The herald., 1897-11-21

| The matters which had sundered me
from the Presbytery mended not. noI
indeed was 1t possible to mend them
seeing that they and I served different
Gods, followed other purposes.
1t was bleak December when the
brethren Of the Presbytery arrived tc
make an end Of me and my work in
the parish Of Balmaghie. They came
with their minds made up. They were
my accusers. They were also my
| Judges. AS for me, was as set and as
determined as they were. I refused
their Jurisdiction. I contemned their
authority. To me they were but mites
in the cheese, batteners on the heritage
and patrimony of the Kirk OF Scotland
l was to them but the troubler of
Israel, the disturber of a quiet Zion.
Save for Quintin Mac Clellan, the
watchman might have gone from tower
to tower along ramparts covered and
defended, and his challenge of what
of the Night?" have received it's fitting
answer from this point and that about
the city, "All is WE'LL"
| Yet because Of the Lad in the Brown
Coat with his dead face sunk in the
Bennan flowe. 1 could not consent to
putting the Kirk of Scotland, free and
independent, under the control. real or
nominal, the authority covert or latent,
Of any monarch in Christendom.
More than to my fathers. more than
to my elders. 1t seemed to me that the
old ways were the true ways, and that
kings and governments had never med
died with religion save to lay waste
the vineyard and mar the bridal por-
ton of the Kirk of God.
But all men know the cause of the
struggle and what were the issues.
1 will tell rather the fate of a
mans shame and sorrow-mine.
who had taken the Banner OF
the Covenant into unworthy hands,
yet time after time let it fall in the
dust. Nevertheless at the hinder end.
l lived to see 1t set again in a strong
base of hewn stone. fixed as the foun-
dations of the earth. Nor shall the
golden scroll of it ever be defaced. or
the Covenant of the King of Kings be
broken.
So on the day of trial from all the
parishes Of the Presbytery. east and
west, gathered the men who were to
be my judges-nay. the men who We're
already my condemnators. For Cam
eron had my sentence in his pocket be-
fore ever one of the brethren set foot
over his doorstep. or threw leg
across the back of his ambling sheltie.
l had judged it best to be quiet and
staid in demeanor and had gone about
to quiet and persuade the folk of Bal
maghie who We're eager to hold back
the hunters from their prey.
Tho prachytprv had sent To hid me
preach before them, even as the SOL
diers Of the guard had bidden Christ
prophesy unto them that they might
have occasion to smite him the oftener
on the mouth. 50 when they came
they had posed me with interrogatories,
threatened me with penalties, and final
ly set me to conduct service before
them, that they might either condemn
me If l refused, alleging contumacy. or
on the other hand if did as they bade
me, they would easily find occasion to
condemn the words of my mouth.
But l saw that though there was no
way to escape their malice. yet was
there a way to serve the cause.
So went up into the pulpit after The
folk had been assembled, and addressed
myself to them JUST as If 1T had been
Sabbath day and the company met
only for the worship of God.
For I minded the word which my
good Regent, Doctor Campbell had
spoken to me in Edinburgh ere I was
licensed to preach. or knew that one
day I myself should be the carcass
about which the ravens should gather.
when ye preach" said Professor
Campbell, "be sure that ye heed not
the five wise men,
So l minded that word, and, seeing
the folk gathered together, I cast my
heavy burden from me, and called them
earnestly to the worship of Him who
is above all Courts and Assemblies.
Then came in Cameron, the leader of
their faction, jowled with determine
ton and rosy-gilled with the good cheer
and the claret wine of st. Mary's Isle.
With him was Boyd, also renegade