faithfully complied with. He earnestly pressed the diligent study of the Scriptures on every one, "Lat na day slip over," he said, "without sum comfort ressavit fra the mouth of God." Besides inculcating personal and family religion, he exhorted the brethren to hold weekly assemblies, and gave many practical directions how to manage them most profitably, while destitute of public teachers. To open and close their meetings with prayer; to read "planelie and distinctlie" a portion of Scripture, "whilk endit, gif any brother have exhortation, interpretatioun, or dout, lat him not feir to speik and move the same, sa that he do it with moderatioun, either to edifie or be edifeit." Counselling them to avoid multiplication of words, perplexed interpretation and wilfulness in reasoning, and in their reading to join some books of the Old and New Testaments together, ever ending the books they begin, as time would suffer; and to commit to writing any difficulties they could not solve, that they might submit them to the judgment of the learned. And promised to give them his advice by letter when required, testifying that he would more gladly spend fifteen hours in explaining to them any place of Scripture than half an hour in any other matter. 1 In the old editions of the Order of Geneva-under the heading "Interpretation of the Scriptnres,”—there is the following paragraph, “Every week, once the congregation assemble to hear some place of the Scriptures orderly expounded. At which time it is lawful for every man to speak or enquire as God shall move his heart, and the text minister occasion, so it be without pertinacity or disdain, as one that rather seeketh to profit than to contend. And if so be any contention rise, then such as are appointed moderators either satisfy the party or else if he seem to cavil, exhort him to keep silence; referring the judgment thereof to the ministers and elders, to be determined in their assembly before mentioned." Though the meeting thus described differs in some respects from the meetings inculcated in Knox's letter, they closely resemble each other in various ways. The similarity of the sentences we have italicised need scarcely be pointed Doubtless, this was a congregational-meeting, but still it was a fellowship-meeting. It is evident that it was not a meeting of Kirk Session, nor was it held with a meeting of Kirk Session, for the closing reference to the Assembly before mentioned" is to the weekly assembly or consistory of the ministers, elders, and deacons held every Thursday, which is the subject of the preceding section in the same old editions of the Order of Geneva. At the weekly Exercise, or Prophesying, described at length in the twelfth chapter of the First Book of Discipline, only three persons 1 This letter of Knox's is inserted at large in his life, note Z. spoke "to the opening of the text and edefeing of the peopill," yet it is expressly said, in the second section, that "this exercise must be patent to such as list to hear and learne, and every man shall have liberty to utter and declare his minde and knowledge to the comfort and consolation of the kirk." After the exercise was ended, the ministers and elders present convened apart to consider "how the persons that did interprete, did handle and convey the matter;" after which they were called in, and if any notable faults had been found, they were gently admonished. Ministers and readers "within sax myles about " were expected to assist in this exercise, which was held in every considerable town, and was intended for the improvement of ministers, for the trial of the gifts of those who might afterwards be employed in the service of the Church, and for the general instruction of the people. "After the erection of regular presbyteries, this exercise formed an important part of their employment; and at every meeting, two of the members by turns were accustomed to expound the Scriptures.' An unmistakeable family likeness runs through the meetings so briefly described in this and the two preceding paragraphs, although the weekly Exercise can hardly be called a fellowship meeting. ניי During the tyranny of the bishops, many of the more serious people in Edinburgh and in the south and west of Scotland formed themselves into praying societies. At the same time, similar associations were formed in the north of Ireland by a number of Scotchmen who had settled there; some of whom imbibed Brownistical and Independent notions, and returning to Scotland began to spread their peculiar views. Alexander Henderson, because of abuses in these societies, repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with them, and wished to have the perversions of these meetings corrected. While David Calderwood, who had seen the extravagances of the Separatists in Holland, and feared a repetition of them in Scotland, was utterly opposed to them. But Henry Guthry of Stirling opposed these meetings so violently and tried so hard to get them entirely suppressed, that the subject was brought up to the General Assembly of 1639, by way of complaint from the Presbytery of Stirling. Samuel Rutherford, Robert Blair, David Dickson, John Livingstone and others, felt kindly disposed, if not to the principles, at least to the persons of those who kept the meetings, and were averse to any public discussion of the matter. Sundry conferences of the leading men of both sides were held, and all seemed to be amicably adjusted; but Henderson's views being misunderstood, he soon afterwards received disrespectful usage from some inclined to Independency. For 1 Life of Knox, note N N. preventing all further inconvenience "it was thought meet to press, in all the kingdom, religious exercises in families, according to a draught which Mr. Henderson, with the unanimous consent of all, gave out in print." He afterwards drew up a paper of caveats, as to the use of private meetings, which pleased the brethren on both sides, and gladdened all the land. But Henry Guthry-familiarly called Mr. Harry-not to be baulked, revived the discussion next year in the General Assembly at Aberdeen. Henderson and the respected nobles unable to be present were sadly missed, the discussion being stormy and confused. Some wished to have the paper of caveats passed as an act, but Mr. Harry, who afterwards became bishop of Dunkeld, in his pretended zeal against Prelacy, objected that caveats had brought in the bishops. Rutherford "all the while was dumb; only, in the midst of this jangling, he cast in a syllogism, and required them all to answer it. 'What Scripture does warrant, an assembly may not discharge; but privy meetings for exercises of religion, Scripture warrants, James v. 16, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another; Mal. iii. 16, Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, &c. Ergo, thir things could not be done in publick meetings.' A number greedily haunsht at the argument, Mr. Andrew Ramsay, Mr. J. Adamson, and others; but came not near the matter, let be to answer formally. Mr. Harry and Seaforth would not have Mr. Samuel to trouble us with his logick syllogisms." Ultimately an act drawn up by Mr. Harry was agreed to, which however was not inserted among the printed acts of Assembly, and was soon "altogether miskent;" for at the General Assembly of 1641 this matter again came up, when an overture drawn up by Henderson in conformity with his general sentiments before expressed, was adopted and printed among the principal acts of the Assembly with this title, -"Act against Impiety and Schisme." "This happy concord," exclaims Baillie, "whereof Argyle and Henderson were happy instruments, will, we trust, be a great blessing to the whole land, which everywhere began to be fashed with idle toys." Few books are so captivating as the Records of "the suffering remnant in the Church of Scotland, who subsisted in select societies, and were united in general correspondencies during the hottest time of the late persecution, viz. from the year 1681 to 1691," as published by John Howie of Lochgoin, and appropriately entitled Faithful Contendings Displayed. Some of the society people doubtless showed 1 Records of the Kirk of Scotland, pp. 285-287, 294, 303, 304.-M 'Crie's Miscellaneous Works, pp. 38, 39, 80-82.-Aiton's Life and Times of Henderson, pp. 430-435, 465, 466.-The Directions for Family Worship approved by the General Assembly in 1647, are drawn on the same lines as the Act against Impiety and Schism. more zeal than knowledge, more honesty than policy, and more single-hearted simplicity than prudence," in their anxiety to avoid "the defections, compliances, sins and snares of the time," yet "the unbiassed and unprejudiced may discover much ingenuity, and somewhat of the Lord's conduct, and helping them to manage and keep up the testimony according to their capacities, and stations in these meetings." The frequenters of such meetings risked their worldly ALL for the sweetness of Christian fellowship enjoyed in them, and many bore witness on the scaffold that their souls had been often refreshed by them. For example, John Richmond, who suffered at Glasgow cross in 1684, in his dying testimony said: "I leave my testimony to the fellowship and meetings of the Lord's people, for reading and singing of Psalms, and praying to the Lord, and wrestling for the poor Church, and other duties incumbent to them in their place and station, and to all their proceedings for the keeping up the remembrance of Israel. Go on, and slack not your hands, seeing it is so warrantably by your Master's royal word, viz., Mal. iii. and many more. For my soul blesses the Lord that ever He counted me worthy to be in among the fellowship meeting of His people." Again, in his last speech and testimony, Renwick counselled his "dear friends in precious Christ; "-" Be careful in keeping your societies." In the preface to the Faithful Contendings, John Howie ably proves, both from the Old and New Testaments, that praying societies are warranted in Scripture; that they are of great use to the people of God; and so highly reasonable and necessary, not only in times of persecution, but at all times, and especially in times of defection and apostasy, and in perilous times. But there were other praying societies during the last persecution besides those forming the "United Societies," which wrestled so bravely under the banner unfurled by Cameron, Cargill, and Renwick, and which, like them, continued to exist after the Revolution, though differing from them in their avowed state of separation from the Established Church. The societies to which we now refer "consisted of a few individuals who met in private houses on some week-day evening, except when the incumbent of the parish happened to be a conformed Episcopalian or unevangelical Presbyterian, in which cases they met on the Sabbath day, during the hours of public worship, but still in small numbers and with great privacy. In all other instances they attended ordinances in the churches of the parishes in which they resided the ministers of which very frequently attended their meetings, and took part in the services engaged in by them. One or more such societies was to be found in most parishes in Scotland. In Portmoak alone, then a very thinly-peopled district, there |