| A Parish Church, 1614 What was it like to be present in a church at this time. The late Hugh Davidson in his `Lanark, A Series of Papers,` took the Church of St Kentigerns, Lanark in 1614 as a typical example. This was at the time of William Livingston`s encumbancy as minister. With black clothes and a gown, sartorial requirement as laid down by King James, he ascended the steps of the pulpit to address his flock. A two hour deliverance was not unusual, but in case of any worshipper falling asleep during the sermon, the Session Clerk, armed with a red staff, was swift to `wauken sleepers , and to remove greetin bairns firth of the Kirk.` The congregation wore their hats during the time of the sermon, but were compelled to remove them during prayer. Sitting or kneeling during prayer, or even standing was permissable athough the Episcopalians generally got to their feet. After a sermon, it was not unusual for it to be applauded. Non-attendance at church services, breaking the Sabbath rules by the playing of football, dancing, etc., these innocent pastimes were dealt with as much severity as sins of the flesh. The Reformed Church tried to encourage the use of cemeteries as advocated by William Birnie in his published book of 1606, `The Blame of Kirk Burial`, but the practice lingered for a long time after the Reformation. The flooring of these small churches were usually without flagstones, the underfoot conditions merely being trodden earth. This made it easier for the clandestine burials that took place under cover of darkness unbeknown to the church officials. Despite the pleas of the clergy, the bereaved relatives preferred to inter their loved ones within the confines of the building. All persons who were suspected of practising this found themselves up before the Presbytery to face the wrath of the ministers. For example, James Baillie of Lamington was summoned on 10th December, 1629 to answer the charge, `..in breakin up the kirk door of Lamington and burying his chyld....` For his pains, Baillie was to `..make his public repentance in sack cloth ane sabbath day , and to pay a fine in penalty.` The Presbytery in enforcing its deliberations would call upon the local `Baillies` to act on its behalf. An instance was recorded in the Register for March 15 1638 when an affray took place in Lanark with some ministers being injured in the process. The Presbytery sent for the Baillies with the following request. ` and desires them to take some course for punishing such persons as had latelie injured some of our brethern that tumult which fell out in thair toune. `This took the form of an ultimatum aas they went on, `...otherwayes that we waid no more seem to to countenance that wrong in keepin Prebyteries within thair toune.` As it turned out, the affray in question was the result of the lethargy or pure reluctance on the part of some of the Lanark clergy in appending their signatures to the National Covenant. It could be argued that some of these persons may have had some worldly thoughts in their reluctance in opposing the King. James Vl had restored the tiend to the Church in 1617, and the minimum stipend had been fixed at 500 merks per annum with Charles l increasing it to 800 merks. |