John Howie of Lochgoin

JOHN HOWIE OF LOCHGOIN 17
auditory, and mostly by men of a rural education ;" and that
he had collected them (with the exception of a few, which
were formerly in print) "from ten or twelve volumes mostly
in an old small cramp hand." As the book extends to con-
siderably over 600 pp., some idea may be formed of the te-
dious work involved in transcribing it for the press. This
book had been well taken up. The list of subscribers'
names fills more than 27 double-columned pages. I have not
counted the names ; but from a rough calculation they must
number about 2400. The list would well repay a careful
study. It is a most interesting one, and, among other
things, it gives a good idea of the class of people who at
that time prized the sermons to which their ancestors had lis-
tened at the peril of their lives. 12
The next of John Howie's volumes is one of his most val-
uable but least known. It was issued in 1780, and is enti-
tled :—
"Faithful Contendings Displayed: being an historical re-
lation of the state and actings of the suffering Remnant in
the Church of Scotland, who subsisted in Select Societies,
and were united in General Correspondencies during the
hottest time of the late Persecution, viz. : from the year 1681
to 1 69 1. Together with an account of the state of the land
in general, and of the Society People in particular, in the
intervals betwixt each of their general meetings, with some
pertinent remarks upon these historical occurrences, and
many letters to and from the general correspondent meet-
ings, etc. Collected and kept in record by Mr. Michael
Shields, who was clerk unto these General Societies, and per-
sonally present at most of their meetings."
The preparation of this volume for the press must have
cost Howie much labour. He not only made the transcript,
but he abridged some of the papers which he thought of
minor importance, and inserted others which he deemed
13 This volume was republished in 1880, without the subscribers'
names, but with a commemoration sermon and biographical notices
by the late Dr. James Kerr. This reprint is entitled : "Sermons deliv-
ered in Times of Persecution in Scotland, by Sufferers for the Royal
Prerogatives of Jesus Christ."
2