80 John Welsh, the Irongray Covenanter. 



those alarms, Mr W. and Mr Bid. stay'd still in the country 

 and preach'd together on two several Sabbath days and week- 

 days also. The first Sabbath after they preached together on 

 the back of Dalscairth hill, in the parish of Troqueer : The 

 other Sabbath also they preached together at the head of 

 Holywood, Mr Bid. with his wife and son went for Edinr. the 

 week following and came there in safety, notwithstanding of 

 all the noise had gone to Edini". Mr W. stay'd sometime in 

 the country after that and preached, and as I remember all 

 this was in June, 1678." 



Welsh and Cameron. 



Welsh followed up the Irongray Communion by another 

 at Kirkcudbright; then he went west to Colmonel, in Ayr- 

 shire, where he held the last and the largest of the kind that 

 had ever been in Scotland. Blackader was invited to assist 

 at it, but was unable to join Welsh. He was next asked to 

 go to Kilmarnock and hold another there, but declined, as 

 there was an indulged minister in that parish. Though per- 

 sonally Welsh was opposed to the indulgence, he was un- 

 willing to condemn those who had availed themselves of it. 

 In Welsh's own personal circle, however, there was one who 

 would have nothing to do with the unclean thing. Lauder- 

 dale's policy was turning out better for the Government and 

 worse for the Church than he could have expected. The 

 irreconcilable was a young Falkland schoolmaster, one of the 

 fruits of Welsh's Fifeshire mission; his name, far better 

 known than Welsh's, was Richard Cameron. Early in 1678, 

 when Welsh was in Teviotdale, he " perceived that Cameron 

 was not only exercised unto godliness, but had his own share 

 of gifts and learning," he urged him to get an act of licence to 

 preach the Gospel. Cameron at first refused, but at last 

 yielded to the entreaties of Welsh, Semple, and others. He 

 warned Welsh that he would preach against indulgence and 

 for separation from the indulged ; but Welsh was unde- 

 terred, and Cameron was licensed at a Presbytery meeting 

 held at Henry Hall's house at Haugh-head, in Teviotdale, 

 Welsh sent Cameron to preach to the turbulent folk of Annan- 

 dale. " How," asked Cameron, " can I go there and preach? 



