Scripture Verse

Introduction

Anecdote

In the par­ish church of Fet­ter­cairn a cus­tom ex­ist­ed of the pre­cen­tor, on com­mun­ion Sab­baths, read­ing out each sin­gle line of the psalm be­fore it was sung by the con­gre­ga­tion. This prac­tice gave rise to a some­what un­luc­ky in­tro­duc­tion of a line from the first Psalm.

In most church­es in Scot­land, the com­mun­ion ta­bles are placed in the centre of the church. Af­ter ser­mon and pray­er, the seats round these ta­bles are oc­cu­pied by the com­mu­ni­cants, while a psalm is be­ing sung.

On one com­mun­ion Sun­day, the pre­cen­tor ob­served the no­ble fa­mi­ly of Eg­la­ntine ap­proach­ing the ta­bles, and like­ly to be kept out by those who pressed in be­fore them. Be­ing very zea­lous for their ac­com­mo­da­tion, he called out to an in­di­vi­du­al whom he con­sid­ered to be the prin­ci­pal ob­sta­cle in clear­ing the pas­sage, Come back Jock, and let in the no­ble family of Eg­lan­tine; and then, turn­ing to his psalm-book, he took up his du­ty, and went on to read the line,

Nor stand in the sin­ners’ way.

Long, p. 229