“Several of the yeomen refused to take money for their provisions, but cheerfully and abundantly invited both ministers and gentlemen each day at dismissing. The horsemen drew up in a body till the people left the place, and then marched in goodly array at a little distance, until all were safely lodged in their quarters; dividing themselves into three squadrons, one for each town where were their respective lodgments. Each party had its own commander. Watches were regularly set in empty barns and other out-houses, where guards were placed during the night. Scouts were sent to look about, and get intelligence. In the morning, when the people returned to the meeting, the horsemen accompanied them: all the three parties met a mile from the spot, and marched in a full body to the consecrated ground. The congregation being all fairly settled in their places, the guardsmen took their several stations as formerly.
“These accidental volunteers seemed to have been the gift of providence, and they secured the peace and quiet of the audience; for from Saturday morning, when the work began, until Monday afternoon, we suffered not the least affront or molestation from enemies, which appeared wonderful. At first there was some apprehension, but the people sat undisturbed; and the whole was closed in as orderly a way as it had been in the time of Scotland’s brightest noon. And, truly, the spectacle of so many grave, composed, and devout faces, must have struck the adversaries with awe, and been more formidable than any outward ability of fierce looks and warlike array. We desired not the countenance of earthly kings; there was a spiritual and divine Majesty shining on the work, and sensible evidence that the Great Master of assemblies was present in the midst. It was, indeed, the doing of the Lord, who covered us a table in the wilderness, in presence of our foes, and reared a pillar of glory between us and the enemy, like the fiery cloud of old, that separated between the camp of Israel and the Egyptians, encouraging to the one, but dark and terrible to the other. Though our vows were not offered within the courts of God’s house, they wanted not sincerity of heart, which is better than the reverence of sanctuaries. Amidst the lonely mountains, we remembered the words of our Lord, that true worship was not peculiar to Jerusalem or Samaria; that the beauty of holiness consisted not in consecrated buildings, or material temples. We remembered the ark of the Israelites, which had sojourned for years in the desert, with no dwelling-place but the tabernacles of the plain. We thought of Abraham, and the ancient patriarchs, who laid their victims on the rocks for an altar, and burnt sweet incense under the shade of the green tree.
“The ordinance of the last supper, that memorial of his dying love till his second coming, was signally countenanced and backed with power and refreshing influence from above. Blessed be God, for he hath visited and confirmed his heritage when it was weary. In that day, Zion put on the beauty of Sharon and Carmel; the mountains broke forth into singing, and the desert place was made to bud and blossom as the rose. Few such days were seen in the desolate Church of Scotland, and few will ever witness the like. There was a rich and plentiful effusion of the spirit shed abroad on many hearts. Their souls, filled with heavenly transports, seemed to breathe in a diviner element, and to burn upwards, as with the fire of a pure and holy devotion. The ministers were visibly assisted to speak home to the conscience of the hearers. It seemed as if God had touched their lips with a live coal from his altar; for they who witnessed, declared they carried more like ambassadors from the court of heaven, than men cast in earthly mould.
“The tables were served by some gentlemen and persons of the gravest deportment. None were admitted without tokens, as usual, which were distributed on the Saturday, but only to such as were known to some of the ministers, or persons of trust, to be free of public scandals. All the regular forms were gone through: the communicants entered at one end, and retired at the other,—a way being kept clear to take their seats again on the hill-side. Mr Welsh preached the action sermon, and served the first two tables, as he was ordinarily put to do on such occasions: the other four ministers, Mr Blackadder, Mr Dickson, Mr Riddel, and Mr Rae, exhorted the rest in their turn: the table service was closed by Mr Welsh with solemn thanksgiving, and solemn it was, and sweet and edifying, to see the gravity and composure of all present, as well as all parts of the service. The communion was peaceably concluded; all the people heartily offering up their gratitude, and singing with a joyful noise to the Rock of their salvation. It was pleasant, as the night fell, to hear their melody swelling in full unison along the hill, the whole congregation joining with one accord, and praising God with the voice of psalms.
“There were two long tables, and one short, across the head, with seats on each side. About a hundred sat at every table: there were sixteen tables in all, so that about three thousand two hundred communicated that day.
“The afternoon sermon was preached by Mr Dickson, from Genesis xxii. 14; and verily might the name of the place be called Bethel, or Jehovah-jirah, where the Lord’s power and presence was so signally manifested. After so thick and fearful a darkness had overshadowed the land, the light of his countenance had again shone through the cloud with dazzling brightness, and many there would remember the glory of that day. Well might the faith of the good old patriarch be contrasted with theirs on that occasion; they had come on a journey of three days into the wilderness to offer their sacrifice: they had come in doubt and perplexity as to the issue; but the God of Jacob had been their refuge and their strength, hiding them in his pavilion in the evil day. The whole of this solemn service was closed by Mr Blackadder on Monday afternoon, from Isaiah liii. 10.”[[90]]
[90]. Crichton’s Life of Blackadder, p. 198, et seq.
The Sheriff accosted by his Sister at the conventicle. Anno. 1677.
Vide page [283]
Edinr. Hugh Paton, Carver & Gilder to the Queen, 1842.
To complete the picture, I shall give a description of a common conventicle, one of “the rendezvouses of rebellion,” also by Mr Blackadder:—