TheKirkOfScotland'sAlarm

thekirkofscotland'salarm

aballad.

tune—“comerouse,brothersportsman!”

orthodox!orthodox,whobelieveinjohnknox,

letmesoundanalarmtoyourconscience:

ahereticblasthasbeenblowninthewest,

“thatwhatisnosensemustbenonsense,”

orthodox!thatwhatisnosensemustbenonsense.

doctormac!doctormac,youshouldstreekonarack,

tostrikeevil-doerswi'terror:

tojoinfaithandsense,uponanypretence,

washeretic,damnableerror,

doctormac!'twasheretic,damnableerror.

townofayr!townofayr,itwasmad,ideclare,

tomeddlewi'mischiefa-brewing,

provostjohnisstilldeaftothechurch'srelief,

andoratorbobisitsruin,

townofayr!yes,oratorbobisitsruin.

d'rymplemild!d'rymplemild,tho'yourheart'slikeachild,

andyourlifelikethenew-drivensnaw,

yetthatwinnasaveyou,auldsatanmusthaveyou,

forpreachingthatthree'sanean'twa,

d'rymplemild!forpreachingthatthree'sanean'twa.

rumblejohn!rumblejohn,mountthestepswithagroan,

crythebookiswithheresycramm'd;

thenoutwi'yourladle,dealbrimstonelikeaidle,

androarev'rynoteofthedamn'd.

rumblejohn!androarev'rynoteofthedamn'd.

simperjames!simperjames,leaveyourfairkilliedames,

there'saholierchaseinyourview:

i'lllayonyourhead,thatthepackyou'llsoonlead,

forpuppieslikeyouthere'sbutfew,

simperjames!forpuppieslikeyouthere'sbutfew.

singetsawnie!singetsawnie,areyehuirdinthepenny,

unconsciouswhatevilsawait?

withajump,yell,andhowl,alarmev'rysoul,

forthefoulthiefisjustatyourgate.

singetsawnie!forthefoulthiefisjustatyourgate.

poetwillie!poetwillie,giethedoctoravolley,

wi'your“liberty'schain”andyourwit;

o'erpegasus'sideyene'erlaidastride,

yebutsmelt,man,theplacewherehesh—t.

poetwillie!yebutsmeltman,theplacewherehesh—t.

barrsteenie!barrsteenie,whatmeanye,whatmeanye?

ifyemeddlenaemairwi'thematter,

yemayhaesomepretencetohavinsandsense,

wi'peoplethatkenyenaebetter,

barrsteenie!wi'peoplethatkenyenaebetter.

jamiegoose!jamiegoose,yemadebuttoomroose,

inhuntingthewickedlieutenant;