when he made us a large offer of Christ if we would engage
to be His servants. He gave us some properties of his Master.
First, that He would work all the work, and yet He would pay
all the wages, 2ndly, He would never put a piece of work in
His servants' hands, but He would be at the heaviest end of
it. 3rdly, All the work that His servants shall work, they
shall get the profit of it to themselves. Now where shall
ye get such a Master? "
Touching on " treasure gathering, " she says, "
I think a man or woman in their gathering the world is like
a spider working its web: O ! what pain doth it take in spinning
it out, and when it is spun, it sits down in the midst of
it to take a rest: But when the maid comes in to sweep the
room, one touch of the beesom sweeps it clean away; as if
it had not been. O! but the world be a foolish thing to trust
to; and they are the greatest of fools that trust to it. "
Continuing, she says, " The rich fool in the gospel,
and the rich glutton should be a beacon and warning to all.
I remember a note of a sermon I heard by that servant of Christ,
Mr John Blair. I was but young when I heard it, and as far
as I can call to mind, this was the first publick preaching
that durst be avowed by the Presbeterian ministers. In this
sermon he was showing what a foolish and vain thing it was
to be seeking the world, and forgetting to make ready for
eternity: Where he told us a story of a nobleman who had a
fool for his divertisement, and being well pleased with him,
he gave him a staff, and desired him to keep it till he found
a fool greater than himself, and give it to him. Sometime
after this the nobleman fell sick, so sent for his fool to
divert him with some of his fool sports. When the fool came
to his master he asked him what ailed him. ' O, ' says he,
'I am going to another world. ' 'Then, ' said the fool, 'How
long will you stay? A month, or the like?' ' No, ' says the
nobleman, ' I will stay many months. ' ' How many months will
you stay, will it be an year?' ' O! I say it will be many
years. ' ' How many years will it be?' says the fool. 'It
will be to all eternity, ' said the nobleman. 'O, then !'
said the fool, ' Master, that is a long journey to eternity.
What have you provided for this long journey?' ' Nothing at
all, " said the nobleman. ' Then, Master, ' said the
fool. ' Take your staff again, for you are a greater fool
than I am yet. '" She seems to have been born about 1650.
She dates her religious experiences from Edinburgh, 1694.
Her memoir was published in 1726.
CHAPTER VII.
OLD SESSION HOUSE PANELS.
Old Session House Panels—Swan—Burnet—Tail—Hamilton—Arncors
—Nicholson—Stodart—Miss Anna Hamilton—Tombstones in the East
Churchyard: Grant of Prestongrange — V. A. G. S. —Smith —
Struthers— Primrose—Roy — Horsburgh — Cunningham—Carlyle—Shawell
— Ramsay of Abbotshall—Henderson—J. Banks Taylor—Robert Taylor—Crichton—
Stuart of Physgul—The Hepburns—The Grieves—The Mellises. Tombstones
in the West Churchyard: The Howisons—R. B. M. I. —The Ship
Stone —Mason's Stone—The Oldest, 1644, L. B. -C. E. —R. S.
-I. B., with Crescents, &c. —The Staghound Stone, I. R.
-I. C. —John Warrock—James Warrock—Pax ton—Poetical Epitaphs.
IN the old Session House, at the entrance to the East Churchyard,
a great panel is set in the wall. It contains ten niches,
and eight of these are both curious and interesting, bearing
as they do the names of old residenters in the parish, and
showing the sums bequeathed by them for the benefit of the
poor. They are as follows: —
JANET SWAN, Relect of William Barnabie,
Portioner—Left 100 Marks.
Died November 26th 1668.
Dame RACHEL BURNET,
Lady Preston.
Left £5 sterling.
Died July 3rd, 1693.>
MARGRET TAIT,
Spouse to Thomas Cubie, Sailor.
Left 100 Marks.
Died November 8th, 1693.
Mrs RACHEL HAMELTON,
Daughter of Sir William Hamelton,
Of Preston.
Left, £5 sterling.
Died August 25th, 1694. |
