"John and William Pates being called it was intimated to John by the Moderator that his son William having been playing frequently upon the Lord's Day and for enticing and enfaring other people's children in the neighbourhood to do the fame (same)..... the session had convened him before them to be admonished and exhorted to keep his son under a sticker Discipline, and to take more care to have him within doors upon the Lord's day."

Elders were even appointed to check the parish on Sunday evenings to

"observe those that abuse the Lord's day by idling it away in the fields or by walking or otherwise."

Margaret Finn and Elizabeth Walker, both wives of salters and resident in the "Cuttle", appeared before the session accused of "scolding and fighting" there. Witnesses told of Margaret Finn's bleeding Margaret Walker by dashing her head against the Salt-pan and cutting her face on it. Both women promised to behave better or risk public rebuke before the congregation.

Some examples from later in the century show that change came slowly.

At the rebuilding of the church in 1774 the price of seats in the gallery and the area that a bottom could take up was fixed at 18" x 26" payable in proportion to the area occupied. To be paid each Whitsunday.

Dr Struthers notes in his research that the Session Clerk of around 1725, a Mr William Adam mislaid several of the important documents of the Kirk Session. He indicates that no trace can be found of them in 1850.

Due to an Act of Parliament 28th April 1795 the Church had to raise one man to serve in the Navy. The advert offered 20 Guineas to any volunteer.