The Journal of Cotton Adams #13

July 2, 1739

Just rode into Skintag, Kentucky where I breakfasted with the senior minister, Mr. Loogy Raman, a pious and friendly man. At six in the evening I began preaching in the church and with uncommon liberty of spirit. My sermon was to a church filled with Calvinists and entitled, "We Calvinists".
My first point of the message was, "We Calvinists should be better witnesses" and from there I expounded on spreading, not only the Gospel, but the whole counsel of God.
After ten minutes, I went to my next point which was, "We Calvinists should be better worshippers", since we are more in a frame of mind to be humble at the Grace God richly bestowed.
I followed that with, "We Calvinists should be better servants", when a tiny man in a kilt and a set of bagpipes wrapped around his torso stood up and yelled,
"Yew dinnae huv to single us out laddie! Be ye wee or be ye leviathan…it's still th' responsibility of us ALL!"
And with that, he started playing his bagpipes as he walked out the church and into the dark forest.
I learned two things that day.
One, to chose my words carefully so as not to be misunderstood by anyone.
And two, bagpipes act as a protection. It scares any and every animal away so that one is able to safely arrive home.
I think it may work on wicked highwaymen as well.