DUNINO PARISH

PAROCHIAL REGISTERS:.-When the restoration of Presbyterian government was ratified by Parliament in 1641, parochial registers were recommended to be kept. From April 30, 1643, in a regular series to the present period, there are eight volumes of parochial records in tolerable preservation. There is a register of deaths since the year 1752. For many years after 1643, nearly the whole heritors and principal tacksmen were elders,an example worthy of imitation at the present day. The office of the elders was no sinecure, nor were they shy of using their authority. It appears that they were not only the protectors of good morals, but assumed a civil and criminal jurisdiction. In 1660, two men and four women were convicted on their own confession, of " promiscuous dancing," that is, of dancing together at a marriage. They escaped with being "sharplie rebuked ;" but the poor piper Jolin Moore, from the next parish of "Carnbie," who acted as minstrel on that occasion, was obliged to put his hand to the pen," not to repeat the offence, "under a penalty toties quoties," which would now be equivalent to a couple of pounds Sterling. Moreover, on the following Sunday, " he was humbled on his knees before the pulpit in face of the congregation," in public penance for his conduct. In 1649, "Alexander Brune was put into the joggs from the second bell to the last bell before sermon on forenoone, and afterwards entered on the place of repentance for the sin of uncleanness with Elpeth Berown." Though it be stated in the record, that during the above period, the Presbytery on several occasions issued their pastoral admonitions against prevailing vices, yet delinquencies were frequently brought before the kirk-session, which would be deprecated in these latter and less zealous days. Weavers are sometimes cited for carrying home their webs to their customers on Suiidays, and millers are cited for grinding corn, and reapers for cutting down corn on that holy day. In 1652, the kirk-session of Dunino not only acted as civil and criminal judges, but were patrons of the parish, and settled the minister. Thus, May 30th of that year, it is stated in the record, " that after the afternoon's exercise, the minister intimated out of the pulpit to the people, that the elders had nominate and chosen unanimously, Mr Alexander Edward, Regent in the Old Colledge, to be minister of their said parish;" and, accordingly, on Wednesday, 13th October following, the presbytery did meet at the church, " for admission of Mr Alexander Edward to the function of the ministrie, and they did admit him." Notwithstanding the active oppression of Archbishop Sharpe in Fifeshire for eighteen years, no county in scotland was more zealous for Presbyterianism against Episcopacy; and during that period, according to Wodrow's history, the inhabitants of " Dunyno," for their opposition, were fined in a sum that would now be equal to L. 1200 Sterling.

POPULATION.

In 1793, the population, judging from the records of baptisms, was 383 same as in 1831

The annual average of births, etc. for 1834 and six years preceding, was as follows :-

Births, 11 2/7

Marriages, 3 2/7

Deaths, 3 2/7

There are 71 persons occupied in agriculture, and but 15 in retail trade and handicraft. There are 99 males above twenty; 12 beyond seventy; and 1 nearly ninety. Within the last twenty years, 2 died above ninety. There are 78 families living in 74 houses, at very nearly 5 in a family. Two new houses are in the progress of building, and there is no uninhabited house. There are no blind or deaf in the parish; and three, a man, woman, and child, in separate families, are insane.

PAROCHIAL ECONOMY:- Dunino possesses good public roads, and near markets. There is a turnpike road crossing the parish from St Andrews to Anstruther, which are both sea-ports and have both a weekly market for grain the distance from four to five miles. Yearly, there are 15 horse and black-cattle fair, within seven miles. We are surrounded by post-offices ; one is within three, another four, and another five miles. Other three post-offices are within seven miles.

There is a curricle which plies thrice a week across the parish, from Anstruther to St Andrews. From St Andrews to Cupar, the county town, a distance of eleven miles, two coaches run weekly in a like space, they go twice to Dundee, the same distance as Cupar. The fuel used in the parish is coal, which may be found seaborne at either of the adjacent towns above-mentioned, or at the coal mines in the interior of the country, not more distant than those towns.

INNS.-There are two inns in the parish, which are sources of no intemperance.

ECCLESIASTICAL STATE;.-The stipend of Dunino was augmented in 1709. About forty-two years ago, Dr Brown, then incumbent, received a considerable addition. The former and present minister received also an augmentation, and the living, beside the stipend victual payable by the fiars, includes 63 old Scotch bolls, half oatmeal and half barley, at L. 85, 13s. 1d. of surrendered teind, which, with a manse and offices erected about fifteen Years ago, and 23 acres of glebe, may amount to L. 260 a year. The present incumbent, Mr Roger, is the eighth minister of the parish since 1697, when Mr Knox, a relative of the great reformer, John Knox, was inducted into office. The church of Dunino was built in 1826, and is a neat Gothic edifice, with an altar-window in the west gable. It contains thirty-two pews, designed for six sitters in each, but might hold seven, in all 224. The area in the church has been divided by the sheriff as under:-The patron, the United College of St Andrews, had the first ehoice, the minister next, and the heritors according to their valued rent. The parochial schoolmaster has a pew, and all the other pews are proportionally annexed to the estates, and divided among the farmers and their dependents, excepting eight pews in front of the pulpit and adjoining, which are let by the kirk-session and these form the sacred tables at the communion season. The number of communicants generally is from 130 to 160 ; but upwards of 200 have been known to communicate. The church is centrically situated; and there are but two or three families of Seceders.

POOR'S FUNDS;.-The poor's revenue at Dunino requires no long recital. There is but a single pauper on the kirk-session fund, at 2s. a-month; but the heritors have, since autumn 1834, contributed, according to their valued rent, L. 6, 4s. 5d. to support other four paupers, at 2s. or 3s. a-month each, as circumstances require, with an additional boon out of this sum to buy coals. The kirk-session fund consists of the following items : a small sum for church seat-rent; a tax on the use of the mortcloth, and the proclamation of marriage banns ; penalty on illegitimate births in certain cases (and two illegitimate births occur perhaps twice in three years;) the proceeds from collections at the church door, and from money deposited at interest, forming a small total annually of about L. 9, 8s. 7d. From this little capital fall to be paid, besides the pauper, the session-clerk, precentor, kirk-officer., the synod and presbytery clerk, and presbytery officer. Thus the provision for the poor, and for the whole kirk-sessional business of the parish, does not exceed L. 15, 13s. a-year.

EDUCATION;-There has never been but one parochial school in the parish. It is centrically situated, and but a few yards from its original site. The scale of fees, formed in 1805, has been continued to the present schoolmaster, who succeeded his brother, the author of "Anster Fair", His salary is the maximum ; and this, with L.3, as session-clerk, dues on proclamation of banns of marriage, granting certificates of character to those removing from the parish, and keeping the register of births-added to the school fees, and a neat, new dwelling house and garden, may amount to L. 60 a year,

There is nobody in the parish above seven years old, untaught to read ; and there are but few grown up persons who cannot also write. The desire of knowledge is ardent. There are several copies of the Bible in every house. Some new publications visit the parish ; and at present there are read in it weekly nine different newspapers.