Biggar and the House of Fleming

206 BIGGAR AND THE HOUSE OF FLEMING.
their objections to that gentleman were as follows : — " I. that
he could not be heard by a great part of the congregation, and
that, though he began upon a high enough key, yet he was
not able to hold out the whole length of the service, and II.
that he was so unweildly and infirm that they had no prospect
of his being able to perform the duties of his office, by going,
as occasion might require, to visit the parishioners, particularly
the sick." The meeting after hearing the elders adjourned to
the Church, to confer with the heritors and people there
assembled, when one and all declared that they adhered to the
objections made by the elders, and that in doing so they spoke
not merely their own opinions, but those also of the whole
body of the parishioners.
The Committee thereupon exhorted them to be cautious
what they said, as every statement made would go to proof;
and reminded them that further opposition on their part would
have the effect of keeping the Church longer vacant. The
answer of the parishioners was, that they were determined to
persevere in the course on which they had entered, as in their
opinion the settlement of Mr Haig would be no better than a
vacancy.
The Committee accordingly gave in a report to the com-
mission, and after parties were heard, the Commission appoint-
ed another Committee to hold a meeting at Biggar along with
the Biggar Presbytery on the second Thursday of March 1753,
to take trial of the objections against Mr Haig, particularly
with respect to his voice. They were to cause Mr Haig to
preach before them in the Church of Biggar, and in the event
of finding the objections to him not sufficiently supported, to
make further efforts to induce the people to agree to his settle-
ment. The Committee were to report to the Commission, which
was to meet a few days after, but no meeting taking place,
a petition was presented to the next General Assembly from
the patron and such heritors as concurred in the presentation
of Mr Haig, craving that the report of the Committee should
be received. This was agreed to. After the report was read
along discussion took place regarding the procedure that should
now be adopted, and it was at length carried that the settlement
should not take place at present, and that further consideration
of the call should be delayed till the meeting of the Commission