THE SCOTTISH COVENANTERS

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 250, 28 March 1888, Page 6

THE SCOTTISH COVENANT ERS

.*• .•,'vJ,\\ 1 > .Uarcli 2(\ Tin: following is ui'l mpoib of Rev. K. A. Toltei's rhst lcclui v», l^ii% eretl on Wednesday evening la^r., v inch has been h"ld (nor for want of sptur. There was a largo audience on the occasion at the I'ibt-.-trcct Wesley an Church. IW,v. 11. Bull provided, and introduced the lectiuerns anuni^lei <>i the Methodist chinch oi 40 yeais' ktauds'ig who-^c name wui familiar in Great Hi itain and i lie colonien. Mi Telfer'h apue.i>\i.iee was giceted with applause. He i^ 'i mm of line physical proportion?, over o i'cefc in height,, with a massive foiehead, hi^h cheekbones, and a strong Scotch accent. The lectmer bc<:an by leuuiing to lii-» tecenb tidvonuu'et- dC ova on boa id the < lati - loch. He said heva- the Jonah troni the deep. He lay in Hie Guirloeh, asleep on a table with 400 f-l "to on boa id, a lot ot cattle, and a number of iMaoiis. The vessel had to lighten some cargo, or he might not \vt have been in Auckland. During his trip in Australia, Tasmania, and Kew !"' 'aland he had delivered IC6 leubuie*, and w.;t again on the platform. He was glad to -*cc so muny present, especially when people must ha\e tell inclined to bclieuj Tiotliinnf that appealed in the papers as to when he w as coming. He was bom on the mountain 1 * ot Scotland, broughtupa Presbyterian, and then gob aw ay among the Alethodi-t?. He hoped hi.-> audience were no^ atraid ot laughing, for true religion tiu'inerne^tthing in all the world. The lecturer then began to pietuie the Covenanted in t!ieir religi >us struggles fot libei ty uj^runst pieiacy and 1 itvicilis»ii. He was a Protestant at heart, and he wn> afraid that many nowadays were afraid to announce the fact leu they would be boj • cotted. He had in tiont of them a /«<• -,imih of the Solemn League and Co\enant, and they could view t ie signatures appended. This contained the names of the first (Jovenanteis who wiote tiieir names in l)lood, lesolvud to get liberty or die in the struggle. We, said the leetuvf-r, enjoy the pmilege* those noble heroes won. The character of the Covenanters, as pictured by Hir Walter Scott in his eaily writings, was but a poor guide to find out vfaat tliose noble hearts bore and tuft'eied. Some of the noblest hearts that, ever throbbed succumbed to the vile tyranny of the time under Charles 11. Such names as Cameron, Wellwood. Campbell, Cubhrie, ilenwick and a ho^t ot others ot whom the world was not woithy, placed their nee.vs on the block in the cause of their religion, and who«<e blood to-day was bhe seed of the Church and libei'ty all over the British dominion--. It was said that they wore disloyal to the Government. A greater calumny never wan uttered. The Covenanters were composed of some of tho chief e«b of Scotland's *ons, of the first families of the land. They weio learned and eloquent. They banded together, and literallj held their lives in their hands. Loafers ot society were not the stamp of men who could die for their country and conscience, and for the cause of Christ. The lecturer asked, who dare say that the Covenanters were disloyal '! They helped to place the crown upon Charles's head, and suffered to the death for it afterwards. They took up arms in self-detence of their hearth? and homes, and their conduct was justifiable. Their maxim was, "Trust in God and keep your powder dry." It could not possibly bo wrong to resist such cruel tyranny ; such a vile (!overnment had passed an Act making it penal to pray. The Test Act or Acb of Conformity was to compel the people to swear that they worshipped God according to certain laws laid down, and if they could not swear to this they \rore immediately shot down like dogs in the street. Argyle was the first to die upon the block. He who had helped to place the crown upon the brow of Charles was the first to suffer from his persecution. Argyle said in his last words that the Campbells knew how to die. They cub off his head and hands and hung them up on the gates of Edinburgh as warning to others, and the laws that killed Argyle are dead to-day. Ministers as well as chiefs Buffered ; they were hidden in dens and caves of tho earth, and their sacred homes and families desecrated. Women as well as men suffered, and they suffered nobly. Among the noblest wereMargareb Wilson and Margaret Maclauclin, both being drowned because they dared to serve Christ rather bhan man. Their last words were songs of praise literally triumphing in death. Yes, said the lecturer, the blood of the Scots runs to-day in the veins of bhe free. Scobland was rich in bhe memories of the brave and tho good. The true spirit of the Covenanters yob remained, and if to-day compelled to fight they would strike for freedom and liberty. The lecturer bat. down amidst great applause, concluding one of the finest and most pathetic lectures ever delivered in this city. •