“The ruinous Church of Ferne was of old an Abbacy of White Friars (see Keith’s Catalogue, p. 247). The roof of flagstones, with part of a side wall, was beat down in an instant by thunder and lightning on Sunday, October 10th, 1742, and so crushed and bruised forty persons, that they were scarcely to be discovered, who or what they were, and therefore, were buried promiscuously, without any manner of distinction. The gentry, having luckily their seats in the niches, were saved from the sudden crash, as was the preacher by the sounding-boards falling upon the pulpit, and his bowing down under it. Great numbers were wounded (see Scot’s Magazine for 1742, p. 485). But there is a most material circumstance not mentioned, which has been carefully concealed from the publishers, and it is this: By a Providential event, this was the first Sunday that the Rev. and often-mentioned Mr. Stewart, had a congregation near Cadboll, in view of Ferne, whereby many lives were saved, as the kirk was far from being so throng as usual, and that he and his people, upon coming out from worship, and seeing the dismal falling-in just when it happened, hastened with all speed to the afflictive spot, and dragged many of the wounded out of the rubbish, whose cries would have pierced a heart of adamant. Had not this been the happy case, I speak within bounds when I say two, if not three, to one, would have perished. Some of the wounded died. This church has been a large and lofty building, as the walls are very high, and still standing.” It has been suggested that the prediction was fulfilled by the falling to pieces of the Church at the Disruption; but we would be loth to stake the reputation of our prophet on this assumption. Another, supposed by some to be fulfilled by the annual visits of the militia for their annual drill, is—“That when a wood on the Muir of Ord grows to a man’s height, regiments of soldiers shall be seen there drawn up in battle order.” In connection with the battle, or battles, at Cille-Chriosd and the Muir of Ord, Mr. Macintyre says:—The Seer foretold that “Fear Ruadh an Uird (the Red Laird of Ord) would be carried home, wounded, on blankets”. Whether this saying has reference to an event looming in the distant future, or is a fragment of a tradition regarding sanguinary events well known in the history of Cille-Chriosd, and of which a full and graphic account, both in prose and verse, can be seen on pp. 82-86 and 136-139, Vol. I. of the _Celtic Magazine_, it is impossible to say. [Illustration] [Illustration] PROPHECIES WHOLLY OR PARTLY FULFILLED.