246 MEMOIRS OP PERIOD /C. further to confider of the.matter. .There while I was fitting with. them, in great diftrefs, not knowing what, to do, and not having as yet entered on the bufinefs, I was called to fpeak with one in another room; with whom converting, being a brother ofthe prefbytery, I found the review of his parifh had been made : without a roll. Thus Providence molt feafonably difcovered a way to extricate me out of this perplexity ; and calling for the. roll from the clerk, I fecretly burnt it, chewing them I would rather undergo cenfure from others, than fill their hearts with, prejudiceagainft me, to whom I muft preach next Lord's day ; and giving them the addrefs, I left them, and went to the prefbytery, which (unknown to me before) met that day ; for I had no other defign in the town that day, butto fee their bu- finefs managed equitably. 'I'he iffue was, all the reft of the parifhes called thither that day were reviewed, and the rolls produced : ours was called ; but none were in ,the town when, called, except a few, none of whom anfwered. The fouthern army of rebels being ,a-forming, feveral went through our , parifh in. their way to the appointed, place. On Saturday 06t. 8. their general, with feven or eight with him, . lodged at C m and C e, and, the ftandard with them,, which fell as they were riding by T. barn=yard. On the Mon- day's night lodged the Earl of Winton at MP, and about as many with him. On the Tuefday, while I was at T. I fáw feventeen pafs by. The water being exceeding great, I. was in fear they would lodge about the kirk all night. So being in con- cert for my family, I made after them ; but being come to R. I 'faw them on the other fide, and was thankful. On the Thurfday we were alarmed with their new army's being at Moffat : and at night a brother whom they had taken prifoner by the way, but difrniffed again, carne to my houfe, and told us, they were on their way-to Dumfries. Which made us fear blopd there that night, the country about having gone into the town to refift them. The rebels. not daring to attack them, turned eaftward. 'But all this did not awaken us. The highlanders having landed at Northberwick the latter end of this week, an intimation was made on Sabbath, the 16th, by the lieutenant - depute'sorders, intreatingall to meet at Kelfo, with theirbelt arms, on the morrow, to receive orders, fo as the country ,might be defended. And I had a letter from one of them, to come on the head of our parifh, to the place where our 'hire was to-meet, that they might go together to Kelfo, being I 'was to go to the fynod,,,,which m'et on Tuefclay the 18th. I exhorted the people,'and read to them Prov. xxiv. 11. 12. " If thou forbear to deliver them, that are drawn unto death, and thofe that are ready to be Hain : if thou fayeft, Behold, we knew itnot : doth not he that pondereth the heart confider it ? and he that keepeth thy foul, doth not he know it? and (hall not he render to every man according to his works?" Judger.,
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