Book Description

Excerpt from Presbyterianism, Its True Place and Value in History: A Discourse Delivered Before the Presbyterian Historical Society, at the Annual Meeting, May 19th, 1853 J'wodrow has preserved the names of 2000 persons proscribed in Scotland after the insurrection of the Covenanters and the battle of Bothwell Bridge; and it is likely that some of their descendants are now in this country, and might verify their genealegy by means of this list. But as a general thing, the Presbyterian exiles came hither in small companies, at succes sive intervals, and on their arrival dispersed themselves wher erer they' could find desirable settlements; for which reasons we are, to a great degree, ignorant of the leading fathers and pioneers' of our communion. They were not the high and titled, from baronial halls and civic dignities, but, to borrow a felicitous phrase from an eloquent foreigner, the unnamed demigods of the people. It would be indeed gratifying to possess some memorials of those men who prized civil and religious freedom above the endearmen'ts of home and country, that we might give them monumental honors, and embalm their names in grateful eulogies, as the South has done for the Huguenots, and the'north for the Pilgrim Fathers. But, as Sir Thomas Browne quaintly remarks, To be nameless in worthy deeds exceeds an infamous history. The Canaanitish woman lives more happily without a name than Herodias with one. And Who would not rather have been the good thief, than Pilate? About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.