nswer, but would have the man to
make a trial in that duty before him; to which the man replied, "O Lord!
thou knowest that this man would have me to pray; but, thou knowest,
that I cannot pray."--After which Mr. Guthrie bid him stop, and said, He
had done enough; and prayed himself, to their great surprise. When
prayer was ended, the wife said to her husband, That surely this was a
minister (for they did not know him): After this, he engaged them to
come to the kirk on sabbath, and see what they thought of their
minister. When they came there, they discovered, to their consternation,
that it had been their minister himself who had allured them
thither.--And this condescending manner of gaining them, procured a
constant attendance on public ordinances; as was at length accompanied
by the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ unto the
praise of God.

There was also another person in his parish, who had a custom of going
a-fowling on the Sabbath-day, and neglecting the church; in which
practice he had continued for a considerable time. Mr. Guthrie asked
him, What reason he had for so doing? He told him, That the sabbath-day
was the most fortunate day in all the week for that exercise,--Mr.
Guthrie asked, What he could make by that day's exercise? He replied,
That he would make half a-crown of money that day.--Mr. Guthrie told
him, If he would go to church on sabbath he would give him as much; and,
by that means, got his promise. After sermon was over, Mr. Guthrie
asked, If he would come back the next sabbath-day, and he would give him
the same?--which he did; and from that time afterwards, never failed to
keep the church, and also freed Mr. Guthrie of his promise.--He
afterwards became a member of his session.

He would frequently use innocent recreations, such as fishing, fowling,
and playing on the ice, which contributed much to preserve a vigorous
state of health.--And, while in frequent conversation with the
neighbouring gentry, as these occasions gave him opportunity, he would
bear in upon them reproofs and instructions with an inoffensive
familiarity; as Mr. Dunlop has observed of him, "But as he was animated
by a flaming zeal for the glory of his blessed Master, and a tender
compassion to the souls of men, and as it was the principal thing that
made him desire life and health, that he might employ them in
propagating the kingdom of God, and in turning transgressors from their
ways; so the very h