Record of family grace

10 A RECORD OF FAMILY GRACE.
hill.^ He "was a Magistrate in Edinburgh, and a Governor
of the Darien Company. He also, along with three other
gentlemen, had by Act of Parliament a monopoly of the
manufacture of gunpowder in Scotland. He died about
1703. The two last are the only ancestors of whose reli-
gious feelings we have no positive record. We may
suppose, however, that as the father of the former and
the son of the latter were both so decided, they too must
have had the same elevated principles, especially as there
are no indications to the contrary.
We come now to a period when we have authentic
evidence of the sentiments of all those who are referred
to. James Balfour, son of the Governor of the Darien
Company, was born on 12th April 1681. He married
Louisa, daughter of Eobert Hamilton, of Airdrie, in 1704.^
Her family was represented by the late Sir William Hamil-
ton, Bart., Professor of Logic and Metaphysics in the
University of Edinburgh. Mr Balfour purchased the
estate of Pilrig in 1718, and died in 1737.
The following dedication which he made of himself to
the Lord is still preserved at Pilrig : —
" Att j^ ^ ^ I gave myself up to the Lord, and did
^ Cramond Register of Marriage.
* Marriage Contract.