Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-12

ell and the parliament had signed a
similar declaration in 1881. but had con-
tfnually violated and ignored IL AT the
next meeting Of the general assembly at
Glasgow the Greyfriars' covenant was
ratified. renewed. and became the decla-
ration of independence of the Protestant
Church in Scotland. Charles L himself
again signed 1t during his visit to Scot
land in l640. and Charles II. his success
Sor. not only signed. but took a solemn
oath to recognize and maintain IL. at the
time of his coronation at Scone. Scot
land. in 1850. His violation of this pledge
caused the civil war of 1858.
Was Signed on a Tombstone.
The covenant was adopted originally
at a meeting Of citizens of Edinburgh in
Greyfriars churchyard. when the docu-
ment was spread upon the fat tomb OF a
family named Boutwell, near the main
entrance to the church and everybody
present attached his name The Earl
of Montrose was the John Hancock of this
declaration of independence and wrote
his name In his own blood i'm large letters
at the head of the list. The slab upon
which the parchment was spread still
stands exactly as ii did then but several
epitaphs have been added to the original
inscription since.
Greyfriars is one of the oldest churches
In Edinburgh. Like SO many of the an
cient houses OF worship it has been d.
vided into two parts and is now used by
two distinct congregations holding service
there at the same hours Sunday and
week days with nothing but an ordinary
brick partition between them.
Suffered Death for Conscience Sake.
Greyfriars churchyard was the artistic
cratic burying ground of Edinburgh dur
ing the sixteenth and a portion Of the
seventeenth centuries. 1t contains many
expensive and imposing mausoleums
which indicate rivalry among the wealthy
men OF Edinburgh as to their last rest
ing places. The Martyrs Of the Cove
nant," an army Of more than $4,000 Prot
estants. including hundreds Of noblemen.
ministers, scholars and gentlemen who
were beheaded or suffered death for con-
science sake during the war of the Cove
nanters from May, 1861, to February.
1868. are buried in a single grave. includ-
Ing two dukes of Argyle. father and son.
both of whom were beheaded. The in
scription upon the martyrs monument is a
long and stately recital of the cause for
which they died. and ends as follows:
They did endure the wrath Of enemies
Reproaches tOrments. deaths and injuries:
But yet they're those from whom such troubles
came,
And now triumph in glory with the Lamb.
"Bloody Mackenzie"
On the other side of the church in a
peace Sir George Mackenzie. Bloody
Mackenzie" as he is usually referred to
in history, who was lord advocate of the
crown during the prosecutions OF the
Covenanters, wrote the indictments and
conducted the trials of nearly all of the
prominent men who were executed Tor
conscience sake and buried in the mar
tyrs' tomb. At the same time he was
the author of a remarkable volume upon
Religious Toleration." which contains
much liberal philosophy and many pleas
ing sentiments concerning the Unborn
right of conscience. This mausoleum has
been the object of violent demonstrations
on many occasions and for a century or
more 1t was necessary for the govern
ment to maintain perpetual military
guard to protect it from dissertation.
Even now the Presbyterian urchins in
the neighborhood. who know all about the
prosecutions of the Covenanters. approach
the tomb with fear and trembling. and 1t
Is q brave lad who will dare knock on The
iron gates and cry:
''Bluidy Mackenzie, COON DOT If We care! y
The epitaph of this relentless and VIM
dlctive man is quite as long as that upon
the tomb of the martyrs and contains
defense of his public career. 1t says
that for thirty-one years, as king adVo-
cate. he was "a most illustrious ornament
Of justice, vindicator Of religion. and
of the glory Of his country, the strenuous
and unwearied asserter of the rights OF
royalty. whether you consider his re-
markable sagacity, his distinguished eio-
quence.'' etc. He is described as "a pat
tern of affabiility, beloved by all except a
rabble of traitors from whose vilonece he
most boldly defended, alike by tongue and
pen his country and the father Of his
country. restrained their virulence by law
and justice, repealed their ferocity," etc.
He is called 1.-The guardian genius OF the
monarchy and is held UP as an example
to all mankind.
Side by Side They Sleep.
James Douglas, the sixth Earl Of Nor
ton, who was beheaded by order of Mac
kenzie and whose head was set upon an
iron pike by the gate of the Tolbooth.
lies in a grave nearby. One of his neigh
bors is the father of Sir Walter Scott.
Another is william Robertson, the IA
nous historian, who was for many years
president Of the University of Edinburgh
and is described as IAN illustrious man,
distinguished by his talent. judgment and
learning, his amiable disposition. I'M
blemished morals, unwearied benevolence
and adorned with every private virtue"
Another president Of the University Of
Edinburgh. DR.. Hugh Blair. the famous
rhetorician. who exchanged earth for
heaven on the 9th of December. 1890, in
the eighty-third year of his age" lies a
little farther away, and near him reposes
Allan Ramsay, the poet, whose epitaph
was written by Robert Burns, and reads
as follows:
No sculptur'd marble here. NO pompous lay,
No stored urn. animated bust:
This simple stone directs pale Scotia's way
To pour her sorrows Ger her poets dust.
Though here you're buried, worthy Allan,
Well neer forget you, canty callan;
For while your soul lives in the sky
The Gentle Shepherd ne'er can die.
There are many quaint epitaphs upon
the tombs. One Of them describes "Anne
Rae, spouse to John Carstairs, a most
choice woman, who was most dear to her
husband and was reft away by untimely
death, to the great grief and sorrow Of all
good people"
And upon the tomb of Helen Blake, who
departed this life in 1918 at the age of
fifty-six years, are written these lines:
She vast
But words wanting
To say what
Think what wife should be,
And she that.
SERVICES IN NEW CHURCH.