# Scottish Covenanters



## VirginiaHuguenot

The Scottish Covenanters are among the most noble heroes of the Christian faith in all of history. Adherents to the Reformed Presbyterian branch of the Reformation, defenders of liberty in both church and state, martyrs for the cause of Christ's Crown &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Covenant, these Scots Worthies remain a "cloud of witnesses" to Reformed principles today. 

For further information on their glorious heritage, see the following links of interest:

History:

http://www.sorbie.net/covenanters.htm

http://www.tartans.com/articles/covmain.html

http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/glossary/covenanter.htm

http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blknow_covenanters.htm

Memorials:

http://www.covenanter.org.uk/

Further reading:

_Fair Sunshine_ by Jock Purves
_Men of the Covenant_ by Alexander Smellie
_The Scots Worthies_ by John Howie
_Religious Principles of the Scottish Martyrs_ by Andrew Syminton
_Sketches of the Covenanters_ by J.C. McFeeters
_The Dictionary of Scottish Church History &amp; Theology_ 
by Nigel M. De S. Cameron, David F. Wright, David C. Lachman
_Treasury of the Scottish Covenant_ by J.C. Johnston
_Scottish Covenanters_ by J.G. Vos
_The Story of the Scottish Church_ by Thomas M'Crie
_The Lion of the Covenant - The story of Richard Cameron_ by Maurice Grant
_A Cloud of Witnesses_ by J.H. Thomson
_The Covenanters_ by J.K. Hewison
_Lives of the Covenanters_ by Patrick Walker
_History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland_ by Robert Wodrow
_Memoirs of the Church of Scotland_ by Daniel Defoe
_Scottish Covenanter Stories: Tales from the Killing Times_ 
by Dane Love
_Torchbearers of the truth: sketches of the Scottish Covenanters_ by A. Sinclair Horne


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## RamistThomist

I am going to add another one,
_Scottish Theology in Relation to Church History_ by John MacCleod.


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## RamistThomist

I tried to order several of those books from Alibris but they didn't recognize my credit card #. Oh well, their shipping rates were atrocious anyway. At the moment I am reading The Scots Worthies and every page is blessing my soul.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

Some of the books I referenced are definitely hard to come by. It took me years to find Daniel Defoe's book. 

After you finish _Scots Worthies_ - a most excellent book -- if you haven't already read it, I highly recommend Vos' book on the Covenanters. Well, I recommend everything on the list, as a matter of fact.


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## SmokingFlax

I've been learning more and more about these folks lately -mostly from all the cd's I purchased from Still Waters Books a few months before I stumbled onto this site. 

I have to say that I'm finding that their understanding and interpretation of civil government is resonating with me as they really address many of the uncomfortable issues between church and state that have always bothered me -unlike the current trend of whorish political pragmatism that seems to dominate the American religious world.


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## RamistThomist

A 
CLOUD OF WITNESSES 
FOR THE 
ROYAL PREROGATIVES OF Jesus Christ: 
BEING 
THE LAST SPEECHES AND TESTIMONIES 
OF THOSE 
WHO HAVE SUFFERED FOR THE TRUTH IN SCOTLAND. 
SINCE THE YEAR 1680. 

The Bond of Mutual Defence.
THERE was found upon him [Richard Cameron] when he was killed, subscribed by him, his brother MICHAEL CAMERON, ARCHIBALD STEWART, JOHN POTTER, and about thirty others, the following Bond of Mutual Defence, which justly deserveth to be insert here in its proper room, it being most agreeable to the true state of the testimony which these renowned martyrs sealed with their blood. [This bond appeared first in the third edition."”ED.]

"We, under subscribers, bind and oblige ourselves to be faithful to God, and true to one another, and to all others who shall join with us, in adhering to Rutherglen Testimony, and disclaiming the Hamilton Declaration, chiefly because it takes in the king's interest, which we are loosed from by reason of his perfidy and Covenant breaking, both to the most high God, and the people over whom he was set, under the terms of his propagating the main ends of the Covenants, to wit, the Reformation of religion; and instead of that, usurping to himself the royal prerogatives of Jesus Christ, and encroaching upon the liberties of the Church, and so stating himself both in opposition to Jesus Christ the Mediator, and the free government of His house.


"And also in disowning and protesting against the reception of the Duke of York, a professed Papist, and whatever else hath been done in this land (given to the Lord) in prejudice to our covenanted and universally sworn-to Reformation. And although, as the Lord who searcheth the heart knows, we be for government and governors, both civil and ecclesiastic, such as the Word of God and our Covenants allow; yet, by this we disown the present magistrates, who openly and avowedly are doing what in them lies for destroying utterly our work of reformation from Popery, Prelacy, Erastianism, and other heresies and errors; and by this we declare also, that we are not any more to own ministers indulged, and such as drive a sinful union with them; nor are we to join any more in this public cause with ministers or professors of any rank, that are guilty of the defections of this time, until they give satisfaction proportioned to the scandal and offence they have given.


"RICHARD CAMERON.
"MICHAEL CAMERON.
"ARCHIBALD STEWART.
"JOHN POTTER," etc


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## VirginiaHuguenot

The Two Margarets:

MARGARET WILSON AND MARGARET LAUCHLANE

Upon the 11th of May 1684, Margaret Lauchlane in the parish of Kirkkinner, and Margaret Wilson in Glenvernock, in the shire of Galloway, being sentenced to death for their noncompliance with Prelacy, and refusing to swear the oath of abjuration, by the laird of Lagg, Captain Strachan, Colonel David Graham, and Provost Cultron, who commanded them to receive their sentence upon their knees, which they refusing, were pressed down by force, till they received it: And so were by their order tied to a stake within the sea mark, in the water of Blednoch, near Wigton; where, after they had made them wrestle long with the waves; which flowing swelled on them by degrees; and had sometimes thrust them under water, and then pulled them out again, to see if they would recant; they enduring death with undaunted courage, yielded up their spirits to God. The former was a widow woman of about sixty three years, of a most christian and blameless conversation, a pattern of piety and virtue, who having constantly refused to hear the curates, was much pursued and vexed, and at length taken by the soldiers, while she was devoutly worshipping God in her family; and being indicted of being at Bothwel-bridge, Airsmoss, and twenty field conventicles, and as many house conventicles, after fore and long imprisonment, without necessary refreshments of fire, bed or diet, at length suffered this cruel death. 

The other (Margaret Wilson) a young woman of scarce twenty-three years of age, after she with her brother, who has about nineteen, and her sister fifteen years old, had been long driven from their father's house, and exposed to lie in dens and caverns of the earth, wandering thro' the mosses and mountains of Carrick, Nithsdale, and Galloway; going to Wigton secretly to visit the foresaid Margaret Lauchlane, was taken by the fraud of one Patrick Stuart, who under colour of friendship, having invited her and her sister to drink with him, offered them the king's health, and upon their refusal of it, as not warranted in God's word, and contrary to christian moderation, went presently out and informed against them; her sister was dismissed, as being but fifteen years of age, upon her father's paying tool. Sterling for her ransom; she being detained and examined, whether she owned the king as head of the church? And would take the abjuration oath? Not answering to their pleasure, but adhering to the truths of Christ, was in like manner condemned; and after great severities of imprisonment, suffered the foresaid death. Being put oft into the water, and when half dead, taken up again, to see if she would take the oath, which she refused to her last breath; while her fellow-sufferer was wrestling with the waves, as being put first in to discourage her; the persecutors asked her, What she though of that fight? She answered, What do I see but Christ (mystical) wrestling there? 

One of the times that she was taken out of the water they said, Say, God save the king. She returning with Christian meekness, I wish the salvation of all men, but the damnation of none. Upon which one of her friends, alledging she had said what they demanded, desired them to let her go; but they would not, seeing she refused to take the oath. During her imprisonment, she wrote a large letter to her friends, wherein, besides the lively and feeling expression of her sense of God's love, she doth, with a judgment not usual for her age and education, disclose the unlawful nature of the abjuration oath, hearing of curates, owning the king's supremacy, which was the thing the persecutors meant by his authority; and proves the necessity of her suffering upon these heads.

Source: http://www.gospelcom.net/chi/pastwords/chl125.shtml


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## PuritanCovenanter

Another great read is 'The Preachers of Scotland' from the sixth to the nineteenth century. William G. Blaikie Banner of Truth.
For Christ Crown and Covenant, R. Martin Snyder


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## Puritan Sailor

> _Originally posted by puritancovenanter_
> Another great read is 'The Preachers of Scotland' from the sixth to the nineteenth century. William G. Blaikie Banner of Truth.
> For Christ Crown and Covenant, R. Martin Snyder


I second that  It was an inspiring read.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

Our Covenant Heritage


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## RamistThomist

Richard Cameron, the "Lion of the Covenant," for example:


Therefore, although we be for government and governors, such as the word of God, and our covenants allows; yet we for ourselves and all that will adhere to us, the representatives of the true Presbyterian church and covenanted nation of Scotland, considering the great hazard of lying under sin any longer, do, by these presents [i.e. this declaration], disown Charles Stuart, who hath been reigning these years bygone (or rather we may say tyrannizing) on the throne of Britain, as having any right, title, or interest to, or in the said crown of Scotland or government; as forfeited several years since, by his perjury and breach of covenant with God and his church, and usurpation of his [i.e. Christ´s] crown and royal prerogative, and many other breaches in matters ecclesiastic, and by his tyranny and breaches in the very leges regnandi in matters civil...As also we, under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ the Captain of salvation, do declare a war with such a tyrant and usurper, and all the men of these practices, as enemies to our Lord Jesus Christ and his cause and covenant.

For a similar, although fictitious account, see Heiland by Franklin Sanders

[Edited on 8--8-05 by Draught Horse]


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## PuritanCovenanter

> _Originally posted by Draught Horse_
> I am going to add another one,
> _Scottish Theology in Relation to Church History_ by John MacCleod.



Isn't that is the book I gave you Andrew?

[Edited on 8-9-2005 by puritancovenanter]


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## VirginiaHuguenot

> _Originally posted by puritancovenanter_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by Draught Horse_
> I am going to add another one,
> _Scottish Theology in Relation to Church History_ by John MacCleod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That is the book I gave you Andrew.
Click to expand...


Yep, it's a good one. Thanks, Randy!


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## PuritanCovenanter

Take good care of it. I don't think it is an easy find.


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## RamistThomist

RTS Jackson's bookstore has it.


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## Peccant

I get the feeling that you Americans are more Scottish than we are over here!!
Ive got a cairn at the top of the hill I live on commemorating one of the Covenanter Battles with Montrose, circa 1645. The top of the cairn did have a plaque with the history of it. That has now been ripped off - vandalism!! Had we as a nation kept Calvinism instead of the new religion of Liberalism, then we would still have authority instead of vandalism growing in our youth, AND I might have a real Church and pulpit to attend!!
Keep the Covenant friends.


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## RamistThomist

> _Originally posted by Peccant_
> I get the feeling that you Americans are more Scottish than we are over here!!
> 
> Keep the Covenant friends.



I think the reason why is due to the (largely) unsung Scotch-Irish influence in the First and Second Wars for American (and Southern) Independence. Doug Kelly, in his superb book, The Emergence of Liberty in the Modern World: The Influence of Calvin on Five Governments, estimates that at least a quarter of the colonial population was Scotch-Irish Presbyterian, and it was Presbyterians who led the fight. Morton Smith, in Studies in Southern Presbyterianism, suggests a link that the Scotsmen who had to leave the Isles in the 17-18th centuries continued the war against the English in America.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

> _Originally posted by Peccant_
> I get the feeling that you Americans are more Scottish than we are over here!!
> 
> Keep the Covenant friends.



 Thanks and God bless, cousin!


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## RamistThomist

Yea, even more so:

The Scottish tradition, beginning with John Knox, held that the Civil Magistrate is bound to uphold and follow the Rule of Law. Magistrates, Knox and the later Covenanters contended, are not above the law and are subject to it. When the law is trampled upon, so the Covenanters reasoned, it becomes meaningless and true peace and liberty cannot prevail. Therefore, it is demandedt that a lesser magistrate, led by God and the people, remove the tyrant in office in order to protect the citizenry.

Therefore, in full swing with the Covenanter position, the American Colonies and later the Calvinist South, threw off the yoke of tyranny so that true peace could prevail in the land. That, I believe, is the reason why many Americans think like Covenanters.


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## PuritanCovenanter

> _Originally posted by Draught Horse_
> RTS Jackson's bookstore has it.




Does RTS Jackson's bookstore have internet capabilities to sell books?


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## RamistThomist

> _Originally posted by puritancovenanter_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by Draught Horse_
> RTS Jackson's bookstore has it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Does RTS Jackson's bookstore have internet capabilities to sell books?
Click to expand...


I can't pull up the site at the moment. Go to www.rts.edu and click on bookstore. I think, if they have it online--and I know they have it on the shelves--then you could order it from there.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

Scottish Covenanter Martyrology


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## VirginiaHuguenot

_Sketches of the Covenanters_ by J. C. McFeeters can be read online here.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

More books on the Scottish Covenanters available here.


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## LadyFlynt

Thank you, Gentlemen for this thread.

For Crown and Covenant, JC


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## VirginiaHuguenot

James Anderson, _Ladies of the Covenant_ is available online here.


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## LadyFlynt

Bookmarked!!! (Till I get printer ink...then they will be on my bookshelf!)


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## BJClark

Yes, thank you gentlemen for this thread...

I love reading about history, and beyond that, I know that my ancestors the Lindsays and Wilsons moved from Scotland and it would be truly awesome to see some listed among this group.


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## crhoades

Updated Andrew's list with full view books from Google as well as added a few works below. Enjoy!

_Fair Sunshine_ by Jock Purves
_Men of the Covenant_ by Alexander Smellie
_The Scots Worthies_ by John Howie
_Religious Principles of the Scottish Martyrs_ by Andrew Syminton
_Sketches of the Covenanters_ by J.C. McFeeters
_The Dictionary of Scottish Church History &amp; Theology_ 
by Nigel M. De S. Cameron, David F. Wright, David C. Lachman
_Treasury of the Scottish Covenant_ by J.C. Johnston
_Scottish Covenanters_ by J.G. Vos
_The Story of the Scottish Church_ by Thomas M'Crie
_The Lion of the Covenant - The story of Richard Cameron_ by Maurice Grant
_A Cloud of Witnesses_ by J.H. Thomson
_The Covenanters_ by J.K. Hewison
_Lives of the Covenanters_ by Patrick Walker
_History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland_ by Robert Wodrow
_Memoirs of the Church of Scotland_ by Daniel Defoe
_Scottish Covenanter Stories: Tales from the Killing Times_ 
by Dane Love
_Torchbearers of the truth: sketches of the Scottish Covenanters_ by A. Sinclair Horne

Also found:
Martyrs, Heros, Bards of the Scottish Covenant - James Gilfillan
History of the Church of Scotland - William Hetherington
History of the Kirk of Scotland - David Calderwood
The Scottish Reformation - Alexander Mitchell


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## VirginiaHuguenot

That is excellent, Chris -- many thanks!


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## crhoades

VirginiaHuguenot said:


> That is excellent, Chris -- many thanks!


 
Anything for you, Andrew. 

Now to start reading...Lachman's lectures are inspiring me. Much to learn, much to learn.


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## NaphtaliPress

crhoades said:


> History of the Kirk of Scotland - David Calderwood


What is the deal with these volume 1 only jobbies? I want the other 7! NYPL and Google need to get on the ball.


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## crhoades

NaphtaliPress said:


> What is the deal with these volume 1 only jobbies? I want the other 7! NYPL and Google need to get on the ball.


 
From what I understand there is the 8 volume set and also the 1 volume edited compend. I think this is the 1 volume compend. The 8 volume isn't even on EEBO. Did find it for some $$$ at SWRB though. BTW, HT for Coldwell for starting me down this path with the Google link to Hewison.


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## NaphtaliPress

I still luv my large quarto set of Hewison!
1 volume compend of 8? The 1840s verison of cliffnotes I guess.


crhoades said:


> From what I understand there is the 8 volume set and also the 1 volume edited compend. I think this is the 1 volume compend. The 8 volume isn't even on EEBO. Did find it for some $$$ at SWRB though. BTW, HT for Coldwell for starting me down this path with the Google link to Hewison.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

_A Layman’s Guide to the Scottish Reformation_ by Brian J. Orr

_As God is My Witness_ by Brian J. Orr


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## VirginiaHuguenot

Andrew Symington, _Religious Principles of the Scottish Martyrs_

Patrick Walker, _Six Saints of the Covenant: Peden: Semple: Welwood: Cameron: Cargill: Smith_


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## Herald

The Covenanters make me proud of my Scottish heritage.


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## bookslover

BaptistInCrisis said:


> The Covenanters make me proud of my Scottish heritage.



You don't look Scottish to me - not with that dyed gray/blueish hair of yours!


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## Herald

bookslover said:


> You don't look Scottish to me - not with that dyed gray/blueish hair of yours!



May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits!


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## bookslover

BaptistInCrisis said:


> May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits!



What? _Again?_

By the way: notice my posts number. When it gets to 1,000, you have to come to California and wash my car. That's my prize for getting to a thousand.


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## Herald

bookslover said:


> What? _Again?_
> 
> By the way: notice my posts number. When it gets to 1,000, you have to come to California and wash my car. That's my prize for getting to a thousand.



I would be happy to baptize your car. But just take a look at my posts number. What fate will befall you? Mmmmm? Gotta go. Those fleas are thick and you need to use Right Guard.


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## bookslover

BaptistInCrisis said:


> I would be happy to baptize your car. But just take a look at my posts number. What fate will befall you? Mmmmm? Gotta go. Those fleas are thick and you need to use Right Guard.



You know, I think if we knew each other personally, we'd be good friends. I like your sense of humor - the blueish/grey hair has got to go, though...


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