130  Krrx-Sesston REcorps oF IRoncRAyY, 1691-1700. 
inhabitants of Ingleston,’’ and the minister was sent as peace- 
maker. “Jean Stot obeyed the minister and forgave Jean Grier, 
and also required forgiveness of her, which she refused till further 
advisement.”’ 
- This ends our accusations of witchcraft, which are not, after 
all, very ‘terrifying. 
= Tue LapsiI, OR FALLEN. 
Though the persecuting times were ended before these 
records begin, some distant rumblings of the storm may be heard 
in them. Since the Decian persecutions, the Church, after a 
period of trouble, has had to deal with those who in the hour of 
danger “worshipped in the house of Rimmon’’ or “ bowed the 
knee to Baal.’’ In early church history these were known as 
the lapsi or fallen. And there were some lapsi in Irongray. 
“1693, February 16.—Thomas Fergusson of Hallhill, 
younger, before his child was baptised, was rebuked before the 
congregation for his taking the test (7.e., The Test Act, 1681). 
March 19—William Smith in Killylour voluntarily compeared 
before the session and gave evidence of his grief for his defec- 
tions, acknowledging and confessing his baptising of his child 
with the curate, and taking the oath of abjuration to be a sin.”’ 
The oath of abjuration abjured the apologetical declaration 
of Rich. Cameron (commonly called the Declaration of 
Sanquhar), by which Cameron deposed Charles Stuart from the 
throne. 
“ April 16—John Maxwell of Beoch came voluntarily before 
the session and acknowledged his defections, and especially his 
taking the test, and declared his grief for the same. And Janet 
Maxwell, his wife, came voluntarily also, and confessed her 
defections and miscarriages before the courts in the time of 
persecution.”’ 
We shall hear later of some other miscarriages of Mrs 
Maxwell in Beoch. 
Five years after this (in Mr Guthrie’s time), August 17, 1698, 
James M‘Morn confessed himself guilty of taking the test, for 
which he was rebuked and exhorted to repentance. 
It is surprising to find so few cases of this kind. Maxwell 
and Fergusson were heritors or the sons of heritors, and had taken 
the test to save their lands. The test was only administered to 
Ol 
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