THE
LIFE OF
MR DONALD CARGILL.
Mr Cargill seems to have been born some time about the year 1610. He was eldest son of a most respected family in the parish of Rattray. After he had been some time in the schools of Aberdeen, he went to St Andrew's, where having perfeeted his course of philosophy, his father pressed upon him much to study divinity, in order for the ministry; but he thought the work was too great for his weak shoulders, and requested to command him to any other employment he pleased. But his father still continuing to urge him, he resolved to set apart a day of private ⟨fasting⟩, to seek the Lord's mind therein. And after much wrestling with the Lord by prayer, the third chapter of Ezekial, and chiefly these words in the first verse, "Son of man, eat this roll and go speak unto the house of Israel", made a ⟨strong⟩ impression on his mind, so that he durst ⟨no⟩ longer refuse his father's desire, but dedicated himself wholly unto that offiee.
After this, he got a call to the Barony Church of Glasgow. It was so ordered by Divine providence, that the very first text the presbytery ordered him to preach upon, was these words in
