ht day would soon be dawning.
This year, 1688, William, Prince of Orange, with an army of 15,000,
disputed the right of King James to the throne. The persecutor was able
to give the Covenanters no more attention. The coward fled without a
battle. He lost his kingdom, and, with his fall, the house of the
Stuarts sank into oblivion, as had been predicted by the Covenanters.

The Revolution filled the Covenanted Societies with high hope. They
became enthusiastic supporters of the new king, expecting him to
inaugurate a reign of righteousness. A Convention of statesmen met in
Edinburgh, to readjust public affairs and restore peace. Claverhouse,
too, was there, still dripping with the blood of the martyrs. He had
dashed suddenly upon the scene with his troops to break up the
Convention, and give battle to King William's supporters. The
Convention was without a sufficient guard. The delegates were in danger.
To whom could they look for protection? Listen! The call is to the
Cameronians; to the men who have borne the brunt of persecution for
twenty-eight years, and are now quietly returning from the moors and
caverns to their desolate homes. To these who have been hated and hunted
and tortured and hacked to pieces--to these the government now appeals
for help. These, after all they have suffered, are the Reliables. They
are the recognized patriots, who stand ready for any sacrifice, and are
worthy of any trust, in the name of liberty and righteousness. "We are
coming," was their quick reply. A regiment was mustered in one day
without the beat of a drum; two others were offered. The poor
Covenanters were not now despised.

[Illustration: THE MARTYRDOM OF RENWICK.

James Renwick went to the scaffold in triumphant joy. There he read the
19th chapter of Revelation--the prophecy of Christ's great battle and
victory--and sang part of the 103rd Psalm. He then lifted his eyes
heavenward, and said, "And now, Lord, I am ready. The bride, the Lamb's
wife, hath made herself ready." He suffered February 17, 1688, aged
twenty-six years. It was said by his enemies that he was the "stiffest
maintainer of Covenanted principles."]

The persecution being over, the Church endeavored to resume her
operations. The General Assembly convened October 16, 1690, after a
violent suspension lasting forty years. This Assembly was most
remarkable for its membership. There sat together three active
Cameronian ministers, threescore other ministers pale fr