John Knox : the hero of the Scottish Reformation . that of their political rivals. The ReformedChurch was wounded in the house of her pro-fessed friends. Knox complains of unworthymen who had been thrust [by patronage] into theministry of the Kirk, and of merciless devourersof her patrimony. He describes both factions as fighting against God, and declares that his ownpolitical party as little repented the troublingand oppressing the poor Kirk of God as ever they[their adversaries] did. For if, he continues, they can have the Kirk lands annexed to theirhouses, they appear to take no more care o
John Knox : the hero of the Scottish Reformation . that of their political rivals. The ReformedChurch was wounded in the house of her pro-fessed friends. Knox complains of unworthymen who had been thrust [by patronage] into theministry of the Kirk, and of merciless devourersof her patrimony. He describes both factions as fighting against God, and declares that his ownpolitical party as little repented the troublingand oppressing the poor Kirk of God as ever they[their adversaries] did. For if, he continues, they can have the Kirk lands annexed to theirhouses, they appear to take no more care of theinstruction of the ignorant, and of the feeding ofthe flock of Jesus Christ, than ever did the Pa-pists. That these were not outbursts of indi-vidual resentment on Knoxs part appears from astrongly worded letter of remonstrance by themild Erskine of Dun to Regent Mar against unrighteous usurpation and spoil of the Kirkby the civil authority 2; and also from various 1 Laing, W. of K., vi., 603; Calderw., iii., 113-114. 2 Ibid., iii., Statue of John Knox, which is about to be erectedin St. Giless. (By kind permission of the sculp- nii ± j * _i- TVt /•.*n: r» o .* \ iS72] Declining Years 341 records of the General Assemblies held in theyears 1570 and 1571. These Assemblies protestagainst simoniacal presentations and the appoint-ment of minors, laymen, or otherwise unqualifiedpersons to pastoral charges. They protest, fur-ther, against the unlawful assignations to lay-men from the Churchs share of the thirds,and against the illegal withholdment from minis-ters of their lawful stipends. Against persistentoffenders in such matters the General Assemblyissued what was then the stern threat of The remonstrance and petition ofthe Church, however, although they received thepersonal approval of the Regent Lennox, weretreated with contempt by the Estates through theinfluence of Morton, who ruled all. The Com-missioners of the General Assembly were stigm
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