ABSTRACT
John Witherspoon led a group of militia volunteers from Beith intent on fighting for King George and joining the royal forces at Stirling. Witherspoon was well loved by both Scottish congregations he served. There is no reason to think he was not telling the truth during the farewell sermon when he spoke of having had ‘the honor and happiness of being intrusted with the ministry of the gospel in this place’. Witherspoon’s initial difficulty in getting installed in Beith presaged a ministerial career in Scotland that would rarely be free from controversy. In 1758, Witherspoon and James Baine petitioned the Presbytery of Paisley to have separate sessions—a petition rejected by the presbytery, approved by the synod, and ultimately rejected again by the General Assembly. The poem, written satirically in the voice of John Snodgrass thanking the Presbytery of Paisley for their support, shows just how frustrated, indignant, and clever Witherspoon could be.
