52 Communion Tokens. 



RUTHWELL. There not being " any gra\en image, or any like- 

 ness of anything that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath " 

 it is well for Dumfriesshire if she be as clear of guilt on the nine 

 other counts of the Decalogue as she is, at least in the matter of 

 token types, on the second. The Stewartry has more to answer 

 for — a triangle at KIRKBEAN, a clove and open Bible at 

 AXWOTH and GIRTHON, two hearts at RERRICK, a trans- 

 fixed heart at KIRKMABRECK, a bleeding heart at ANWOTH. 

 These are a few items. Deviations from absolute severity of 

 type might be gathered in almost every corner of the Stewartry. 

 In Wigtownshire these types are repeated with emphasis. Such a 

 display of symbolic emotionalism is unequalled among the tokens 

 of any other district in Scotland. Across the Grampians and in 

 the land of the Celt emotionalism has less need of a symbol, for 

 there it gives itself a voice. There and there only do we hear 

 the sacramental cry, "Love, Love" (ARDCLACH, AVOCH, 

 CAWDOR, and KIRKHILL). There, too, may be heard in a 

 strangely un-Celtic tongue this vehement protestation, " Amo, 

 Amo " (AVOCH, FEARX, XAIRX, and SPEYMOUTH)— with 

 a pardonable over-accentuation of the opening of the 116th 

 Psalm — though this is suposed by some to be the blundered ren- 

 dering (for Amor, Amor) of the former cry, by one whose learn- 

 ing has done scrimp justice to his legend, and whose skill or 

 eccentricity has made for "burning bush" a blazing field of 

 stubble. Tokens with unusual lettering or unfamiliar texts are 

 welcomed by the collector. On some may be seen the words 

 ''Sacramental token " (DUMFRIES 1829, BRYDEKIRK 1836, 

 IROXGRAY F.C. 1843, RUTHWELL 1830). On others it is 

 *' Communion token " (AXSTRUTHER EASTER, DUMFRIES 

 NEW^ CHURCH 1830, DUMFRIES ST. MARY'S, MAXWELL- 

 TOWN PARISH 1830, PETERHEAD). The letter "T" is 

 found occasionally (KEMBACK, KIRKCOWAN, LAURENCE- 

 KIRK, SLAMAX'X'AX), while "Token " appears sometimes in 

 full (CULTS, HIGHTAE R.P., KEITHHALL & KIXKELL, 

 KNOCKBAIN F., XEWCASTLE JOHN KNOX), and some- 

 times contracted as " Tok " (PEEBLES, TWEEDSMUIR, 

 WHITEKIRK & TYXINGHAME), or " Tokn " (ECCLESMA- 

 CHAX, DALMEXY). The " C T " on the token of LUSS 

 possibly stands for "Communion Token." The "CD" at 

 OCHILTREE are the initials of " Coena Domini" or "The 



