THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL COVENANT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23442, 5 March 1938, Page 23

THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL COVENANT

28TH FEBRUARY, 1638 * By Professor S. F. Hunter On February 28, 300 years ago, "The National Covenant" fwas signed in Greyfriars Church and churchyard, Edinburgh, copies being carried throughout Scotland for signatures. The Church of Scotland, and her daughter churches, are celebrating this event. But what was this National Covenant, and why should it interest us in New Zealand? My story will attempt to answer the first question. In reply to the second, it interests Presbyterians everywhere, for it saved the Presbyterian Kirk for Scotland Then it interests churchmen everywhere, for it defended the freedom and authority of the Church in her own spiritual sphere against external interference. For this the Church in Germany both Roman and Reformed, is suffering to-day It also interests freemen everywhere, for it was fundamentally a stand for the democratic principle, a defence of a system, political as well as religious " in which every one, first of all the common man. had his recognised place, his defined position, his ascertained and guarded privileges, his responsibilities inculcated and enforced, felt himself a part of a great unity,' with a right to care for its welfare, and to guard its integrity."* to quote the late Principal Rainy. The same Stuart belief in absolute monarchy also stirred the English Parliament tq rebellion in defence i of the same principle in the political sphere, and had not the Scottish Covenanters allied themselves with the Parliamentarians, and sent an aimy into England, it is very prob-* able that Parliament would have been defeated. Thus the free democratic institutions which the members of the British Commonwealth of Nations enjoy owe an incalculable debt, not only to the Parliamentarians of England, but also to the Scots Presbyterians and the National Covenant to which they bound themselves in grey old Edinburgh. The story does not begin in 1638. It begins in 1560, when the Reformed Church became the National Kirk of Scotland, and that period does not end till the Revolution Settlement of 1689 vindicated the Covenanters of 1638 and the martyrs of the Restoration period after 1660. The Act of the British Parliament of 1921 which paved the way for the Union of the two great Scottish Churches, declared the spiritual independence of the Kirk, and supported all for which the Covenanters took their stand The Kirk of 1560 had the rudiments of a definite Presbyterian system. The Book of Discipline, in which her policy was defined, was rejected by the Estates of Parliaments because it held that the wealth of the Old Church should be used for the support of the ministry, for education and for the poor. They wished it for themselves. During the reign of Mary the problem was the continued existence of the Reformed Church., When this was settled the problem was whether' it should be Episcopal or Presbyterian. , The neighbour Church in England was Episcopal; the Church income was still drawn by the bishops, abbots and priors, who also formed the Spirit Estate in Parliament. The questions were asked as to who should draw the Church's incomes and sit in Parliament when the prelates died. Thus it seemed to many that the continuance of the preReformation Episcopal system was necessary. But the bulk of the Church was Presbyterian, and she came under the leadership of men 1 trained in Geneva, chief among whom was Andrew Melville. At one time a second Book of Discipline established the National Scottish Reformed Kirk as thoroughly Presbyterian, and the liberty and authority of the Kirk in her spiritual* sphere was defined. When James VI assumed royal power he saw that the democratic institutions of the kirk ran counter to his theories of Royal Supremacy in Church and State. He claimed this supremacy and by enforcing it in ways which we have no space to chronicle he ultimately restored a bench of bishops to the kirk. Down the years there was great opposition and suffering on the part of his opponents. After James succeeded Elizabeth he told the Hampton Court Conference his candid opinion. To the Puritans he said that a Scotch Presbytery "'agrees with monarchy as well as God and the devil; then Jack and Tom. Will and Dick, shall meet, and at their pleasure censure both me and my council." To the bishops he said, "My lords, I may thank you that these Puritans plead for my supremacy, for if once you are out and they in place, I know what would become of my supremacy, for no bishop, no king." Long before he had been told by Andrew Melville in Falkland palace: " There are two kings and two kingdoms in Scotland There is Christ Jesus the King, and His Kingdom the Kirk, whose subject James the Sixth is. and of whose kingdom not a king, nor a lord, nor a head, but a member." ' In 1625 Charles I succeeded to his father's throne, and ideas of absolute monarchy His Revocation Act ordered the restoration by the nobles of church estates and this had much to do with the oppositibn of many to Episcopacy which was thus to be supported In 1633 he came to Edinburgh to receive the Scottish Crown accompanied by Laud, Bishop of London. By a majority Parliament confirmed the royal supremacy in spiritual affairs and ratified Episcopacy. On his return to England, Charles, on his own authority, ordered the remodelling of the Kirk according to a book. " Canons and Constitution Ecclesiastical," and commanded the use of a Service Book prepared by certain bishops and revised by Laud. These would make the Scottish Kirk identical with the Church of England and destroy her democratic institutions. The country rose in a fever of opposition. On July 23, 1637, Dean Hannay used the Service Book in St. Giles, and a rioi ensued Riots occurred in many other places. There was resentment at the King's assumption of supremacy, fear of subjection to England and fear of Roman Catholicism. Even the Privy Council held that as the Service Book had not been sanctioned by Parliament, it was illegal, and it suspended enforcement. Charles commanded the Council, however, to i enforce it. Petitions poured into I the Council, which attempted to explain the situation to the King. Protests now began to include the whole Episcopal system. In November, Edinburgh was crowded with nobles, ministers, gentry and burghers, and to treat with the Privy Council representative committees were set up, called "The Tables." There was continual going and coming between the King in London and the Council in Edinburgh, the King determined to enforce his will, the Council recognising the gathering storm. The King's proclamations were met by counter Drotestations.

Finally a jonfession and covenant was drawn up by Alexander Henderson, minister of Leuchars, and a lawyer, Archibald Johnstone, of Warristbn. It wat. in three parts. "The first was a faithful transcript of the. Confession of ISBI " (taken by James VI abjuring Romanism); " the second was a summary of the Acts of Parliament condemning Popery and ratifying the liberties of the Scottish Church .; the third was the true Covenant, in which the subscribers swore, by the great name of Lord their God, that they would continue in the profession of their religion; that 'they would defend it against all errors arid corruptions; that they would by his Majesty in support of the religion, liberties and laws of the kingdom; and also by one another against all their enemies." On February 28, 1638. it was signed in the church and churchyard of Greyfriars after divine service, amid tumultuous emotion. Copies were tren signed throughout the country We are not. however to imagine unanimity. Though at Inverness and the far north, as Sutherland there was great enthusiasm, the district with Aberdeen as centre was not so strongly Presbyterian. The professors opposed the Covenant by word and pen, neither were the citizens keen Nevertheless, the majority in the land were behind it, and it is rightly called "The,National Covenant.'" Hume Brown says. " By a large majority of the nobility, by every town' of note except Aberdeen, by the mass of the people of rank in all parts of the country, the Covenant was signed with an enthusiasm such as had never before swept over the Scottish people Now. if ever, was realised Milton'? vision of a nation rousing herself like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks."* There followed the Glasgow Assembly in November that abolished the whole Episcopal system in defiance of the King, the rising the nation m arms, the "Solemn League and Covenant" between the Scottish and English Parliaments the death of Charles, and the triumoh of Cromwell. But that is another story