48 Rev. James Thomson, of Quarrelwood. 



of time to study and had collected a not inconsiderable library. 

 He also held regular diets of examinations among his people, 

 and had the power of rendering them very instructive. " He 

 could check the forward, humble or silence those who were vain 

 in their knowledge, encourage the timid, condescend to the weak, 

 or puzzle the profound." Sir Archibald Geikie, in his " Scottish 

 Reminiscences," tells of an encounter between a minister and an 

 old shepherd who had made himself master of more divinity than 

 some of his contemporaries could boast, and who rather prided 

 himself in putting hard questions to the minister. He gives one 

 instance, and from reading in connection with my present subject, 

 I find that it took place in the life of John Fairley, who was 

 appointed colleague to John Courtass. He had been warned to 

 beware of a certain shepherd, but had inwardly resolved how to 

 tackle him. To the amazement of everybody on the day of 

 examination he began with the theological shepherd, John Scott. 

 Up started the man, a tall, gaunt, sunburnt figure, with his plaid 

 over his shoulder, and such a grim determination on his face as 

 showed how sure he felt of the issue of the logical encounter to 

 which he believed he had been challenged from the pulpit. Mr 

 Fairley, who had clearly made up his mind as to the line nf 

 examination to be followed with this pugnacious theologian, 

 looked at him calmly for a few moments, and then in a gentle 

 voice said, " Wha made you, John?" The shepherd, who ex- 

 pected some of the hardest, most difficult question of our faith, 

 Avas taken aback by being asked what every child in the parish 

 could answer. He replied in a loud and astonished tone, " Wha 

 made me!" "It was the Lord God that made viu, John," 

 quietly interposed the minister. "Wha redeemed vou, John?" 

 Anger, now mingled with indignation as the man shouted, " Wha 

 redeemed me?" Mr Fairley, still in the same mild way, re- 

 minded him, " It was the Lord Jesus Christ that redeemed you, 

 John," and then asked further, "Wha sanctified you, John?" 

 Scott, now thoroughly aroused, roared out, " Wha sanctified me?" 

 Mr Fairley paused, looked at him calmly, and said, " It was the 

 Holy Ghost that sanctified you, John Scott, gin ye be indeed 

 sanctified. Sit ye down, my man, and learn your questions better 

 the next time you come to the catechising." That was the last 

 time John came to the catechising. 



Mr Thomson was an ardent student. It is recorded of him 



