Kings & rulers > More leaves from the journal of a life in the Highlands from 1862 to 1882

in which he very beautifully invited all true penitents
to receive the communion, the hardened sinner alone
to abstain. It was done in a very kind and encourag¬
ing tone. Dr. Taylor adopted part of one of the Eng¬
lish prayers, only shortened and simplified. . . . After
this address—“the Fencing of the Tables,” as it is
called—the minister came down to the small table in
front of the pulpit, where he stood with the assistant
minister, and the elders on either side, and while the
35th Psalm was being sung the elders brought in the
Elements, and placed them on the table, viz. the bread
cut into small pieces, and two large plates lined with
napkins, and the wine in four large silver cups. The
minister then read the words of the institution of the
Lord’s Supper, from 1 Corinthians xi. 23, and this
was followed by a short but very impressive prayer of
consecration.
This done, he handed the bread first, and then
the wine, right and left to the elders, Francis Leys
(Brown’s uncle), Symon “the merchant,” Hunter, and
Dr. Robertson, to dispense; himself giving both to one
or two people nearest to him, who were in the middle
pew, where the Thomsons all sit generally, and in
which, on this occasion, were old Donald Stewart and
his wife (eighty-six and eighty-one, looking so nice
and venerable), the young Donald Stewarts, the Thom¬
sons, old Mr. and Mrs. Brown (he eighty-one and very
much bent, and she seventy-one). Old John Brown
and old Donald Stewart wore large plaids; old Smith
of Kinlore was likewise in this pew. The bread was
then reverently eaten, and the wine drunk, sitting, each
person passing it on one to the other; the cup being
replaced by each on the table before them after they