Transactions. 51 



The ordinance of communion, or the " preachings" as it 

 was called, from the amount of preaching which attended it, 

 afiforded a favourable opportunity for the exercise of minis- 

 terial gifts of various kinds in the several addresses which 

 were delivered. At the close of public worship on Saturday 

 before the blessing was pronounced the minister himself 

 entered the pulpit and gave some directions about the next 

 day's worship. This done, then followed a long and minute 

 recapitulation of the sermons which had just been delivered, 

 as well as on the fast-day preceding. This was called " per- 

 lequeing," and was considered advantageous to the hearers, 

 as bringing into a focus before them the lessons of instruction 

 to which they had listened. Sometimes the sermons were 

 found fault with and sevei'ely criticised. The minister of 

 L — n, in Galloway, was accustomed to speak very freely when 

 engaged in this duty. On one occasion he attacked the dis- 

 course which had just been given by an experienced clergy- 

 man, and tore it to shreds, declaring it heterodox and unsound. 

 The people kneAv their minister's tendency, and paid no atten- 

 tion to it, and the preacher did the same. 



The Sunday was the greatest of all the days in import- 

 ance, solemnity, and outward excitement, several ministers 

 arriving to assist in the work. As the jjulpits of the neigh- 

 bouring parishes were always thrown vacant on that day, the 

 populations gathered in crowds, and were addressed from a 

 tent in the churchyard, while the more solemn part of the 

 duties was conducted inside the church. Sometimes, for the 

 greater accommodation of the worshippers when the weather 

 was favourable, the tables were arranged in the churchyard 

 in front of the tent, and the whole services of the day were 

 conducted in the open air. This had a solemnity and a subli- 

 mity not realised within the walls of the church. The simple 

 mind looked up without obstruction to the heavens high 

 above his head, and he felt the homage of his heart and the 

 utterance of his lips rising in sweet memorial to the throne 

 of God. The field of death around brought the worshippers, 

 as it were, into closer proximity with their God, with the 



