IN BRAID SCOTS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 167, 11 April 1932, Page 10

IN BRAID SCOTS

A Homely Tongue in the Pulpit SERVICE. AT ST. JOHN’S Something of the nature of a Scottish national < gathering was held in St. John’s Presbyterian Church last evening, the occasion being a service in braid Scots by the Rev. T. W. Armour, of Knox Church, Christchurch. The opportunity of hearing an address in the tongue of their beloved native land was taken by many patriotic )Scots who have not forgotten the pleasant dialect of their youth or the tongue made dear to them by many sacred associations. Young New Zealanders of Scottish extraction were not less interested in hearing this.rendering in a church service of words and sentiments which have been familiar to them from their infancy up. Braid Scots is often the language of the Scots “faither” and “mither” in their own homes and among their own children, though English (of course with a Scottish accent) is reverted to "in company.” Braid Scots must not be confused with the Gaelic—the former is the homely tongue of the Lowland Scot, the latter the musical language of the Highlander.

The pipe organ—or the “kist of whistles,” as the Scots have it—was not used for the Psalms. The congregation sang the metrical versions, with Mr. Lawrence Haggitt acting as “precentor.” The precentor gives the choir the note and gets the tune started, and after that the congregation and choir require little guidance beyond the “beating of time.” The singing went remarkably well, and it is often contended that congregational singing reaches its highest efficiency in heartiness and expression when there is no aid from instruments. The Psalms (metrical version, dear to all Presbyterians) chosen last evening were old favourites; some of them have been sung on great occasions in the past. The first, of course, was the “Auld Hundredth,” “AH people that on earth do dwell.” Then came Psalm 74, the historic “Now Israel may say, and that truly”—a rousing tune of martial swing, breathing the unquenchable spirit of the old Covenanters, and thankfulness for Divine deliverance from tyranny and oppression. The Twenty-third Psalm, “The Lord's my. Shepherd, I’ll not want,” could not possibly be omitted from such a service, and its beautiful devotional verses were given with’ true feeling. Psalms 68 (“Thou hast. O Lord, most glorious”) and 103 (“0 Thou my soul, bless God the Lord”) are well known and are regularly sung wherever Presbyterian services are held. The Scriptural readings, given by Mr. Armour in the Scottish vernacular, were the Twenty-third Psalm and the story of the Prodigal Son (the ne’er-do-weel). The former concluded “And'syne I shall abide in the hoose o’ the Lord for ever and ever mair,’’ while the latter gave a vivid picture of the return of the prodigal after he had come to “his richt min’.” ‘ The preacher spoke on the text, “Ma bicker’s fu’ and . skailin’ ” (Anglice: “My cup runneth over”), from the Twenty-third Psalm. With homely phrase and earnest devotion Mr. Armour pointed the moral, giving 'an address that kept the service on a high plane of reverence and simplicity. The braid Scots was not altogethi beyond the comprehensipn of those who would not claim a very intimate . acquaintance with the language, so nobody present, even if their education had been, neglected, could have felt entirely out of it. There could be no doubt that the service was extremely acceptable to tye very large congregation. “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton,” wag Mr. L. Haggitt’s organ voluntary for the collection, and the retiring voluntary was the march from “The Prophet” (Meyerbeer).