Patrick's father, who was minister of the second charge at Canongate Kirk, changed his name on succeeding to the estate of Balancleroch, Campsie.

The high position he now occupied in the estimation of the Church, was shown by his appointment in 1824 as successor to Thomas Chalmers in St John's parish in Glasgow.

At the time of his being elected moderator in 1834 he was minister of the West Kirk in Greenock[15] and in that town he continued his ministerial labours for seventeen years, until his death.

It is just saying, ' We conjure you to sacrifice your consciences, and all your views of duty, and all your sense of obligation to the authority of Christ, as the great Head of the Church.

"It has pleased God in His providence to fill me, as far as stipend is concerned, a fuller cup than has fallen to many of my brethren; but this I say, and say it advisedly, so help me God— holding the views I entertain of this subject, and regarding it as impossible, without a sacrifice of conscience, to submit to and acquiesce in that decree to which I have referred, I would rather cast that cup to the ground than I would taste it again, embittered, as it would be if I were to yield, by the consciousness of having deserted what I believe to be my duty to God, and my duty to the Church."

In the Assemblies of 1840 and 1841 Dr M'Farlan took a leading part, especially in the discussion on Lord Aberdeen's Bill, and in the various proceedings connected with the case of the Strathbogie ministers.

MacFarlan took a leading part in the campaign against Pluralities, and in the pre-Disruption controversy, making notable contributions to its literature.

[18] M'Farlan's position and the attitude he maintained attracted special attention, on the part both of friends and opponents, for the simple reason, that the west parish of Greenock was, at that time, the richest living in the Church of Scotland.