The times., 1897-11-14

OF the pr eshytery arrived TO make an ehool
me and my work in the parish of Balnia-
ghie They came with their MINDS mace
up. They were my accusers. They were
also iny judges. As for me, was as set
and as determined as they were. refused
their jurisdiction. | contemned theif aa-
thority To rue they W ere but mites in the
cheese, batteners on the heritage and patrl=
mony OF the Kirk of Scotland.
was TO lneiu ba6 tiie UtUlpler OF lArael.
the disturber of quiet Zion. Save fpr
Quintin Mac Cleliani uhe Waterman misa.
have gone from tower to tower along
rauparts covered and defended, aEi MS
challenge or What OF tfic Night! Is'.e
received its fitting answer from TINS point
ana that bout the city. III IS " ell
Yet because OF the Lad in the Rroayn
Coat with his dead face sunk in the Benitan
rIowe, l could not consent TO putting ;..e
Kirk of Scotland, free and independent un
der the control, real or nominal, thea authority
cuvertor latent, OF any monarch in GhrtSi.n
dom.
More than to my fathers, more i.san
TO my elders, il seemed to ne that tie
old ways were the true ways, and that
kings and governments had never meddled
with religion save TO lay waste tile vine
yard ana mar the brioal portion OF the
Kirk OF God.
But an men know the cause of the strug
gle and what were the issues. / viii tell
the tate of q mans shame and sorrow
mine, who had taken the Banner OF the
Covenant into unworthy hands, yet time
after time let 1t fall III the dust. Nevertne
less at the hinder end, | lived 10 see II set
again in a strong base of hewn stone, fixed
as the foundations OF the earth. Nor shall
the golden scroll OF il ever be deraced, 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, ga tnered
the men who were to be my Judges-nay,
the men who We're already nay condemna-
tors. For Cameron had my sentence in his
pocket before ever one of the brethren set a
foot across his doorstep, or threw leg
across the back of his sbamblng sheltie.
l had Judged it best To be quiet and
staid in demeanor and had gone about 10
quiet and persuade the folk OF Balmaghie
who were eager to hold back the hunters
from their prey.
The presoytery had sent to bid me
preach before them, even as the soldiers OF
the guard had bidden Christ prophesy unto
them that they might have occasion to
SiIIite him the ofteDer on the mouth. 80
when they came they had posed me with
| interrogatories, threatened me with penal
ties, and finally set me to conduct service
before them, that they might either con-
denim me if / refused, alleging contu-
macy, or on the other hand il l did as
they bade me, they could easily find oc-
casion to condmen the words of my mouth
But 1 saw that though there was no way
to escape their malice, yet was there
way to serve the cause
So l went up into the pulpit after the
| folk had been assembled, and addressed
myself to them Just as if it had been a
| Sabbath day and the company met only
| for the worship of God.
| For l minded the word which my good
regent, DR.. Campbell, had spoken to me in
! Edinburgh ere | was licensed TO preach,
or knew that one day l myself should be
the carcass about which the ravens should
| gather.
when We preach said Prof. Campbell
be sure that ye heed not the five wise
men,
| So 1 minded that word, and seeing the
| folk gathered together, l cast my heavy
| burden from me and called them earnestly
| to the worship of Him Who is above all
courts and assemblies.
7, Then came in Cameron, the leader of their
! faction, jowled with determination and
rosy -gilled with the good cheer and the
claret wine OF st. Mary's Isle. With him
| was Boyd. also renegade from the So
ciety Hill folk For with their scanty funds
| the men of the moss -hagS had sent these
| two as students To Holland to gather lear
| and to be their ministers. And now when
/ they had gotten comfortable down-Sittings
! in plenteous parishes, they turned with the
bitter zest OF the turncoat to the hunting
OF one who adhered to their own ancient
way.
Then, when at the last / stood single and
! alone at their bar, and was ready to an
swer their questions, they could bring
nothing against Inc, save that ! had re
| fused their jurisdiction. Their subornet
witnesses failed them. For there wat
none In all the parish who wished me i'll
and certainly none that dared testify a
| word in the midst of the angry people that
day in the Kirk of Bailnaghle
! Have ye naught to allege against my