THE COVENANTER
Mall and is now the home of the Institute Scotland intensified after the Restoration
of Directors. For 30 years he supplied the of 1660 and were met with resistance. In
food and champagne there for a celebratory I666 open revolt broke out in The Pentland
dinner on the anniversary of Barrosa - and Rising, which was put down with great
even told them how to carve the saddles of severity after the Covenanters were defeated
lamb. at Rullion Green.
All his life he kept stables of horses for his Open revolt broke out again in 1679, when
own use at leisure as well as for hunting. He some Covenanters defeated a small royalist
kept others in race training at Newmarket. force at Drumclog, but they were soundly
Much of the time he travelled Europe - a sort defeated by the royal army at Bothwell Brig
of extended and long-running Grand Tour. shortly afterwards. The Covenanters split
He used his excellent command of languages into two factions, moderate and extreme;
and indulged his classical learning. He was the extreme element becoming known as
never short of friends and companions. Cameronians after the martyred covenanting
preacher Rev Richard Cameron, “The Lion
But Mary was the love of his life; he never of the Covenant.”
married again. A biography of her, The
Beautiful Mrs Graham by Mrs E Maxtone The hypothesis researched was that; The
Graham, sheds much interesting light on development and actions of the Cameronian
their life together. movement made a significant contribution
to Freedom of Religion in Scotland. The
Perhaps he was an early example that hypothesis rests on whether Cameronian
keeping an active mind and a broad range of influence was significant, and to what
interests really does help to prolong life. At degree.
95 his age must have been at least double the
average life expectancy. It is right that that Subsequent to Bothwell Brig, the
life be fully acknowledged and appreciated. Covenanting movement virtually collapsed
in Scotland. The leaders fled to Holland and
If any reader feels that they can shed light the common people who remained were
on little known facts about Graham, or the severely persecuted. But by early 1680, two
whereabouts of papers or artefacts of his, I covenanting ministers, Richard Cameron
would be delighted and obliged to them if and Donald Cargill, had returned from
they would contact me. Holland to preach in the fields against
Erastian limitations on doctrine, worship,
Philip R Grant discipline, and church government. They
were hunted down and killed, but their
Bible And Sword:
followers (now called Cameronians) formed
The Cameronian Contribution
their own ecclesiastical polity known as the
United Societies. This was a presbyterial
To Freedom Of Religion
Church, separate but not sundered from
- An Abstract
the Church of Scotland (The Kirk), which
had by now largely accepted a considerable
Presented for the Degree of Doctor of
degree of Erastianism.
Theology - Stellenbosch University, During
the 16th and 17th centuries, the Stewart
The Cameronians became a small but
rulers of Scotland and England endeavoured
vociferous pressure group, not only
to enforce Royal Absolutism on both
persecuted, but denigrated by moderate
countries. This included ecclesiastical
Presbyterians. Throughout this period
pressure on the Scottish Presbyterians,
they ensured a considerable degree of
giving rise to a movement known as the
freedom of religion for themselves, despite
Covenanters. One identifying aspect was
the ever intensifying persecution. Their
their field preaching’s, or Conventicles,
stance was vindicated at the Glorious
held in secret, frequently on the moors. As
Revolution of 1688/9, one outcome
persecution increased, worshippers took
being the raising of both a guard, and a
weapons to these Conventicles for self-
regiment, of Cameronians, both of which
defence in case of attack during the service.
enabled a period of comparative calm and
safety to prevail, thus allowing Parliament
Royal efforts to impose Episcopalianism on
and the General Assembly to finalise the
5
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