Sympathetic encouragement to persevere through persecution

 Posted at Reformation Scotland:

One of the insidious ways that authoritarian regimes often take to coerce dissidents is to target their families. Covenanters often had to work as whole families to stay strong under persecution. This was the case with the Covenanter Robert Ker, Laird of Kersland. While he was on the run in 1669, his wife, Barbara Montgomery, Lady Kersland was betrayed as someone who kept conventicles in her chambers. Armed men searched her room, discovered her husband in hiding, and arrested him. Although she was ill at the time, Lady Kersland reacted with calmness and composure. She exhorted her husband to do nothing out of regard to her or her children that might wound his conscience. As he was taken away, she reminded him of the text, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Robert and Barbara had five children, who seem to have been living with their mother at the time of their father’s arrest. One of the daughters was Jean Ker. She received the following letter from John Brown of Wamphray after her father was captured. John Brown used his own time of exile in Holland to write not only valuable books of theology, but also letters of consolation and encouragement to his friends at home. As the following updated letter shows, he writes kindly to Jean to maintain her courage, reminding her that God’s love is not inconsistent with the experience of difficulty, and confident of the rewards of glory which will follow a life of suffering.

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