elical sentiments and affected piety--and
his principles generally misrepresented and condemned even to our own
day,--there is yet abundant evidence to show that the Master whom he
faithfully served, and for whose cause he willingly surrendered his
life, singularly owned and honoured him. His faithful contendings and
arduous labours contributed not a little to subvert the throne of a
bigot and tyrant, and to achieve the nation's liberties. They served
also to secure the purity and independence of the Church, and to
transmit a legacy of imperishable principles to future times, when "the
handful of corn" upon the top of the mountains, "shall shake with fruit
like Lebanon." Scant and fragmentary as are the memorials of
Renwick--clothed in the most homely garb, and written with no artistic
skill, they have yet been the means of nurturing vital piety in many a
humble breast and household, in these and other countries, from the
martyr era, to our own day; and not a few of the most devoted ministers,
who have earnestly contended for precious truth, and been wise to win
souls to Christ, have received from the record of the labours and
sufferings and testimony of Renwick, some of their first solemn
impressions for good, and propelling motives to holy diligence and
self-devotion. As the story of Joseph in the Old Testament has been
remarkably blessed, above other parts of the divine word, for promoting
the conversion and early piety of the young, so the unadorned narrative
of the life, labours, and death of the youthful Scottish martyr, has led
not a few to prefer the cause and reproach of Christ to the world's
favour--to imbibe his spirit, and to imitate him, in seeking ends the
most important and glorious.

Renwick's work in the Church is not yet fully accomplished, nor is the
influence of his name losing its attractive power. On the contrary,
there is evidence, increasing as it is cheering, that while the one is
drawing to it more earnest regard and willing workers, the other is
constantly becoming more powerful and widespread. Let any person compare
the manner in which the later Scottish martyrs--Renwick and the Society
people,--were spoken of in the histories, civil and ecclesiastical,
emitted in these countries, forty or fifty years ago, with the altered
tone of historians of a recent date, and he will see that posterity is
beginning to do tardy justice to the memories of men of whom "the world
was not worthy,"--- who were