The touch of tyranny laid on those distant members of the “body, the Church,” travelled like an electric current, and proved in the case of those members more happily situated to be the touch of nature, in making them feel more and more “kin” to “the bound as bound with them;” and the result was that they stood by them, and by the principles they contended for, so firmly, that those through whom the offence came ceased their violent dealings, and found that the wave of truth, and principle, and progress
“Rolled not back when Canute gave command.”
Only those who know Scotch village life well could believe how much of its variety, and interest, and conversation centres in the churches. There is often little else to gather the folks together, and such questions as, “Who’s to be assisting you? Is your own man at home just now? Does he belong to ‘oor body’? Where did he sit in Stirling? Will he be coming among us?” required nothing more to be said to convey to nearly everybody that they were questions about the Church.
A site was easily found for the Free church in Blinkbonny, and a church, on what was then known as the Tanfield Hall plan, a plain building of small gables and no architectural pretensions, was ready for occupation before the winter had fairly set in. Previous to this, a regular congregation had been formed. The majority of the elders had “come out” with Mr. Barrie, so that the session was easily made up. The Free Church also revived what most of the other churches in Scotland had overlooked or discarded, viz. the order of deacons, whose special function is to attend to the secular affairs of the congregation, and who are solemnly “ordained and set apart” for that important work; and to this more complete carrying out of the apostolical practice may be attributed much of the success which has attended the financial schemes of the Free Church, as it brought into her service the active, the shrewd, the prudent, and the willing, and provided a congenial sphere for the exercise of their talents.
HOMELY COMMENTARY.
The Session has as its special province the spiritual affairs of the congregation, and as the higher court it affords greater scope for the exercise of the gifts of utterance, readiness in the Scriptures, etc., on behalf of the members generally, but particularly towards the afflicted, the weary, the backsliding, or the erring. The Session is, besides, associated with the Deacons’ Court in the superintendence, or at least the regulation, of the secular affairs; and there is thereby secured a combination, which old George Brown characterized, on the occasion of the proposal to elect the first deacons in Blinkbonny, thus: “What I said after the meetin’ in the hall on the Saturday after Mr. Barrie cam’ hame was, ‘As it were the company of two armies,’ but I didna think o’ the Deacons’ Court at the time. But I’ve been readin’ the Acks o’ the Apostles, an’ I find that the want o’ deacons hindered the very apostles; but when they got them the murmuring was not only stoppit, but the number o’ the disciples increased greatly, an’ even a great company o’ the very priests, the unlikeliest of all kinds o’ folks, were added to the Church. I wonder what for every kirk hasna deacons? Maybe it’s because Stephens an’ Philips are ill to find; and I’m inclined to think that we’ll a’ find that we’ve a great deal to learn about how to conduct kirk business o’ a’ kinds.”
I became a member of the first deacons’ court.
When our church was fit for use, we parted from our Secession friends with a grateful sense of their generous treatment of us, which we expressed as warmly as we could, and there is still existing much kindly interchange of brotherly affection between the two congregations.
When we opened the new church, we were especially gratified at the readiness with which several persons offered to place themselves at the disposal of the congregation, according to their ideas of what they could do. The appointment of a church officer or beadle was brought up at a congregational meeting; but it was very quickly settled by Walter Dalgleish, a jobbing gardener, who had been from the first a staunch adherent of the Free Church. “Ye’ll need nae paid beadles,” said Walter, rising half off his seat; “I’ll serve ye in that capacity if ye’ll alloo me, and be proud to do’t for naething.”
He proved a capital beadle, and when the funds were prosperous he was offered a salary. His answer to this proposal was unanswerable. “Christian friends,” said he, “I’ve been mair than paid already. Me an’ ma household have had what we read o’ in Second Samuel, sixth chapter an’ twalth verse, how the Lord blessed Obed-edom an’ all his household, when the ark rested in his house for three months. If ye’re pleased wi’ me, just let me do as I’ve been doing; or tell me hoo I can do better, an’ ye’ll no’ need to tell me twice if I can help it.”