the time of general destruction in the sixteenth century, but the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland ordered the "many idolatrous
monuments erected and made for religious worship" to be "taken down,
demolished, and destroyed." It was not till two years later, however,
that the cross was taken down when an Act was passed "anent the
Idolatrous Monuments in Ruthwell." It was shattered, and some of the
carved emblems were nearly obliterated, and in this state the rood was
left where it had fallen, in the altarless church, and was used, it
appears, as a bench to sit upon. Later on it was removed from the church
and left out in the churchyard. But after many years, a good old
minister (God rest his soul!) collected all the pieces he could find,
and put them together, adding two new crossbeams (the original ones
were lost), and having gaps filled in with little pieces of stone.

By-and-by there was a waking up to the importance of preserving ancient
monuments (idolatrous! or not), and so the dear, beautiful old rood that
had been so near to destruction, and been indeed so greatly injured, was
brought into the church again, and set up near its old place. But, alas!
for its old surroundings!

It is a sad story, is it not?

Shall we not pray that, one day, our old crosses may be, to all, more
than "ancient monuments"?

"This stone which I have set up ... shall be called the house of God"
(Gen. xxviii, 22).