Passages in the lives of Helen Alexander and James Currie of Pentland, and other papers

James Ctirrie. 21
as I was helped, I gave willingly to the poor. But O how did I be-
wail and was troubled for the poor people that were going to hear
the Curates ; for I thought their souls were perifhing, and I was
ftill persuading all that would be persuaded to forbear hearing of
them (there being only four or five that difsented). And I pityed
them greatly that would go to hear them ; for I thought if they
had felt the anger of God as I had done, they would not go hear
these soul-murderers.
12th Rem. — I, going to hear Mr. T/iomas Patterson at Borth-
wick, was edified by him, not knowing the difference. I had
occasion to hear Mr. Robert Trail, who preached after the Kirk
scailled, viz., at Borthwick ; and heard him with much satisfac-
tion for a time till he would not preach except all the people were
within doors. However, for the space of ten or twelve Sabbaths
I had a sweet time of it, the Lord wonderfully bleffing His Word
both to my soul and to my memory — as some texts of Scripture
in Ezekiel xii. and others. By this time, from the four or five
formerly mentioned, they came to eighteen that did forbear hear-
ing of the Curates, at which I was glad. And at this time (which
is not to be omitted), it being in the winter, and being late at
night or we scailled, there was a ftar that gave us a great light
from the Weft in the home-going.
13th Rem. — At this time the field-meetings were plenty through
the Weft and through the South, and in the North and Eaft.
I began to have a great defire to hear them ; for these Indulged,
or these that had a Tolleration from the Biflwp and a Presenta-
tio7i from the Patron (as it was said that Mr. Pattersoii and
Mr. Sinclair of Ormiston had), I say, though they were good men,
and the people that heard them were edifyed by them, yet they
were not so much countenanced of the Lord, and the ordinances
dispensed by them had not that life and power that was in the per-
secuted meetings in the fields. For that Indulgence may be seen
in the book entituled the Hiftory of the Indulgence. I say, that