TRANSACTIONS. AT 
and the galleries were not exempt from being similarly dealt with. 
The minute referred to runs: ‘The Session resenting and taking 
into their earnest consideration the slender resorting to the house 
of God by sundry tradesmen, but especially of Masons and 
Wrights, and they for that effect being convened, are admonished 
to repair to the kirk in tyme coming better than heretofore they 
have done, otherwise their Loft which is erected in the church 
will be taken down.” 
The Trades, like the Heritors, were not without some ambi- 
tion to make a display in the church, inasmuch as they were 
accustomed to affix to the front of their lofts the emblematic 
devices of their several Crafts, so much so that the Session found 
it necessary to put some check on the practice, and on the 11th 
March, 1683, “ enacted and ordained that no Trade put any broad 
(painting) or sign (emblematic) upon the forepairt of their Loft, 
but ilk ane to be sighted and showed to the Sessione.” 
The only relic of the Old Church of 1744 preserved is one of 
these signs dated 1722, which had no doubt been duly “sighted 
and showed” to the Session, It consists of three wooden panels, 
which were until recently attached to the south wall of the present 
church behind the Squaremen’s Gallery, and are now preserved in 
the Session-house. On one of the panels is displayed the numer- 
ous emblems of the Squaremen’s Trade, artistically grouped 
together, and the following curious lines are inscribed on the 
other two :— 
The * Ark: the * Church - 
From * Final - Ruin - Savd - 
When ° God * on * Sinners’ head 
The - Deluge « Lavd : 
And * Tho: By ° Virtue - 
Of: this Art * of ours 
Proud * Babell - Lifted - up 
Her * Lofty - Towers: 
Against *it * Solomon’s * 
Glorious - Temple ° built, 
Where * God - the Vast Creation’s 
Framer * dwelt ; 
Jesus * our * Cheif, 
The fahrick * once Renewed - 
When * on « the - cursed - Tree - 
His Blessed * head - He - Bowed ° 
His * Blood « the * shattered 
_ Works * of * God * Together * Glewd ° 
