sermon to them he warned them not to worst dungeon possible on the . forget and go away from the truths he It was damp and filthy, and the sea water had taught. He said that the hard times often splashed in through the window. would be like a storm that lasted for a long time. But the sky would clear and But instead of dying, Thomas Hog YOUNG the troubles would come to an end. actually got better! It was a very strange sort of medicine that did him good! After Thomas Hog went to live in a farmhouse some time he was released and went back in another part of the Highlands. He to carry on his work. He was arrested and Bulwark preached in the farmhouse but then put in prison another time but now the the services had to be held in the barns government said he must leave because the house was too small for altogether. He went to England and then everyone who came. Then the barns were Holland. too small for everyone to get in. They now had their services in the woods and When a new king called William of Orange Thomas Hog in a field where there was a little dip in came, the faithful ministers were able to the ground. Hog used a big boulder as a go back to their churches without being of Kiltearn pulpit. forced into wrong beliefs. Hog could go back to his old congregation once again. Thomas Hog was a faithful minister in the the death he had died. “He is my life, my When the authorities heard about it they But Thomas Hog was much older and very . The faithful ministers heaven and my all!” One special promise sent solders to arrest Hog, and they put weak in his body. It was not long before he of this time were called Covenanters. from the Bible told him that God would him in prison. Even in prison he spoke to would leave this world. This is because they would not break the never leave him. He was going to need everyone about the Lord Jesus and some promise or Covenant that they had made this promise in difficult times. were converted. When he was released, But his faith had not become weak; he to God, even though it meant suffering. he went back to carry on with the secret showed this at the time of his death. He became a chaplain to a nobleman meetings. The soldiers came to arrest “Never did the sun shine more brightly As a boy, Thomas worked hard at school. in the Highlands. He had to teach and him a few times but God kept him safe so to the eyes of my body”, he said to a More importantly, he was careful to live instruct the family and servants but he that they did not find out where he was friend who visited him, “than Christ, according to God’s Word. When he went learned many spiritual lessons himself hiding. Later on he was again arrested the Sun of Righteousness hath shined to university, he wanted to be with people from the nobleman’s godly wife. Then and put in prison. on my soul”. He described the strength who loved God. He loved the things of he became a minister in a of his faith to someone else, “I cannot God. This was a very good thing but it village. He was faithful in visiting people The first prison was bad enough but then give a look to the Lord but I am fully did not make him a true believer from the in their homes, praying with them, and they sent him to the Bass Rock. This was persuaded of his eternal love. He has heart. He had not yet been born again. teaching them from the Bible. People had a small island in the sea which was a very assured me a hundred times that I shall many superstitious ideas that he had to high rock. The government bought it so be with Him forever.” The old promise It was not enough to do the right things correct. He preached the Gospel of Jesus that they could have a horrible prison received all those years before had never and say the right things, Thomas needed Christ faithfully. Many were converted. for the faithful ministers. It was a scary been broken; God had never left him a new heart. He came to see that all his place in the storms, and food and water in all of his troubles. He said that “the good deeds were no better than filthy But this time was coming to an end. often ran out. Here he was kept in one of unchangeableness of my God is my rags. They would not save him. He saw Thomas Hog was one of the many the terrible dungeons. He was getting rock.” Now he could face death knowing that his sins were terrible in the sight of ministers who had to leave their very ill and his doctor pleaded with the that, even in this, God would be with him. God. He felt this very, very deeply. He congregations because they would not government to set him free or he would His last words were, “Now he is come, came to see that he could only trust in disobey the Lord Jesus. His people were die. Instead of listening to this the my Lord is come; praise, praise him for the life that the Lord Jesus had lived and sad because they loved him. In his last government ordered him to be put in the evermore.”

20 The Bulwark October - December 2018 21 1628 Hog asked for these words to Key Born in Tain, Ross-shire. be carved on a stone at Kiltearn Thomas church: “This stone shall bear 1638 witness against the parishioners Dates National Covenant signed. of Kiltearn if they bring an Hog Name: Createdungodly with TheTeachersCorner.net minister in here.” Word Search Maker 1654 Word SearchThomas Hog Becomes minister of Kiltearn, CELEENICIDEMIFIYNVIW Ross-shire. LPZYILLDOKWCWXMZLEEV 1660 Charles II becomes king. ARHLPOADJRFTATJWNOAV BOMWRRELCEDHMAXACQOF 1662 HMESIFSRVDNINQMDWQCZ Forced out of his parish, he moves to Auldearn near . EIQBSTXHPLARNENTMPDY 1668 NSMPODAUTULZLYWFBPTA Imprisoned for preaching NEBWNNOFSOLBLTAJSQGK at “illegal” services but 1677 afterwards released. AITRJIKYHBOYSRUYTAJY Imprisoned on Bass Rock WRMURAEYVNHAMPPZWTQH and later released. TNPHCLGTJLEHLHPEOPEP 1679 NIVKNPNIQPOFTKAZRDUP Imprisoned in Edinburgh for a short time. GABPTANSOUXRZHKCYHPE 1684 RTGVNHMRSVQRYKIVGHQB Sentenced to be banished from SFSEYCKEAJHCCHMGGTOD Scotland and arrested in London. 1684 EKVIAVRVZILLEGALRIKG After release Hog went ZORJASFIAWBCQSJHJLOD to Holland. COCIWUGNJWRHGMGVADMR 1688 IGONVNYUCPSWVTKNDHWD Returned to Scotland. RBIKGLHZKWTEOLSXZKVS 1691 COVENANT PROMISE TAIN Appointed chaplain to King BOULDER FARMHOUSECOVENANt PROMISEILLEGAL TAIN William III and returned to UNIVERSITY NOBLEMANBOULDER FARMHOUSECHAPLAIN ILLEGAL 1692 parish of Kiltearn, Ross-shire. HOLLAND PRISONUNIVERSITY NOBLEMANMEDICINECHAPLAIN Thomas Hog dies. HOLLAND PRISON MEDICINE

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