“One time, among many, he[32] designed to administrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper; and before the time cam, he assured the people that the devil would be envious of the good work they were to go about,—that he was afraid he would be permitted to raise a storm in the air with a speat of rain, to raise the water, designing to drown some of them; but it will not be within the compass of his power to drown any of you, no not so much as a dog. Accordingly it came to pass, on _Monday_, when they were dismissing, they saw a man all in black, entering the water to wade, a little above them; they were afraid, the water being big; immediately he lost his feet, (as they apprehended,) and came down lying on his back, and waving his hand. The people ran and got ropes, and threw in to him; and tho’ there were ten or twelve men upon the ropes, they were in danger of being drowned into the water: Mr. Semple, looking on, cryed, ‘Quit the ropes and let him go, (he saw who it was,) ’tis the devil, ’tis the devil; he will burn, but not drown; and, by drowning you, would have God dishonoured, because He hath gotten some glory to His free grace, in being kind to mony of your souls at this time. Oh! he is a subtile wylie devil, that lies at the catch, waiting his opportunity, that now, when ye have heard all ye will get at this occasion, his design is to raise a confusion among you, to get all out of your minds that ye have heard, and off your spirits that ye have felt.’ He earnestly exhorted them all to keep in mind what they had heard and seen, and to retain what they had attained, and to go home blessing God for all, and that the devil was disappointed of his hellish design. All search was made in the country, to find out if any man was lost, but none could be heard of; from whence all concluded that it was the devil.” According to Patrick, this same Mr. Semple was remarkable for much discernment and sagacity, besides that which was necessary for the detection of devils. From the following “passage,” the reader will observe that he was equally acute in the detection of witches. “While a neighbouring minister was distributing tokens before the sacrament, Mr. Semple standing by, and seeing him reaching a token to a woman, said, ‘Hold your hand; that Woman hath got too many tokens already, for she is a witch;’ of which none suspected her then: yet afterwards she confessed herself to be a witch, and was put to death for the same.”