“The Covenants!  The Covenants!” This was now the national cry.  The Covenants have ever been Scotland’s hope, strength, and glory.  The cry went from house to house, from church to church, from earth to heaven.  It was on the lips and in the prayers of men, women, and children.  Hope revived, enthusiasm spread like flames, the nation was rapidly prepared for the high honors that were awaiting her.  The people in large numbers were fired with a passion to renew their Covenant with God!

The Holy Spirit fell mightily upon many, causing a floodtide of spiritual life to sweep the country.  The leading Covenanters were endowed with wisdom and courage to direct the holy enthusiasm into the right channel.  It had to be turned by prompt action, to present use, and conserved for the generations to come, or its strength and volume would soon be lost.  On Sabbath February 25, 1638, the ministers preached on Covenanting.  Next day the people met in their churches and received notice that, on Wednesday following, their Covenant with God would be renewed in Edinburgh.  The announcement struck a responsive chord.  The country was astir early on the morning of the appointed day.  Doubtless many had spent the preceding night with the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer.  While the stars were still shining, many households, we may be assured, were called around the family altar, that the father might bless his house and hasten to Edinburgh.  The commissioners who had been appointed to lead the people in Covenanting were on the ground at break of day.

The Covenant of 1581 was chosen for the present occasion.  Two generations had passed since that solemn bond had lifted the kingdom into holiest relation with God.  Nearly all the Covenanted fathers of that event had finished their testimony and were gone; only here and there a patriarchal voice was heard telling of that solemn day and deed.  The grand-children had lost much of the fervor, power, purpose, holy enthusiasm, dread of God’s majesty, fellowship with Jesus Christ, and raptures in the Holy Spirit—­had lost many of the countless and unspeakable blessings descending from the sure Covenant made with God and kept by their fathers.  Fifty-seven years had elapsed and many changes had occurred.  Henderson, by appointment, added to the Covenant what was necessary to make it applicable to their times.

The Holy Spirit came in great power upon thousands and tens of thousands on that eventful morning; the day was bringing heaven’s best blessings to the Church and the nation.  It was still winter; but not frozen roads, nor drifting snows, nor lowering clouds, nor biting winds, could stay the people.  Many men and women, old and young, were far on their way before the sun had softened the rasping air.  They came on foot and on horses, in carriages and in wagons, through the valleys, over the mountains, along the highways and the lanes, pouring into the jubilant city from all directions as rivers of enthusiastic