March - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

84The Free Presbyterian Magazineof John, Viscount Kenmure”, and two biographical works on lesser-knownpersons – Walter Pringle of Greenknow and Mrs Janet Hamilton. These allhave their own spiritual and historical value and interest and will repay carefulreading. A few examples might whet the reader’s appetite.In the “Soliloquies and Covenant Engagements of Mrs Janet Hamilton”we find the following testimony, “Praise be to Thee whose care of me wassuch, that it was ministers who were valiant for Christ that were sent in myway, such as did not flatter me in my sin, but faithfully and freely did holdout, in the gospel, what was sin and duty, and sealed the same with theirblood” (p 498). Similar pious honesty is found in a letter of Elizabeth Melvill:“I confes it is no tyme for me to quarrel nou quhen God is quarrelling us, andhes tane away our deir pastour, who has preached the Word of God amongus almost fourty years, plainly and powerfully” (p 358). The dying words ofJohn, Viscount Kenmure are worth repeating too: “I will not let go the gripthat I have gotten of Christ: though He should slay me, I will trust in Him,and lie at His feet, and die there; and lie at His door like a beggar waitingon; and if I may not knock, I shall scrape” (p 408). Many such godly confessionsand spiritual exercises can be found in the pages of this volume. Itshould be noted that extended portions in both volumes are in the originalScots dialect, which enhances their authenticity while not presenting any realdifficulty for readers.The second volume is equally profitable and useful. It too contains aninteresting blend of better-known and less-well-known persons from theCovenanting period. Most of the volume (pp 89-370),is taken up with thepersonal memoirs of James Fraser of Brea (1639-1698). He was minister atCulross and spent long years as a field preacher and also endured imprisonmenton the infamous Bass Rock. Such autobiographies as his are often dismissedtoday as overly subjective and even harmfully introspective. Thosewho are seeking closer communion with God and are yet conscious of theplague of sin and the constant need of self-examination and mortification willnot agree with that caricature. The godliness of James Fraser is undisputed,and the many sources of comfort as well as humiliation which he detailsmake this work of lasting use in the Church of Christ. This is not to overlookthe fact that Fraser of Brea’s writings have been justly criticised for a theoryof universal atonement. 2 It should be remembered that Fraser never publishedhis views. Worthies like Thomas Boston held Fraser of Brea in high regardand Boston speaks affectionately of him in his memoir.Many examples could be given of the high spiritual exercises of JamesFraser; one or two may suffice. “I am learning to read love in the greatest of2 See John Macleod, Scottish Theology, pp 173-7, for analysis of James Fraser.