WALTER MILL. From the Scots Worthies

WALTER MILL. [The death of this martyr is said to have contributed most effectually to the downfall of popery, in Scotland. He was born about the year 1476, and, having taken orders in the church, became priest of Luna n, in Angus-shire. But having imbibed the reformed opinions, and left off the saying of mass, he was so early as the year 1538, arrested and condemned. He escaped, however, for his life into Germany, where he remained about twenty years. He then returned home, and having attempted to render himself useful, by instructing his neighbours in the protestant faith, he was again taken and condemned as a heretic. His conduct whilst on trial, powerfully evinced the sincerity of his faith, and made a deep impression on all who witnessed it. The following is a short account of what took place at his death :] All things being prepared, he was led forth with a guard of armed men to execution. Being come to the place, some cried out to him to recant, to whom he answered, "I marvel at your rage, ye hypocrites, who do so cruelly pursue the servants of God; as for me, I am now eighty-two years old, and cannot live long by course of nature; but an hundred shall rise out of my ashes, who shall scatter you, ye hypocrites, and persecutors of God's people; and such of you as now think yourselves the best, shall not die such an honest death as I now do. I trust in God, I shall be the last who shall suffer death, in this fashion, for this cause, in this land."* Thus his constancy in * This sentiment, but for the cautious and modest language in which it is expressed, might well have been deemed prophetical, for reasons quite as satisfactory as those on which it has been alleged that statements ascribed to others of the Worthies were of this character. We know not whether, in point of fact, it has ever been regarded in this light, but it must be evident to every one who reflects on the subject, that, but for the preliminary clause, "I trust in God," by which its meaning and reference is so very properly limited, the expression of the dying martyr would have been a prediction, whose fulfilment was proved, by the record of after history.

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