John Abernethy was born in Brigh, near Stewartstown, County Tyrone, and lived for some time in Ballymena, County Antrim, and Coleraine, County Londonderry. He studied at the University of Glasgow and at Edinburgh. Before he was twenty-one he preached in Dublin and was appointed minister of a congregation in Antrim, where he was ordained in 1703. When he was recalled to Dublin in 1717, he defied the synod and opted to stay in Antrim. When the division among Presbyterians occurred, Abernethy led the Unitarians or Non-subscribers. He was prominent in The Belfast Society and the 'New Light' Movement. In 1730 he went to minister in Dublin. He was frequently at variance with the Presbyterian Church especially on the issue of exclusion from army service. He was opposed to the Test Act. Despite being a strict believer in temperance, he died from what was described as 'gout in the head'. He published tracts and books, including Sermons on the Being and Perfections of God which was reprinted many times and was favourably criticised by Samuel Johnson

Born:	1680
Died:	1740