Series 3 > Minutes of the Synod of Argyll, 1639-1651 (1652-1661) > 1652-1661

SYNOD OF ARGYLL
ways and means had again to be considered and economies
used. John Cameron, the minister of Kilfinan, a grandson
of Ewan’s the translator, had attended the press to super¬
vise the printing ; he was asked now to ‘ writt to the
printer ... to see if he will undertake now to reprint the
said copies without one attending him.’1
But it was not until 1659 that the reprinted Catechism
came from the press, and along with it the first fifty psalms
in metre also in the Gaelic language. The design for the
latter goes back to the meeting in May 1653, when the
Synod held in their hands the Shorter Catechism, in the
mother-tongue in veritable type. With so great an under¬
taking accomplished one can readily believe with what
enthusiasm the thought of having the Psalms ‘ turned to
Irish miter ’ possessed the ministers, ‘ so as they may be
soonge with the comon toones, in regard both the work
may be done and also that the ordinance of singing through
want of the Irish mitter never hes bein gone about by such
as are ignorant of the English language.’ 2 There and then
the work was apportioned to the various presbyteries,
‘ recomending to all earnestly that diligence be used heirin
that some accompt of their progresse in this work may be
had at the nixt synod.’
More than two years passed with nothing done ; and
the Synod in October 1655 allocated the first eighty
psalms to sundry ministers by name, ‘ all which are to be
1 Minutes, ii. p. 93. The edition of 1653 was printed at Edinburgh by
Andrew Anderson. In the year 1656 he removed to Glasgow, having been
invited by the Town Council to ‘ mack his residence within the burghe and
exerceis his calling thairintill, ’ for which he was to receive ‘ yearlie during his
lyftyme or abode the soume of ane hundreth merkis Scottis money, that
they wont of old to pay to his deceist father.’—Burgh Records of Glasgow,
1630-1662, pp. 348, 349. The second edition of the Catechism therefore
and the fifty psalms were printed at Glasgow. George Anderson, the
father, settled in Glasgow in 1638, in which year came from his press the
Protestation of November 1638, the earliest example of Glasgow printing.
2 Ibid., ii. pp. 36, 37.