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PREFACE.

THE design of these sketches is neither to give a full account of Scottish Ecclesiastical History nor to furnish complete biographies of the men who have been prominent in the Scottish pulpit since the Reformation. My aim has simply been to put the preachers in the environment of their times, to bring out the characteristics by which they were distinguished, and to give point to such lessons from their work as may be useful in our own age.

The form in which the sketches are presented was determined by the fact that they were originally addressed to the students of Yale Theological Seminary in the spring of 1886, when I had the honor of holding, for the second time, the appointment of "Lyman Beecher Lecturer" in that institution.

For reasons which are too obvious to need to be formally stated, I have not attempted to deal with living Scottish preachers, many of whom are worthy of a place beside the foremost of those whom I have specified; and if some names which might have been expected to find a place in such a review as I have attempted are not re

ferred to, I hope that the limits within which I felt myself restricted in such a brief course will be deemed sufficient to account for the omission.

The facts given and the dates mentioned have in all cases been faithfully verified, but it is scarcely possible that no error has crept in, especially as so many works, most of them, alas! without any index, had to be searched for the purpose of insuring accuracy.

I have to acknowledge my obligation for valuable hints as to sources of information which I received from my honored friends, Principal Cairns, of Edinburgh; Professor William Graham, of the Presbyterian College, London; and President McCosh, of Princeton.

The preparation of the volume has been throughout a labor of love, into which perhaps there has entered also somewhat of national enthusiasm and pride; and if it shall prove in any way serviceable to the great cause to which I have given my life, I shall be abundantly rewarded.

5 WEST THIRTY-FIFTH STREET,

New York, 1887.

WM. M. TAYLOR.

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