cluded from receiving him, unless they exclude themselves; none can be saved without him;— all may be saved by him ;-who is willing to close with the offer? I ask-I wait. Are there any who are not willing? In my Master's name, against all such I lift up-I tender my protest, and call on them to answer for their refusal on the day when He will come in the glory of his Father, and with all the holy angels.'

Here a woman of the company cried out, "Hold your hand, Sir, do it; withhold their consent who may, I give mine."

This, I have no doubt, on that day, did many

more.

The services being brought to a peaceable conclusion, we returned to Glasgow.

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CHAPTER XIII.

BATTLE OF DRUMCLOG.

DURING my stay in Glasgow, I heard from the Rowallans, and, to my great grief, that Quentin was dangerously ill. He had been at a fieldmeeting in Fife, and, the day being wet, had caught cold. I also learned from them that Mr. Traill had been sent bound to Edinburgh, where he was to be put on his trial. Quentin Rowallan had seen him in prison, and had found him resigned as to whatever might befall himself, but overwhelmed with grief for the desolations that had come upon my father's house, and of which he regarded himself as the innocent cause. On hearing of Quentin's illness, I resolved to return to Edinburgh. Instead, however, of taking the direct road, I was persuaded by Mr. Douglas to return by Lanark, and to attend a conventicle that was to be held on the first of June, at Loudonhill, near Hamilton, where he was to preach.

Providing myself with a sword and pistols, I left Glasgow on the evening of Friday, and reached Avendale on Saturday. Here I found numbers of the leading Covenanters: Hackston of Rathillet, Hall of Haughhead, Balfour, commonly called Burley, and Cleland; Mr. Robert Hamilton, brother to Sir Robert Hamilton of Preston, Mr. Douglas, and others. Mr. King had come with them as far as Hamilton, but had remained there, intending to preach in the neigh

P

bourhood to-morrow. The evening was spent in conversation and prayer. The conversation turned chiefly on the judgment-like state of the times,— the profligacies of the king and his courtiers, which, in the history of this kingdom never had, and, it is to be hoped, never again will have a parallel, the abounding of error, and the utter dissoluteness, throughout the whole land, of morals. It turned, also, on the different and difficult questions which in my time have unhappily needed to be so frequently discussed, viz. the duty of resisting tyrants, of wearing defensive arms, of refusing oaths, and of the extraordinary execution of judgment on public enemies by private men. The last topic was suggested by the Primate's recent death, with which the country at this time rang. On these points there was a diversity of opinion. The sentiments of Mr. Hamilton, and others who seemed to agree with him, I could not but consider as rash, wild, and unpresbyterian; and I did not hesitate to state my convictions, even in the presence of such men as Hamilton and Burley, Rathillet and Hall, that they were so. Whatever difference of opinion might exist on these points, it was refreshing to find, that in attachment to the cause of the Kirk and Covenant-the cause of civil and religious freedom-we were one.

It is now the morning of the Lord's day. At sunrise there is a thick mist in the sky, and along the vale of Aven. In a short time the sun breaks through, and the mist retires, and the day promises to be one of unusual beauty. Such it was. Multitudes are now seen descending from the hills, issuing from the vale, and wending their way in groups to Loudon-hill. So calm is the air, we hear from the surrounding parishes the

sound of their Sabbath bells-once a joyful sound in Scotland, but now a knell of sorrow, proclaiming that from its Sabbaths and its sanctuaries the glory is departed. The number assembled might be about two thousand; of these the half at least were women and children. The congregation, as at Auchencruive and Langside, sat in rows on the face of the hill, while a rude and temporary pulpit for the minister was erected beneath. While the same seriousness and solemnity sat in their faces that had struck me at Auchencruive, it seemed to me that in those on which I now looked, there was a deeper shade of sadness and sternness. And when it is considered what they had suffered-that numbers of them had wandered on mountains and in moors for years, enduring hunger and thirst, nakedness and cold, and having no certain dwelling-place, the wonder is, not that they were sad and stern in their aspect, but that they were not savage and ferocious, both in their looks and their dispositions. Nothing but Christianity could have preserved, in these circumstances, the forms and the feelings of humanity unchanged and uncorrupted. It is scarcely necessary to remark, that many-indeed, most of the men had come armed. Watchers, also, were placed on the summit of the hill, from which the country on all sides was open to their observation. Thus secured against surprisal, the services commenced. We had sung the opening psalm and offered the opening prayer, and were now listening with deep, devout, and delighted attention, to the discourse, when the report of the watchers' carabines on the heights announced the approach of the enemy. The preacher paused, and closing the Bible, said: "For this day, all is said; it now remains for

us to consider what is to be done. But first let

us pray."

We rose to our feet.

Mr. Douglas prayed. His words were few, but well chosen. They were chiefly for light and direction, and were addressed to God, as the "Sun and Shield" of his saints. The watchers now stood beside the pulpit.

66

In what direction," said Mr Douglas, "is the ehemy coming?"

66

"From Hamilton," said one of the watchers. "Then," said Burley "it is Claverhouse, and God send me a meeting with that bloody chief this day."

"The enemy," said Mr. Douglas, "is advancing from Hamilton, let the women and children, the aged and the unarmed retire; let them make for their homes, such as have them; let the rest make for the hills; but let all who are armed with staff or spear remain, for this day promises to be a day of battle."

The women and children, and aged men, and numbers who had come unarmed, now withdrew. This they did slowly, and in bands.

"What," said Mr. Douglas, who still kept his place in the pulpit, "do you now advise, is it fighting or fleeing that the day demands. any man have a word let him say on."

If

Several now spoke. No one spake of flight. "The hour," said each, "is come when we must conquer or die."

"Battle then," said Mr. Douglas, "let it be, and may God defend the head, inspire the heart, and direct the hand of every man who shall this day strike a blow for Kirk and Covenant." "Is Nisbet not here," said Cleland; 66 would that he were; for stroke or skill, counsel or courage, Hardhill is worth a host of ordinary men."