in fact may either kill him by Confinement as he
is of a tender Constitution or ruin his circumstances by the Expense of
such a Process, by either of q^{ch} they will sufficientlie gratifie
y^r malicious views. And we are fully satisfied that if there is the
least of misconduct chargeable on Mr. Grant it must have been entirely
owing to Inadvertency and oversight and not the effect of Principle or
Design. Given Day and Date above in name in presence and by appointment
of the Presbytery of Abernethy, and signed by
PAT GRANT, Mod^r.