Series 3 > Register of the consultations of the ministers of Edinburgh and some other brethren of the ministry > Volume 1

172 THE REGISTER OF CONSULTATIONS
accusations against particular Brethren, but confyne
themselves for most part to the tryell of the Presbytrie
books. 3, There be many Presbytries in which there are
none of our judgement. 4, Wee can instance to our
Brethren where and when just ground of challenge has been
offered in Presbytries and Synods against particular
members, and they have refuised to take it in considera¬
tion, or have shifted and delayed and some tyme have
obstructed and hindered their tryell and censure, as in the
case of Mr James- Chalmers, Mr William Davidsone,
Mr Arthur Forbes, Mr Robert Blair of Alvay, in the Synod
of Aberdeen, and in the case of Mr Alexander Ireland,
late Moderatour of the Synod of Perth, with many other
instances of complaints that have been made in Presby¬
tries and Synods without any redress, which we should
willingly take paines to make more publick, if we thought
that it would be for edification, and if any reall ground of
hope were given us to expect a remedy of our just greev-
ances in this matter. We shall only adde this for the
present that our Brethren may know enough of this with¬
out inquiring at us. If they please, they will find no
great difficulty to discover how averse the Synod of Mersse
and Teviotdaill hath been to give satisfaction to complaints
of this kynd ; and wee suppose it is beyond question with
diverse of our Brethren that, to say no worse, there is
a verie weake affection to the worke of purgeing out of the
Church scandalous and insufficient Ministers and Elders
in the plurality of the Synods of Angus and Mernes, Argyle,
Murray, Ross, Caithnes, Orkney and Zetland. 5, Our
Brethren cannot be ignorant how many just greevances
and complaints have been offered by us a good while agoe
in our severall representations to the severall Synods,
which yet hath not been taken in consideration nor re-
ceaved any answer. To what purpose then should we
wearie ourselves with repeating of and adding unto these
things ?
Next that which our Brethren assert of the removing
of so many scandalous and unprofitable men in all the
corners of the land within these few yeeres, and of planting