Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-01-27
The King and his Scotch Cook.


The witty Earl Of Rochester being in com.
pany with king Charles III bis queen, the
chaplain, aud some ministers Of state, after
they had been discoursing on business, the
king suddenly exclaimed: Let our thoughts
be unbended from the cares Of state and give
us generous glass Of wine, that cheereth as
the Scripture saith God and man. The queen
hearing this. modesty said she thought there
could be no such text in the scriptures and
that 1t was but little else than blasphemy.-
The king replied that he was not prepared TO
turn to the chapter and verse; but was sure
he had met with il in his Scripture reading
The chaplain was applied to. and he wns Of
the queens opinion Rochester. suspecting
the king To be right. slipped out Of the room
to inquire for Bible, A pretty king by the
grace Of God and defender Of the faith, and
pretty chaplain to king. that could not mus.
ter Bible between them, among the SER
wants. None Of them could read, but Da.
vid the Scotch cook, and he, they said. always
carried Bible about him. David being call.
ed, recollected both the text and where 10 find
It, Rochester told David to be in waiting.
and returned to the king. This text was still
the subject Of conversation, and Rochester
produced his Bible and read the text.
1t was from the parable Of the trees Of the
woods going forth to appoint king over them
Judges, 9th chapter and 9th verse. "And
The vine said unto them. should leave nv
wine, which cheereth God and man, and 90
to be promoted over the trees" The kinG
smiled, the queen asked pardon, the chaplain
blushed Rochester then asked this doctor
of Divinity if he could interpret the text, now
1t was produced The chaplain was mute
The earl therefore applied to David for the
exposition. The cook Immediately replied;
"How much wine cheereth man-lookinr
Rochester IN his eyes, your lord,hp knowctb,
no donbt David had seen him tou dozen
times, and that it cheereth God, beg leave
to say that under the Old Testament tispen.
satlon, there mere meat offerings: the latter
consisted Of wine. which was typical
of the blood Of the Mediator which, by met
aphor, was said To cheer God as he was we'll
pleased IN the way of salvation, that he had
appointed, whereby his justice was satisfied
his law fulfilled. his mercy rrigned, his grace
trlumphed. all his perftctions harmonizcd, the
sinner was saved, and God in Christ glorii-d."
The king looked astonlshed, the queen she'd
tears; Rochester, after some very severe re.
Elections upon the Chaplain, gravrly moved
th"t his majesty would be pleased to send thu
chaplain intp the kitchen TO turn cook, and
that he would make this cook his Chaplain
Now. by way Of conclusion to this rhetorical
fact, will only remark that this same cook is
true specimen of what the Scottish pasln,
~ are AT this present day. few of them learn
more at school than to read the Bible and
write tneir own name, but the beautiful and
sublime language in which the n4rrilive is con
veyed, the true aud concise descriptions of
men and matter. &c.. make those whose Bi
bic WIS their school book, and who make i,
ther companion by the way, to be wiser than
Their teachers. Hence in the heather hills
among the shepherds, and in the lowlands
among the pl"nghmen Of Scotland, YOU will
find thousands deeply read in almost every
scl"ncr and language. They are the most
profound engineers the most scientific gar.
d"ners and botanis,s. the most learned phy.
s"lsns urgrOn>, and anatomists, learned, in
dependent and conscientious preachers of
righteousness. and by them the Gospel is
preached To the poor.