TESTIMONIALS FOR ABIJAH MURRAY SENIOR

"I hereby certify that I have known Mr Abijah Murray for many years back, during which time I have had very frequent opportunties of forming an estimate of his character, and am happy to bear testimony to his work and merits. His habits of life are such as to qualify him peculiarly for any situation where activity, steadiness, energy and uniform kindness and civility of deportment are requisite - and from my own acquaintanceship with the duties of a recorder I feel perfectly satisfied that, should he be appointed by the Ministers and Kirksession to that office in the Burying Grounds under their charge, he will discharge the duties confided to him in such a manner as to give high satisfaction to his patrons and to the public at large. He is in the prime of life, and may therefore be expected to be an efficient and trustworthy manager of the grounds in question for many years to come."

2. From Robert Kinniburgh, Institution for Deaf and Dumb, Edinburgh, 7 December 1840

"I have long known Mr Abijah Murray and from his having been of late years frequently employed in making repairs about this institution, I have had very many opportunities of forming my opinion of his character; and I can most conscientiously bear my testimony to his worth. He is a steady, sober, upright, trustworthy, civil and obliging man. And I am fully satisfied that should he be appointed to the office in the Burying grounds, by the Ministers and Session of the West Church, he will discharge the duties of his office with punctuality, faithfulness and accuracy."

3. From Alex Reid, Edinburgh, 7 December 1840

"Having been acquainted with Mr Abijah Murray since the year 1822 when I rented a house from his late father, and having since had various transactions with him in the way of business and otherwise, it is from personal knowledge that I offer my testimony in his favour. I have always found him to be a man of strict integrity, correct in his dealings, and punctual to his engagements. He is active, intelligent, and well-informed, and, besides being a good pensman, has been accustomed to keep accounts. He is obliging in his disposition, modest in his manners, and most exemplary in his religious and moral character. In a word, I feel assured that, should Mr Murray be appointed to the situation for which he is at present a candidate, he will discharge its duties punctually and conscientiously."

4. [signature illegible] 8 Spence's Place, Edinburgh, 7 December 1840: addressed to Abijah Murray, Royal Circus

"Dear Mr Murray, Being informed that you are an applicant for the Office of Recorder of the West Church Burying ground, I have much pleasure in certifying as to the superior qualifications you possess for discharging the important duties of the above situation. I have known you for several years and during that time have had ample opportunities of judging respecting your zealous business habits, your complete sobriety, the intelligence and decision of your character which, together with your thorough knowledge of book-keeping and excellent pensmanship, render you in myopinion admirably competent to fill the situation of Recorder. Sincerely trusting that you will be successful in your application I am, My Dear Sir, Very Respectfully Yours."

5. From John Morrison, 24 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh, 8 December 1840

"Mr Abijah Murray has been known to me for upwards of twelve years, and during that time I have had many opportunities of observing his conduct in various ways, and have much pleasure in bearing my humble testimony to the high opinion I have formed of his principles and character. I have always found him punctual, honourable and conscientious in all his transactions. I believe him to be a man of high integrity founded on religious principles, and worthy to be intrusted with any responsible situation; and understanding that he is a candidate for the Recordership of St Cuthbert's Parish, I most cordially recommend him to the Ministers and Elders as a most suitable person for that office; and I am persuaded, if they elect him to that situation, they will find he will discharge its duties with punctuality, accuracy and fidelity."

6. From Alex Stuart, 26 London Street, 8 December 1840

"These certify that I have known Mr Abijah Murray for fifteen years past - during the last half of which period I have had many dealings with him in the way of business; that I entertain the very highest opinion of his steadiness, integrity and worth; that it is within my knowledge that he has always maintained a conduct in perfect consistency with his christian profession, thereby doing credit to the instructions of a most pious Father; that he has ever been a faithful and dutiful Son; - and that I consider him peculiarly well qualified for any situation where respectable talents, sober, steady habits joined to good principle and trustworthiness, may be reckoned as recommendations."

7. From John Thomas, 8 December 1840

"I have much pleasure in bearing my testimony to the character and qualifications of Mr Abijah Murray, who is at present a candidate for the office of Recorder to the West Church Burying Ground. He has been for several years known to me, and in all my business transactions with him I have ever had reason to be perfectly satisfied with his attention, civility and intelligence. His manners are very much in his favour and his morals are unexceptionable. Indeed I scarcely can imagine one more fitted for the situation to which he aspires by his course of education, habits of business and mildness of deportment than Mr Murray."

8. From John Forrest, 4 St Andrew Square, 9 December 1840

"Having been applied to by Mr Abijah Murray for a certificate of his character I have great pleasure in stating that I have known him all his life. That he is sober, honest, steady, obliging and intelligent, of good education and excellent moral principles and in my humble opinion well qualified for the situation of Recorder of St Cuthberts Burying Ground."

9. From William Graham, 99 Princes Street. Edinburgh, 9 December 1840

"Having been in the habit for many years of employing Mr Murray in his line of business I have had the most favourable opportunities of becoming acquainted with his character, and I can with confidence affirm, that he has uniformly discharged with scrupulous conscientiousness whatever he engaged to do. In the numerous transactions I have had with him, I have always been led to esteem him for his sterling honesty, sobriety and moral worth."

10. From John Paton, 66 Great King Street, 9 December 1840

"Having now known you for the last fourteen years, it gives me great pleasure in being able to bear testimony to your strict integrity, business habits, and unwearied and persevering industry. I can with perfect confidence recommend you to the notice of any person, as I know from personal experience that you will faithfully perform any duty which you may undertake."

11. From W Hamilton, 16 Great King Street, 8 December 1840

"Being informed that Mr Abijah Murray is a candidate for the office of Recorder of St Cuthbert's Burying Ground, and requested to say what I know as to his qualifications for the situation, I can conscientiously state that I know him to be the son of most respectable and pious parents (his mother I have known all my life) and that I believe him to be himself from his intelligence, his acquaintance with business, his habit of [illegible], and his moral and religious principles, one to whom such an office could be safely and advantageously entrusted."

12. From John Smith, Recorder, St Cuthberts, 8 Harrison Street, 9 December 1840

"I have much pleasure in stating that having known the Bearer Mr Abijah Murray for the last 12 years, I have always considered him as an upright and intelligent man, possessing much good sense, of a civil and obliging disposition, very considerable energy and activity, and in my opinion fully qualified for discharging with efficiency the duties of any situation where these qualities are requested."

13. From James Milne, Halshaw Moor, near Bolton, Lancashire, 14 December 1840. According to his letter he was a teacher of the Juvenile Department Training Seminary, formerly of the Model Infant School, Edinburgh.

"From an intimate acquaintance with Mr Murray of ten years standing, I have no hesitation in saying that his Education, Manners, Activity, Taste for arrangement, General knowledge of business, and Integrity of Character peculiarly qualify him for the important and responsible Office of Recorder for the West Church Burying Ground. "