72 John Welsh, the Irongray Covenanter, 



on either side of Mr John Welsh, and kept company with Mr 

 Welsh at other times." Another extract from Blackader 

 must be given : — ' ' A young- gentlewoman who lived in Fife 

 once heard Welsh, and was put to such admiration at the 

 power which attended the word she professed that she ex- 

 ceeded, g'iving- him higher esteem than his due. She, hearing 

 that he was to preach at Kinnanachar, did cheerfully resort 

 thither with the rest, nothing doubting to find Mr Welsh as 

 she found him the day before, persuading herself that the 

 morrow should be as the other day, and much more abun- 

 dant. But her disappointment was such that she found him 

 nothing like the former, but rather more straitened than 

 another man (which was also observed by others), and though 

 it was a very vexing temptation for her the time, yet she 

 protested she got as much edification in that disappointment 

 as she had got on the former occasion, by seeing her own folly 

 doting on the creature instrument, and not giving glory of the 

 power to God, whose gracious countenance and assistance 

 alone made the difference between Mr Welsh and another 

 minister, . . . which passage I mark for the edification 

 of others." ~ ■ 



Blackader records other instances of Welsh's power as a 

 preacher : he converted a witch and a curate. Kirkton 

 says : — " The conversion of Mr John Monroe made much 

 noise. This man went to a field meeting, where he heard Mr 

 John Welsh was to preach ; and having satisfied Mr Welsh in 

 the morning concerning his change desired to preach with Mr 

 Welsh that day, which was granted ; so after Mr Welsh had 

 ended sermon before noon, Mr Monroe stood up before the 

 great field meeting, and after he had made his declaration 

 and recantation, preacht in the afternoon to great satisfaction 

 and so continued " (Kirkton, 197). 



His experiences with the curate of Falkland were not so 

 favourable. When Welsh was preaching at Falkland Wood 

 " the curate of Falkland came forth boasting and swaggering, 

 offering to debate with him after preaching. But if Mr 

 Welsh had not by his composed and calm words restrained the 

 people they would have debated the curate at that which would 

 have done his turn before he could have begun " (Blackader 



