During the time thou dwelt below,
On in a course to heaven didst go.
Not casten down with doubts and fears,
Assured of heaven near thirty years.
Labour thou didst in Christ's vineyard;
Diligent wast, no time thou spar'd.
Christ's standard thou didst bear alone,
After others from it were gone.
Right zeal for truth was found in thee,
Great sinners censur'dst faithfully.
In holding truth didst constant prove,
Laidst down thy life out of true love.
June 21st, 1741. W. W.
The Life of Mr. Walter Smith.
Walter Smith was son to Walter Smith in the parish of St. Ninian's, near Airth in Stirling-shire. He was an eminent Christian and good scholar. He went over to Holland, where he studied sometime under the famous Leusden, who had a great esteem and value for him, as being one both of high attainments and great experience in the serious exercise and solid practice of christianity.
In the year 1679, we find that he made no mean figure among that little handful of the Lord's suffering remnant, who rose in their own defence at Bothwel-bridge.—For he was both chosen clerk to the council of war, and also a commanding-officer among the honest party; and had the honour not only to witness and protest against the sinful compliance of that corrupt Erastian party, that then foisted themselves in amongst them, but was also one of those three who were then appointed to draw up the causes of the Lord's wrath against the land, and the Hamilton declaration was to be one of the last causes thereof, with a new declaration which they intended to have published at that time; and although both of these were undertaken, yet the Lord did not honour them to publish the same, as some of them with great regret, unto their dying day, did acknowledge.[192]
After the overthrow and dissipation of the covenanters at Bothwel (wherein the Erastian party among them had no little hand), it appears that Mr. Smith went over, for some time to Holland, but did not stay long; for we meet with him again with Mr. Cargil at Torwood, in Sept. 1680, after which he was very helpful to him in his conversation and advice in difficult cases, and praying in families (when he was fatigued with sore travel, being an old man, and going then often on foot), and many times in public preaching days precenting for him.
He had a longing desire to preach Christ, and him crucified unto the world, and the word of salvation thro' his name. Mr. Cargil had the same desire, and for that end, it is said, had written to two ministers to meet him at Cummerhead in Lismehago in Clydesdale, but ere that day came, that door was closed (for they were in the enemies hands). However Mr. Smith followed the example of our blessed Lord and Saviour, in going about doing good, in many places and to many persons, in spiritual, edifying conversation, and was a singular example of true piety and zeal, which had more influence upon many than most part of the ministers of that day.
A little before his death he drew up twenty-two rules for fellowship or society meetings, which at that time greatly increased, from the river Tay to Newcastle, in which he was very instrumental, which afterwards settled unto a general and quarterly correspondence four times yearly, that so they might speak one with another, when they wanted the public preaching of the gospel; and to appoint general fasting days through the whole community, wherein their own sins, and the prevailing sins and defections of the times, were the principal causes thereof; and that each society was to meet and spend some time of the Lord's day together, when deprived of the public ordinances[193]. Mr. Cargil said, That these society-meetings would increase more and more for a time; but when the judgment came upon these sinful lands, there would be few standing society-meetings, when there would be most need, few mourners, prayers, pleaders, &c. what through carnality, security, darkness, deadness and divisions.