the annals of the parish-第18部分

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tes　close　on　themthey　are　all　shut　up　in　hell。〃

There　was　a　sough　in　the　kirk　as　I　said　these　words；　for　the　vision　I　described　seemed　to　be　passing　before　me　as　I　spoke；　and　I　felt　as　if　I　had　witnessed　the　everlasting　destruction　of　Antichrist；　and　the　worshippers　of　the　Beast。　　But　soon　recovering　myself；　I　said　in　a　soft　and　gentle　manner；　〃Look　at　yon　lovely　creature　in　virgin…　raiment；　with　the　Bible　in　her　hand。　　See　how　mildly　she　walks　along；　giving　alms　to　the　poor　as　she　passes　on　towards　the　door　of　that　lowly　dwellingLet　us　follow　her　inShe　takes　her　seat　in　the　chair　at　the　bedside　of　the　poor　old　dying　sinner；　and　as　he　tosses　in　the　height　of　penitence　and　despair；　she　reads　to　him　the　promise　of　the　Saviour'This　night　thou　shalt　be　with　me　in　Paradise；'　and　he　embraces　her　with　transports；　and；　falling　back　on　his　pillow；　calmly　closes　his　eyes　in　peace。　　She　is　the　true　religion；　and　when　I　see　what　she　can　do　even　in　the　last　moments　of　the　guilty；　well　may　we　exclaim；　when　we　think　of　the　symbols　and　pageantry　of　the　departed　superstition；　Can　I　hear　any　more　the　voice　of　singing　men　and　singing　women？　　No；　let　us　cling　to　the　simplicity　of　the　Truth　that　is　now　established　in　our　native　land。〃

At　the　conclusion　of　this　clause　of　my　discourse；　the　congregation；　which　had　been　all　so　still　and　so　solemn；　never　coughing；　as　was　often　the　case　among　my　people；　gave　a　great　rustle；　changing　their　positions；　by　which　I　was　almost　overcome；　however；　I　took　heart　and　ventured　on；　and　pointed　out　that；　with　our　Bible　and　an　orthodox　priesthood；　we　stood　in　no　need　of　the　king's　authority；　however　bound　we　were；　in　temporal　things；　to　respect　it；　and　I　showed　this　at　some　length；　crying　out　in　the　words　of　my　text；　〃Wherefore；　then；　should　thy　servant　be　yet　a　burden　to　the　king？〃　in　the　saying　of　which　I　happened　to　turn　my　eyes　towards　his　grace　the　Commissioner；　as　he　sat　on　the　throne；　and　I　thought　his　countenance　was　troubled；　which　made　me　add；　that　he　might　not　think　I　meant　him　any　offence；　〃That　the　King　of　the　Church　was　one　before　whom　the　great；　and　the　wise；　and　the　goodall　doomed　and　sentenced　convictsimplore　his　mercy。〃　　〃It　is　true；〃　said　I；　〃that　in　the　days　of　his　tribulation　he　was　wounded　for　our　iniquities；　and　died　to　save　us；　but；　at　his　death；　his　greatness　was　proclaimed　by　the　quick　and　the　dead。　　There　was　sorrow；　and　there　was　wonder；　and　there　was　rage；　and　there　was　remorse；　but　there　was　no　shame　there…　…none　blushed　on　that　day　at　that　sight　but　yon　glorious　luminary。〃　The　congregation　rose；　and　looked　round；　as　the　sun　that　I　pointed　at　shone　in　at　the　window。　　I　was　disconcerted　by　their　movement；　and　my　spirit　was　spent；　so　that　I　could　say　no　more。

When　I　came　down　from　the　pulpit；　there　was　a　great　pressing　in　of　acquaintance　and　ministers；　who　lauded　me　exceedingly；　but　I　thought　it　could　be　only　in　derision；　therefore　I　slipped　home　to　Mrs　M'Vicar's　as　fast　as　I　could。

Mrs　M'Vicar；　who　was　a　clever；　hearing…all　sort　of　a　neighbour；　said　my　sermon　was　greatly　thought　of；　and　that　I　had　surprised　everybody；　but　I　was　fearful　there　was　something　of　jocularity　at　the　bottom　of　this；　for　she　was　a　flaunty　woman；　and　liked　well　to　give　a　good…humoured　gibe　or　jeer。　　However；　his　grace　the　Commissioner　was　very　thankful　for　the　discourse；　and　complimented　me　on　what　he　called　my　apostolical　earnestness；　but　he　was　a　courteous　man；　and　I　could　not　trust　to　him；　especially　as　my　lord　Eaglesham　had　told　me　in　secrecy　beforeit's　true；　it　was　in　his　gallanting　waythat；　in　speaking　of　the　king's　servant　as　I　had　done；　I　had　rather　gone　beyond　the　bounds　of　modern　moderation。　Altogether；　I　found　neither　pleasure　nor　profit　in　what　was　thought　so　great　an　honour；　but　longed　for　the　privacy　of　my　own　narrow　pasture；　and　little　flock。

It　was　in　this　visit　to　Edinburgh　that　Mrs　Balwhidder　bought　her　silver　teapot；　and　other　ornamental　articles；　but　this　was　not　done；　as　she　assured　me；　in　a　vain　spirit　of　bravery；　which　I　could　not　have　abided；　but　because　it　was　well　known　that　tea　draws　better　in　a　silver　pot；　and　drinks　pleasanter　in　a　china　cup；　than　out　of　any　other　kind　of　cup　or　teapot。

By　the　time　I　got　home　to　the　manse；　I　had　been　three　whole　weeks　and　five　days　absent；　which　was　more　than　all　my　absences　together；　from　the　time　of　my　placing；　and　my　people　were　glowing　with　satisfaction　when　they　saw　us　driving　in　a　Glasgow　chaise　through　the　clachan　to　the　manse。

The　rest　of　the　year　was　merely　a　quiet　succession　of　small　incidents；　none　of　which　are　worthy　of　notation；　though　they　were　all　severally；　no　doubt；　of　aught　somewhere；　as　they　took　us　both　time　and　place　in　the　coming　to　pass；　and　nothing　comes　to　pass　without　helping　onwards　to　some　great　end；　each　particular　little　thing　that　happens　in　the　world　being　a　seed　sown　by　the　hand　of　Providence　to　yield　an　increase；　which　increase　is　destined；　in　its　turn；　to　minister　to　some　higher　purpose；　until　at　last　the　issue　affects　the　whole　earth。　　There　is　nothing　in　all　the　world　that　doth　not　advance　the　cause　of　goodness；　no；　not　even　the　sins　of　the　wicked；　though；　through　the　dim　casement　of　her　mortal　tabernacle；　the　soul　of　man　cannot　discern　the　method　thereof。



CHAPTER　XXI　　YEAR　1780



This　was；　among　ourselves；　another　year　of　few　events。　　A　sound；　it　is　true；　came　among　us　of　a　design；　on　the　part　of　the　government　in　London；　to　bring　back　the　old　harlotry　of　papistry；　but　we　spent　our　time　in　the　lea　of　the　hedge；　and　the　lown　of　the　hill。　　Some　there　were　that　a　panic　seized　upon　when　they　heard　of　Lord　George　Gordon；　that　zealous　Protestant；　being　committed　to　the　Tower；　but　for　my　part；　I　had　no　terror　upon　me；　for　I　saw　all　things　around　me　going　forward　improving；　and　I　said　to　myself；　it　is　not　so　when　Providence　permits　scathe　and　sorrow　to　fall　upon　a　nation。　　Civil　troubles；　and　the　casting　down　of　thrones；　is　always　forewarned　by　want　and　poverty　striking　the　people。　　What　I　have；　therefore；　chiefly　to　record　as　the　memorables　of　this　year；　are　things　of　small　importthe　main　of　which　are；　that　some　of　the　neighbouring　lairds；　taking　example　by　Mr　Kibbock；　my　father…in…law　that　was；　began　in　this　fall　to　plant　the　tops　of　their　hills　with　mounts　of　fir…trees；　and　Mungo　Argyle；　the　exciseman；　just　herried　the　poor　smugglers　to　death；　and　made　a　power　of　prize…money；　which；　however；　had　not　the　wonted　effect　of　riches；　for　it　brought　him　no　honour；　and　he　lived　in　the　parish　like　a　leper；　or　any　other　kind　of　excommunicated　person。

But　I　should　not　forget　a　most　droll　thing　that　took　place　with　Jenny　Gaffaw；　and　her　daughter。　　They　had　been　missed　from　the　parish　for　some　days；　and　folk　began　to　be　uneasy　about　what　could　have　become　of　the　two　silly　creatures；　till　one　night；　at　the　dead　hour；　a　strange　light　was　seen　beaming　and　burning　at　the　window　of　the　bit　hole　where　they　lived。　　It　was　first　observed　by　Lady　Macadam；　who　never　went　to　bed　at　any　Christian　hour；　but　sat　up　reading　her　new　French　novels　and　play…books　with　Miss　Sabrina；　the　schoolmistress。　　She　gave　the　alarm；　thinking　that　such　a　great　and　continuous　light　from　a　lone　house；　where　never　candle　had　been　seen　before；　could　be　nothing　less　than　the　flame　of　a　burning。　　And　sending　Miss　Sabrina　and　the　servants　to　see　what　was　the　matter；　they　beheld　daft　Jenny；　and　her　as　daft　daughter；　with　a　score　of　candle　doups；　（Heaven　only　knows　where　they　got　them！）　placed　in　the　window；　and　the　twa　fools　dancing；　and　linking；　and　admiring　before　the　door。　　〃What's　all　this　about；　Jenny；〃　said　Miss　Sabrina。〃Awa'　wi'　you；　awa'　wi'　youye　wicked　pope；　ye　whore　of　Babylonis　na　it　for　the　glory　of　God；　and　the　Protestant　religion？　d'ye　think　I　will　be　a　pope　as　long　as　light　can　put　out　darkness？〃And　with　that　the　mother　and　daughter　began　again　to　leap　and　dance　as　madly　as　before。

It　seems　that　poor　Jenny；　having　heard　of　the　luminations　that　were　lighted　up　through　the　country　on　the　ending　of　the　Popish　Bill；　had；　with　Meg；　travelled　by　themselves　into　Glasgow；　where　they　had　gathered　or　begged　a　stock　of　candles；　and　coming　back　under　the　cloud　of　night；　had　surprised　and　alarmed　the　whole　clachan；　by　lighting　up　their　window　in　the　manner　that　I　have　described。　　Poor　Miss　Sabrina；　at　Jenny's　uncivil　salutation；　went　back　to　my　lady　with　her　heart　full；　and　would　fain　have　had　the　idiots　brought　to　task　before　the　session；　for　what　they　had　said　to　her。　　But　I　would　not　hear　tell　of　such　a　thing；　for　which　Miss　Sabrina　owed　me　a　grudge　that　was　not　soon　given　up。　　At　the　same　time；　I　was　grieved　to　see　the　testimonies　of　joyfulness　for　a　holy　victory；　brought　into　such　disrepute　by　the　ill…timed　demonstrations　of　the　two　irreclaimable　naturals；　that　had　not　a　true　conception　of　the　cause　for　which　they　were　triumphing。



CHAPTER　XXII　　YEAR　1781



If　the　two　last　years　passed　o'er　the　heads　of　me　and　my　people　without　any　manifest　dolour；　which　is　a　great　thing　to　say　for　so　long　a　period　in　this　world；　we　had　our　own　trials　and　tribulations　in　the　one　of　which　I　have　now　to　make　mention。　　Mungo　Argyle；　the　exciseman；　waxing　rich；　grew　proud　and　petulant；　and　would　have　ruled　the　country　side　with　a　rod　of　iron。　　Nothing　less　would　serve　him　than　a　fine　horse　to　ride　on；　and　a　world　of　other　conveniences　and　luxuries；　as　if　he　had　been　on　an　equality　with　gentlemen。　　And　he　bought　a　grand　gun；　which　was　called　a　fowling…piece；　and　he　had　two　pointer　dogs；　the　like　of　which　had　not　been　seen　in　the　parish　since　the　planting　of　the　Eaglesham…wood　on　the　moorland；　which　was　four　years　before　I　got　the　call。　　Every　body　said　the　man　was　fey；　and　truly；　when　I　remarked　him　so　gallant　and　gay　on　the　Sabbath　at　the　kirk；　and　noted　his　glowing　face　and　gleg　een；　I　thought　at　times　there　was　something　no　canny　about　him。　　It　was　indeed　clear　to　be　seen；　that　the　man　was　hurried　out　of　himself；　but　nobody　could　have　thought　that　the　death　he　was　to　dree　would　have　been　what　it　was。

About　the　end　of　summer　my　Lord　Eaglesham　came　to　the　castle；　bringing　with　him　an　English　madam；　that　was　his　Miss。　　Some　days　after　he　came　down　from　London；　as　he　was　riding　past　the　manse；　his　lordship　stopped　to　enquire　for　my　health；　and　I　went