ered a high office in the Episcopal
Church if he would accede to their terms. Such inducements he held in
contempt. Neither threat nor reward could weaken his loyalty to the Lord
Jesus Christ and the Covenant. The closing sentence of his defence was
tender, fearless, and sublime:

"My lords, my conscience I cannot submit; but this old crazy body and
mortal flesh I do submit, to do with it whatever ye will, whether by
death, or banishment, or imprisonment, or anything else; only I beseech
you to ponder well what profit there is in my blood. It is not the
extinguishing of me, or many others, that will extinguish the Covenant
and the work of Reformation. My blood, bondage, or banishment will
contribute more for the propagation of these things, than my life or
liberty could do, though I should live many years."

The death sentence was passed upon him. He was condemned to be hanged,
his head to be placed above the city gate beside Argyle's. He received
the sentence with great composure. The execution was fixed for the first
day of June. To those who sat in judgement on his case, he replied:

"My lords, let this sentence never affect you more than it does me; and
let my blood never be required of the king's family."

In such cases doubtless the wife through sympathy is the greater
sufferer. But Mrs. Guthrie was strong in the Lord, and had courage equal
to her trials. She was her husband's faithful helper in the difficult
places. Once when duty imperiled his life, and he was in danger of
halting, she urged him on, saying, "My heart, what the Lord gives you
light and clearness to do, that do." Noble words! nothing wiser or
greater could come from consecrated lips.

Just before his death Guthrie was permitted to see his son, Willie, at
that time five years old. The father tenderly fondled his child, so soon
to become an orphan, and spoke words adapted to the innocent heart. So
little did the child comprehend the terrible tragedy, that he could
scarcely be restrained from playing on the street while his father was
dying. But the meaning soon dawned upon him with melancholy effect. It
is said that he never played again.

The execution was public and the streets were thronged. Guthrie mounted
the scaffold with a cheerful spirit. He spoke with great deliberation
and earnestness for one hour to the immense throng that crowded close to
hear his last words. He then yielded himself to the executioner, who
placed the death cap over