LAIDLIE, Archibald, clergyman, born in Kelso, Scotland, 4 December, 1727; died in Red Hook, New York, 14 November, 1779. He was graduated at Edinburgh university, and, having been ordained in 1759, became pastor of the Scotch church in Flushing, Holland, where he remained four years. He then accepted a call to the Collegiate Dutch Reformed church of New York, and preached his first sermon there, 15 April, 1764. He was the first minister that was called to preach in English in connection with the Reformed Dutch church, and the fact of his assuming the pastorate of the chief congregation of this body practically ended the long-continued controversy over the use of the Dutch language in their churches. Dr. Laidlie was eminently successful as a preacher; but his brief ministry was interrupted by the Revolutionary war, which forced him to retire to Red Hook, where he remained till his death. Princeton gave him the degree of D. D. in 1770. He translated the Heidelberg catechism into English for the use of his church (1770).