(Signed) John Grantt.
Castle Street, Sixth July 1746.
Minute of the Presbytery of Abertarff
At Fort Augustus, 13th June 1746.
The Presbytry of Abertarph being met and Constitute It was represented that the Revd Mr. John Grant, minister of the Gospel at Urquhart, and member of this Judicatory, had been sometime ago laid under arrest on suspicion of being disaffected to the present happy establishment, and the Presbytery being deeply affected to think that any of their number should give the least umbrage to any mortal on that important subject took Mr. Grant’s past conduct with regard to Government under their most serious deliberation, and upon the whole find Cause to certify that (abstracting from the present Charge brought against him, to which they are entire Strangers, having no immediate Access to enquire into it by reason of the great disturbances here) he still behav’d himself among them as became a minister of the Gospel, discovering upon every occasion his Inviolable Attachment and Loyalty to his Majesty’s person and Government. Given in name presence and at appointment of Presbytry, date and place forsaid by
Thom. Frazer, Modr.
Minute of the Presbytery of Abernethy
At Abernethy the 5th Day of July 1746.
The Presbytery of Abernethy, taking to their Consideration That the Reverend Mr. John Grant minister of the Gospel at Urquhart had been taken up and shipped off for London upon a Suspicion of treasonable practices during this wicked and unnaturall rebellion, Could not but in Justice to Mr. Grant’s Character Certifie of him as follows. First, That he was born in the Bounds of this Presbytery of Honest parents who professed the Protestant Religion according to the Principles of the Established Church of Scotland and he had his Education in this way. 2dly That as Mr. Grant very early in his younger years thought of applying himself to the Work of the Ministry he attended the Colleges of Philosophy and Divinity and brought from the several Professors sufficient Testimonials of his diligence and progress in his studies as well as of his morall Character so that this Presbytery had Encouragement to enter him upon Trials and upon finding him qualified Did Licence him to preach of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 3dly That, after he was licenced he continued in the Bounds of this Presbytery for the space of some years and both in his publick Discourses and private Conversation discovered the firmest attachment to His Majesty King George his Person and Government. And had the same Principles and views with respect to Government that all the Members of this Judicatory have particularly That the Security of our Religion and Liberty is inseperably connected with the stability of our Most Gracious Sovereign King George his Throne and the Succession of his Royall Line. And since Mr. Grant removed from our Bounds and was ordained Minister at Urquhart in the neighbouring Presbytery of Abertarph, which will be about six years agoe he has continued in the strictest friendship and most intimate Correspondence with the most of our Members and still they found that neither his Principles nor practices were anyways Derogatory from what he had early imbibed, publickly owned, and all along practised while among them. And from the Report of some of our Members who have been in the Parish of Urquhart since Mr. Grant was carryed of It is notour and well known there that several Attacks were made on Mr. Grants Life during the Rebellion for his Attachment to the Government and his continuing in his duty to pray for His Majesty King George and the Royall Family.
At one time a Man who had the Rank of an Officer in the Rebellious Mob threatned on a Sabbath Day immediately after Divine Worship to seize him, carry him to a Loch in the neighbourhood, and Drown him there, and gott about thirty or fourty of the same Gang to Join in the Undertaking. At anoyr time two Ruffians broke into a Company where Mr. Grant was, attacked him with drawn Durks untill hindered by those who were present. Again on a Sabbath day immediatly as he came out from Sermon some of the Rebells Wives and others fell upon him, tore his Cloaths and abused him so that with great Difficulty he was rescued from them and gott into his own house. Another party of the same wicked Crew threatned publickly to burn his House and Family, when they got their opportunity. Therefore from our Knowledge of Mr. Grant’s Principles, our through Acquaintance of him, together with the Notouriety of thes facts with respect to his Usage by the Rebells, we cannot but hope that he is entirely innocent of any charge of Dissloyalty can be brought agst. him, and we are apt to presume that some invidious person or persons have given in an Information against him which tho’ false in fact may either kill him by Confinement as he is of a tender Constitution or ruin his circumstances by the Expense of such a Process, by either of qch they will sufficientlie gratifie yr malicious views. And we are fully satisfied that if there is the least of misconduct chargeable on Mr. Grant it must have been entirely owing to Inadvertency and oversight and not the effect of Principle or Design. Given Day and Date above in name in presence and by appointment of the Presbytery of Abernethy, and signed by