During the 16th century the Scottish protestant church was persecuted and forced to meet in homes to teach the word of God and administer the sacraments. "Privy" means secret, private, personal or unofficial. "Kirk" is the Scottish word for church. God continued His work in Scotland even in such a backward way. Sometimes God uses unusual means to do His work and chooses unlikely people to speak His word. Then the world knows it can only be a sovereign, supreme, almighty God that can do such a thing.
