Suggested on hearin’ the Rev. John M McQuitty, B.A., very eloquently preach a suitable sermon in Heich Kirk, Bellamaina, on Sabbath evening last tae the public generally, bit mair particularly tae the “Seven Towers Royal Lilies,” noo sae weel an’ fragrantly known in the sweet wurl’ o’ botany as bein’ adorners o’ that guid auld freenly society “The British Order o’ Ancient Free Gerners.”  Text, Romans, 14, v7, “For none of us liveth unto himself.”

Dear sur an’ freens, “Free Gerner” means
A man ur woman guid,
Wha kens the truth boot health an’ youth,
An’ therefore lucks aheid.

By layin’ past ere shadows cast
A gloom across the way,
Thin like the ant they’ll feel nae want
Whun comes the rainey day.

Which comes, alas, tae class an’ mass,
Sae tak’ this hint frae me,
Provide in time, it’s no’ a crime
Whun yins fa’ seick ur dee.

Anither thoucht sincere as oucht,
Wae pride I write it doon,
I like the rest, bit luve “John” best
As native o’ oor toon.

We aften read o’ prophets guid
No’ honoured much at hame;
Bit he’s a star that near an’ far
Is shinin’ guid in fame.

Bit frae the man tae message gran’,
Freens, please a moment turn;
An’ as we think may it jist sink
Intae each heart, an’ burn.

“Nane fur himsel’ on earth can dwel’,”
A text o’ Scripture plain,
That frae each heart shud ne’er depart
Until we reach abane.

“The hame,” said he, “is whar that we
Got bended wrang ur richt;
Companions nixt oor future fixt
Accordin’ tae thir licht.”

Nane need despair, fur Christ, the fair,
If let within us dwel’,
Wud move us so, speakin’ ur no’,
Influensin’ tae tel’

Which wul lieve on whun we are gone;
Therefore al’ oucht tae see
That whut we say an’ what we dae
Is fur eternity.

The sermon bricht wus like the nicht,
No’ dry, av coarse, like some;
May it tak’ root an’ bear much fruit
In days that are to come.

“A FLOWER OF THE MAINE”
Cullybackey 3rd October 1910