54 Transactions. 



the worship in the church was over, far towards evening. 

 Those clergymen who did not require to use the MS. always 

 got on well in the tent, for besides the stroke of popularity 

 in not using the " paper," it was a great oratorical advantage 

 to be able to lean over the fauldhoard and glance at all 

 around, making some allusion to the sleeping dust beneath ; 

 while those who used the MS. had sometimes considerable 

 difficulty in keeping it before them from the fitful gusts of 

 wind that would rush in through the trees. "We once saw 

 the papers of a preacher in this position whirled out of the 

 tent altogether, and as the stitching seemed to have given 

 way, they were blown in various directions over the church- 

 yard. The tent was immediately deserted by the surround- 

 ing audience, who ran in pursuit of the lost treasure, while 

 the preacher acted as well as could be expected, and quietly 

 gave out a psalm which was joined in only by the precentor 

 aiid himself. As it was likely some time would be necessary 

 to collect and re-arrange the " parchments," a message for 

 another minister was sent into the church, while he engaged 

 the audience in prayer till the required assistance arrived. 



The performances of the various preachers were all freely 

 criticised by the hearers on the way home when the day's 

 duties had come to a close, and their criticisms were often of 

 a peculiar character. Dr. Scott of St. Michael's, Dumfries, 

 was once assisting at the communion in Urr, where the 

 other officiating clergymen were great guns from Edinburgh. 

 Though a distinguished preacher in the locality he gi-eatly 

 exerted himself that he might not be eclipsed by the stran- 

 gers from a distance. He gave one of his best discourses as 

 a table address, the subject of which was the resurrection, 

 which he treated as possible — probable — certain. It com- 

 manded the most solemn attention and interest. In the 

 tent he preached from the text " There is joy in the presence 

 of the angels of God over one sinner that reponteth," and 

 made a great impression. A little band of old women on 

 their way home in the evening, shortened the road by dis- 

 cussing the merits of the several pi-eachers who had address- 



