The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-03-25

the claims of the Church of Rome, and
its hierarchical organizations to antiqui-
ty in Scotland, she CAD only claim four
hundred of the eighteen hundred years
that have elapsed since the planting OF
of Christianity in the kingdom, viz, the
period between A. D. 1850, when David
established her, and A D. 1850 when his
establishment was overthrown by the re-
suscitation of the old Scottish principles
at the Reformation" Up. 44O.)
Alexander, Jameson, and other histo-
rians make similar statements, but these
will probably suffice to show, that the an
cient Culdee faith, after its long and gal
liant struggle with Rope did not cease to
exist, but, after the throne had forced
Popery on the peopl pill continued to
live in their hearts, Eng unrOiatakeAble
evidence the while offs undying vitall-
ty, and awaiting the destined hour of de-
liverance, which caae at the great Re-
formation, the next link We reach in our
chain of evidence.
The only proposition we need maintain
in regard to this is, that, the Scottish Re
formation was the simple reversal Of the
royal Establishment Of Popery an Scot
land, being forced on the throne by the
people, as that Uas forced on the people
by the throne
This is fact so familiar to every one,
that we need adduce no proofs. Every
one knows the remarkable difference be-
tween the English and Scottish Reform
ations in this particular. The English
Reformation was forced by the Court on
the people, the Scotch, by the people on
on the Court. There is no good reason
for believing that when Henry VIII.
broke with the Pope that he mig ght di-
vorce his queen, majority of the Eng
lish people had any sympathy with his
movement, nor indeed considering the
cause of it, had they any motive for that
sympathy. 1t is curious fact that the
religion of England has generally been
the religion of the throne. 1t was Pa
gan under the Romans, Christian under
the Britons, Druid under the Saxons, Pa
pal under the Normans, Protestant under
Henry, Popish under Mary, Protestant
under Elizabeth, Independent under
Cromwell, Prelatic under Charles IL.
and so continues. When no political
questions were involved, the Court has
never had much difficulty in securing a
pretty general oonf5rfSiGy s, +hA -na+tnr
of religion. But tit~has~oeen otherwise
in Scotland. 1t has always been strange
ly unmanageablein in this matter. For some
reason the fact is apparent, that the Scot
tish people have always clung with Won
derful tenacity to their religion. Hence
the Reformation with them was forced by
the people on the Court. Queen Mary
used every agency, that ait, beauty and
power could WELD to crush the Reforma-
ton, but although backed by the power
full aid of France, she failed, and the
Reformation was forced upon the throne
by the people and became the recognised
faith of the realm.
What made this striking difference be-
tween the Reformations of England and
Scotland? Precisely the facts that We
have been describing. This old, ances-
tral faith of Scotland etill lived among
her hills and only awaited an opening to
fame out as it did in the mighty out
burst of the Reformation. The religion
of the throne was the religion of their
ancient hereditary enemies, of the men
who had banished and butchered their
gallant and godly forefathers of whom
the world was not worthy, whilst the re-
ligion of the people was the religion of
the
"Scots wha had wi Wallace bled,
Scots wham Bruce had often led,
the old, unconquered faith of their Cul-
dee fathers that had never bowed the
knee to Baal. or acknowledged the claims
of Rome. Hence although this ancient
faith had been overpowered, it had never
been overwhelmed. Like the sun clad wo-
man of the Apocalypse. she had fed from
the dragon into the wilderness, and was
nourished there for time and times and
half. time: at the appointed hour the de-
liverance came, and voice rang among
the hills like that which sounded at the
grave of Lazarus, "Loose her and let
her CO." And at the sound of that voice
the lonely glens and heathered hills of
the brave old land awaked like rough
Benledi's craggy side at the whistle of
Roderick Dhu, when,
"On right, on left, above, below,
Sprung up at once the lurking foe,
And every tuft of broom gave life,
To plaided warrior armed for strife,
for like some mighty gathering of the
clans,
"They came as the winds come when forests
are rended,
They came as the waves come when navies
are stranded"
and in spite of beauty, and rank, and