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the skipper refusing to let him go till his name be given up. But yet at last he was prevailed on to give him a cast to the shore, where he began his weary and uncertain wanderings, (which continued with him till he was apprehcuded) through an unknown wilderness, amongst unknown people, it being some time before he could meet with any of the societies.
In September, 1683, he commenced his ministerial work in Scotland, taking up the testimony of the standard of Christ where it was fixed, and had fallen at the removal of the former witnesses, Messrs Cameron and Cargill, which, in the strength of his Master, he undertook to prosecute and maintain against opposition from all hands, which seemed unsupportable to sense and reason.
In the midst of which difficulties, he was received by a poor persecuted people, who had lost all that worldly enjoyment they had, for the sake of the gospel. His first public meeting was in the moss at Darmead, where for their information and his own vindication, he thought it expedient not only to let them know how he was called to the ministry, and what he adhered to, but besides to unbosom himself about the then puzzling questions of the time, particularly concerning ministers, defections, &c.; shewing whom he could not join with, and his reasons for so doing; and in the end telling them on what grounds he stood, and resolved to stand upon; which he resolved (the Lord assisting him) to seal with his blood.
After this the father of lies began to spue out a flood of reproaches, to swallow up and bury his name and work in contempt, which was very credulously entertained, and industriously spread, not only by the profane, but even by many professors. Some said, he had excommunicated all the ministers in Scotland, and some after they were dead; whereas, he only gave reasons why he could not keep communion with them in the present circumstances.
