Eighth General Meeting of the Cameronians in 1695 #History #Scotland
The Cameronian’s general meeting at Leadhills continued to tackle those among themselves who were suspected of scandal. It was also still wrestling with events that had first appeared in 1687, the Barbados Collection and admitting David Houston to preach among them.
08 General Meeting at Leadhills, 9 October, 1695.
James Currie and society of Edinburgh to give Robert Speirs just over £66 Scots he is owed [as he had been removed from the collectorship].
The general meeting removes the suspension of John Clark as it is satisfied with the Galloway societies ‘dilligence concerning John Clark’ and likewise approves of Clark’s submission and acknowledgement. [John Clark was one of the delegates from Galloway in March, 1689.]
The Barbados Collection Debated
‘Overture concerning the Barbadoes Colection returned back to the meeting to be more clearly about it.’
[The payment of money to recover Society people banished into “slavery” in Barbados had been controversial in 1687 to 1688, as it reversed James Renwick’s view that banishment was a form of testimony against tyranny. Prior to the collections to free their brethren, if you were banished, you were expected not to buy yourself out of it. Societies in Ireland connected to David Houston had found the liberation of their brethren in Barbados via cash payments objectionable.]
Further Moves Against David Houston
A letter was ‘to be sent over’ to Mr. David Houston in Ireland intimating that ‘we disown all these that go over to him for marriage [in Ireland]’ until he appeared before the meeting. ‘The meeting having again and again taken Mr Houstones affair in to consideration finds more and more ground to stand at a Distance…’.
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