Page:History of John Brown of Priesthill.pdf/6

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JOHN BROWN OF PRIESTHILL
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your comfort. The Lord has promised me grace, and he will give you glory.

After this, the indulged ministers had gone so far in the course of defection, that the more eonscientious sufferers had none they eould hear after the death of Cameron and Cargil. They resolved to form themselves into societies, to meet quarterly, of members delegated from their weekly prayer-meetings. The second of these quarterly meetings took place at Priesthill, February 1682, where they made a contribution to send a young man to Holland, to be licensed as preacher to them. The fruits of this brought forward Mr Renwick, of glorious memory. And these meetings, for no other end than to enjoy the liberty of serving God, free from the impositions of men, were eounted seditious, and the members punished with death. What a dreadful state was Scotland in then, when God’s people were counted her enemies!

About two months after this, Priesthill was married by Mr Peden, who happened to be in in Kyle baptizing ehildren. The marriage took place in a glen near the house. When Isabell and her eompany arrived at the spot, they were surprised at the assembly gathered. Mr Peden weleomed her, and said, these are to be witnesses of your vows; they are all friends, and have come at the risk of their lives to hear God's Word, and to eountenance his ordinanee of marriage. After all was over, Mr Peden took Isabell aside, and said, "You have got a good husband, value him highly, keep linen for a winding-sheet beside you, for in a day when you least expect it, thy master will be taken from thy head. In him the image of our Lord