THE SCOTTISH COVENANTERS. 
(Illustrated by the Lantern). 
By Rev. THOMAS HAMER. February 2'Zrd, 1909. 
The story of the Covenanters, whose struggle for religious 
liberty had its main impulse from that mighty uprising 
against spiritual tyranny of which Martin Luther was chief 
leader, really covers the history of the establishment of the 
Reformation in Scotland, from the time of Patrick Hamilton, 
a young nobleman of royal blood, who was burnt at the 
stake for his Protestantism in 1528, to the Revolution of 
1688. 
The struggles of the Covenanters were really a conflict, 
not so much between Protestantism and Romanism, as 
between the Prelatical Protestants and the Presbyterian 
Protestants, and had more to do with forms of government 
and ritual than with creed and doctrine. 
The Protestant movement in Scotland, though bitterly 
opposed by the Court, really began with the nobles, who, 
headed by the Earl of Argyle, on December 3rd, 1557, entered 
into^ the first covenant, binding themselves by solemn oath 
to “ maintain, set forward and establish the most blessed 
word of God and His congregation,” and to strive to the 
uttermost “ against Satan and all wicked power that doth 
intend tyranny and trouble against the aforesaid congregation.” 
These nobles were known as the “ Lords of the Congregation ” 
in their bond. 
The Queen Regent, widow of J ames V. and mother of Mary, 
Queen of Scots, was then ruling Scotland. Though a bigoted 
Roman Catholic she temporized at first with the reforming 
nobles. She soon revealed her true attitude by a proclama- 
tion which forbade preaching or the administration of the 
sacraments except by leave of the Bishop, and ordering all 
her subjects to celebrate Easter according to the Roman 
Ritual. This order was disobeyed, and four offending ministers 
were brought before the court at Stirling. 
