At the first coming of the said John Knox, divers who had a zeal to godliness made small scruple to go to the Mass, or to communicate with the abused sacraments in the papistical manner. Perceiving this, he began, in privy conference as well as in preaching, to show the impiety of the Mass, and how dangerous it was to participate in any way with idolatry. The consciences of some were affrighted, and the matter began to agitate from man to man. So the said John was called to supper by the Laird of Dun for that purpose, and there were convened David Forrest, Master Robert Lockhart, John Willock, and William Maitland of Lethington, younger, a man of good learning, and of sharp wit and reasoning. The question was proposed, and it was answered by the said John that it was nowise lawful to a Christian to present himself to that idol. Nothing was omitted that might make for the temporiser, and yet was every head fully answered, and especially one wherein they thought their great defence stood, to wit, that Paul, at the commandment of James and the elders of Jerusalem, went to the temple and feigned to pay his vow with others. After a full discussion, William Maitland concluded, saying, "I see perfectly that our shifts will serve nothing before God, seeing that they stand us in so small stead before man." The answer of John Knox to the act of Paul, and to the commandment of James, was that Paul's act had nothing to do with their going to the Mass. To pay vows was sometimes God's commandment, and was never idolatry: but the Mass was from the beginning, and still remained odious idolatry. "Secondarily," said he, "I greatly doubt whether either James's commandment or Paul's obedience proceeded from the Holy Ghost...." After these and like reasonings, the Mass began to be abhorred by such as before had frequented it for the fashion, and for avoidance of slander, as then they termed it. [Sidenote: John Knox preaches in different Parts, and administers the Lord's Table.] At the request of the Laird of Dun, John Knox followed him to his place of Dun, where he remained a month, daily occupied in preaching; and the principal men of that country were among his audiences. After his return, his residence was most in Calder. The Lord Erskine that now is, the Earl of Argyll, then Lord of Lorne, and Lord James Stewart, then Prior of St. Andrews, and now Earl of Moray, came to Calder and so approved his doctrine that they expressed a desire that it should have been public. That same winter he taught commonly in Edinburgh; and, after Yule, on the invitation of the Laird of Barr and Robert Campbell of Kinyeancleuch, he came to Kyle, and taught in the Barr, in the house of the Carnell, in the Kinyeancleuch, in the town of Ayr, and in the houses of Ochiltree and Gadgirth, and in some of them he ministered the Lord's Table.