QUARRELWOOD ChURCH AND ITS MINISTERS. 173 



church. Those who had any conceit of superiority of knowledge 

 were apt to be tested on some critical question or some vexed point 

 of theology until sufficiently humbled. Once examining at Inver- 

 keithing, he was told a man would very likely' come forward 

 who was noted for attending such meetings, and who not only 

 answered but retorted questions. At the conclusion, he invited 

 strangers who were present to stand up. A number did so, and 

 this person among them. He asked him, "Who made you?" 

 The man was disgusted that such a .simple child's question should 

 have been put to him, and gave no answer. " Of what are you 

 made?" No reply. Again, " How many Gods are there?" An 

 indignant look but no answer, and Mr Fairley said : " Poor man, 

 I am truly sorry for you ;■ you are very ignorant, and certainly a 

 great child. Every child present can answer these little questions 

 but yourself." He was never again seen at an examination to 

 exhibit his knowledge. 



His exact stipend was £30 per annum, a fourth of which 

 was raised at Douglas Water. I have not been able to find out 

 how much was raised at Quarrelwood. When there happened 

 to be any balance after paying current expenses from the church 

 door collections he received it. Yet with this slender income 

 and himself an old man, when Mr Rowatt was called as his 

 colleague to Scaurbridge the people, fearing they would not be 

 able to implement his stipend, he stood up in the Presbytery at 

 Douglas and generously said :— " By all means go on with the 

 ordination, though part of my stipend should go to assist." 

 After that time he had only £25. In those days, however, 

 besides being great part of the time from home, going from 

 district to district and living among his people, ministers received 

 many handsome gratuities, profanely called "gifts of grace," 

 which have since been about as rare in church as gifts of miracles. 

 He was very ho.spitable to brethren, to strangers, and particularly 

 to the poor. 



" His house was known to ail the vagrant tribe. 

 He chid their wanderings, but relieved their pain. 

 The long-remembered beggar was his guest." 



He possessed a ^■oice of singular power which enabled him 

 to address great audiences in the open air. It was proved by 



