Trail sactions' 53 



insupercable distance from the ordinances in which they delighted 

 to join, and was one main cause of the erection of the Meeting 

 House at Mainsriddel. But it was not the only cause. There 

 was at that time current in the parish a fama affecting the 

 character of the minister of Colvend, and there were rumours 

 prejudicial to the minister of the adjoining parish of Kirkbean, 

 which led the thoughtful and goodly people of both congregations 

 to withdraw from the ministrations of their respective ministers, 

 and to erect what has for well-nigh a hundred years been known 

 as the Meeting House. The knowledge of these things was fresh 

 in the memory of some when I came to the parish. A story told 

 me by one who knew the woman well would have been worthy 

 of a place in Dean Ramsay's Reminiscences. Margaret Thomson 

 was one of those resolute godly women who left her minister and 

 walked every Sabbath from Kirkland in Colvend to Mainsriddel 

 in Southwick, a distance of nearly seven miles. Meeting her one 

 Sunday returning from service at the Meeting House the minister 

 accosted her, "Well, Margaret, where have you been ?" " T have 

 been at the Meeting Housf." "What makes you go so far if you 

 can get the Gospel preached nearer home 1" " If you get a tune 

 played what does it signify what instrument it is played onV 

 "Ah," says Margaret, " but I aye liket it blawn through a clean 

 whustle." The minister didn't tackle Margaret again. She only 

 died a year or two before I came to the parish. 



There was no minister in the Meeting House when I came to 

 the parish in 1844, but there was one appointed the year after, 

 who soon left. After a vacancy of a year or two the Rev. Mr 

 Fullarton was chosen, who remained minister of the congregation 

 up to the time of his death some five years ago. His adherents 

 were not numerous ; but there were many members and adherents 

 of the E.G. who lived on the Southwick side of the parish. 

 They, with their families, a« a rule, attended Mr Fullarton, and 

 formed no inconsiderable part of his congregation. They did 

 not, indeed, leave the Established Ghurch, but regularly as tiie 

 times came round communicated in the Parish Church. Mr 

 Fullarton lived to a great age, to nearly ninety, and died respected 

 and beloved by all who knew him. 



When it became apparent that the ministry of the Rev. Thos. 

 Fullarton, owing to his great age and failing strength, was 

 drawing to a close, Mr Stewart (now Sir Mark J. Stewart) resolved 

 to put into execution a purpose which he had long entertained. 



