Words are so much more than sounds in the air and much more than little black marks on a page, according to Moderator of the Church of Scotland Rt. Rev.

James Simpson.

Rev. Simpson addressed Hamilton Rotarians yesterday on the power of words and their religious connections to some of the world's most popular nursery rhymes.

"In the rhyme of `Jack and Jill' the water they went up the hill to fetch was holy water, and the well-known `Sing a Song of Sixpence' was inspired when King Henry VIII decided to confiscate Roman Catholic churches, monasteries, and convents,'' Rev. Simpson said.

He added: "Those responsible for acquiring the title deeds decided the best way to transfer them without being caught was to hide them in a pie. That is what they did.

"Wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the King? But one of the men involved, a John Horner, stole one of the title deeds. That is where we get the rhyme about Little Jack Horner who from the pie pulled out a plum. It was not a fruit plum but a plum property he got.'' Rev. Simpson also said that words have the power to heal or to hurt, to inspire, to put a lilt into our step, or to give us sleepless nights.

He added: "I doubt if the world has ever been so full of words as it is now.

All the wordy forms you have to fill in before you get anything, or are allowed to do anything.

"I leave you with one thought. If the pyramids had been built today just think of all the paper work that would have been involved.'' ROTARY SPEAKER -- Rt. Rev. James Simpson.