the annals of the parish-第35部分

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in　this　year　anent　my　resignation；　but　during　the　winter；　Mrs　Balwhidder　was　often　grieved；　in　the　bad　weather；　that　I　should　preach；　and；　in　short；　so　worked　upon　my　affections；　that　I　began　to　think　it　was　fitting　for　me　to　comply　with　the　advice　of　my　friends。　　Accordingly；　in　the　course　of　the　winter；　the　elders　began　to　cast　about　for　a　helper；　and　during　the　bleak　weather　in　the　ensuing　spring；　several　young　men　spared　me　from　the　necessity　of　preaching。　　But　this　relates　to　the　concerns　of　the　next　and　last　year　of　my　ministry。　　So　I　will　now　proceed　to　give　an　account　of　it；　very　thankful　that　I　have　been　permitted；　in　unmolested　tranquillity；　to　bring　my　history　to　such　a　point。



CHAPTER　LI　　YEAR　1810



My　tasks　are　all　near　a　close；　and　in　writing　this　final　record　of　my　ministry；　the　very　sound　of　my　pen　admonishes　me　that　my　life　is　a　burden　on　the　back　of　flying　Time；　that　he　will　soon　be　obliged　to　lay　down　in　his　great　storehousethe　grave。　　Old　age　has；　indeed；　long　warned　me　to　prepare　for　rest；　and　the　darkened　windows　of　my　sight　show　that　the　night　is　coming　on；　while　deafness；　like　a　door　fast　barred；　has　shut　out　all　the　pleasant　sounds　of　this　world；　and　inclosed　me；　as　it　were；　in　a　prison；　even　from　the　voices　of　my　friends。

I　have　lived　longer　than　the　common　lot　of　man；　and　I　have　seen；　in　my　time；　many　mutations　and　turnings；　and　ups　and　downs；　notwithstanding　the　great　spread　that　has　been　in　our　national　prosperity。　　I　have　beheld　them　that　were　flourishing　like　the　green　bay…trees；　made　desolate；　and　their　branches　scattered。　　But；　in　my　own　estate；　I　have　had　a　large　and　liberal　experience　of　goodness。

At　the　beginning　of　my　ministry　I　was　reviled　and　rejected；　but　my　honest　endeavours　to　prove　a　faithful　shepherd　were　blessed　from　on　high；　and　rewarded　with　the　affection　of　my　flock。　　Perhaps；　in　the　vanity　of　doting　old　age；　I　thought　in　this　there　was　a　merit　due　to　myself；　which　made　the　Lord　to　send　the　chastisement　of　the　Canaille　schism　among　my　people；　for　I　was　then　wroth　without　judgment；　and　by　my　heat　hastened　into　an　open　division　the　flaw　that　a　more　considerate　manner　might　have　healed。　　But　I　confess　my　fault；　and　submit　my　cheek　to　the　smiter；　and　now　I　see　that　the　finger　of　Wisdom　was　in　that　probation；　and　it　was　far　better　that　the　weavers　meddled　with　the　things　of　God；　which　they　could　not　change；　than　with　those　of　the　King；　which　they　could　only　harm。　　In　that　matter；　however；　I　was　like　our　gracious　monarch　in　the　American　war；　for　though　I　thereby　lost　the　pastoral　allegiance　of　a　portion　of　my　people；　in　like　manner　as　he　did　of　his　American　subjects；　yet；　after　the　separation；　I　was　enabled　so　to　deport　myself；　that　they　showed　me　many　voluntary　testimonies　of　affectionate　respect；　and　which　it　would　be　a　vain　glory　in　me　to　rehearse　here。　　One　thing　I　must　record；　because　it　is　as　much　to　their　honour　as　it　is　to　mine。

When　it　was　known　that　I　was　to　preach　my　last　sermon；　every　one　of　those　who　had　been　my　hearers；　and　who　had　seceded　to　the　Canaille　meeting；　made　it　a　point　that　day　to　be　in　the　parish　kirk；　and　to　stand　in　the　crowd；　that　made　a　lane　of　reverence　for　me　to　pass　from　the　kirk…door　to　the　back…yett　of　the　manse。　　And　shortly　after；　a　deputation　of　all　their　brethren；　with　their　minister　at　their　head；　came　to　me　one　morning；　and　presented　to　me　a　server　of　silver；　in　token；　as　they　were　pleased　to　say；　of　their　esteem　for　my　blameless　life；　and　the　charity　that　I　had　practised　towards　the　poor　of　all　sects　in　the　neighbourhood；　which　is　set　forth　in　a　well…penned　inscription；　written　by　a　weaver　lad　that　works　for　his　daily　bread。　　Such　a　thing　would　have　been　a　prodigy　at　the　beginning　of　my　ministry；　but　the　progress　of　book…learning　and　education　has　been　wonderful　since；　and　with　it　has　come　a　spirit　of　greater　liberality　than　the　world　knew　before；　bringing　men　of　adverse　principles　and　doctrines　into　a　more　humane　communion　with　each　other；　showing　that　it's　by　the　mollifying　influence　of　knowledge　the　time　will　come　to　pass；　when　the　tiger　of　papistry　shall　lie　down　with　the　lamb　of　reformation；　and　the　vultures　of　prelacy　be　as　harmless　as　the　presbyterian　doves；　when　the　independent；　the　anabaptist；　and　every　other　order　and　denomination　of　Christians；　not　forgetting　even　those　poor　wee　wrens　of　the　Lord；　the　burghers　and　anti…burghers；　who　will　pick　from　the　hand　of　patronage；　and　dread　no　snare。

On　the　next　Sunday；　after　my　farewell　discourse；　I　took　the　arm　of　Mrs　Balwhidder；　and　with　my　cane　in　my　hand；　walked　to　our　own　pew；　where　I　sat　some　time；　but；　owing　to　my　deafness；　not　being　able　to　hear；　I　have　not　since　gone　back　to　the　church。　　But　my　people　are　fond　of　having　their　weans　still　christened　by　me；　and　the　young　folk；　such　as　are　of　a　serious　turn；　come　to　be　married　at　my　hands；　believing；　as　they　say；　that　there　is　something　good　in　the　blessing　of　an　aged　gospel　minister。　　But　even　this　remnant　of　my　gown　I　must　lay　aside；　for　Mrs　Balwhidder　is　now　and　then　obliged　to　stop　me　in　my　prayers；　as　I　sometimes　wanderpronouncing　the　baptismal　blessing　upon　a　bride　and　bridegroom；　talking　as　if　they　were　already　parents。　　I　am　thankful；　however；　that　I　have　been　spared　with　a　sound　mind　to　write　this　book　to　the　end；　but　it　is　my　last　task；　and；　indeed；　really　I　have　no　more　to　say；　saving　only　to　wish　a　blessing　on　all　people　from　on　high；　where　I　soon　hope　to　be；　and　to　meet　there　all　the　old　and　long…departed　sheep　of　my　flock；　especially　the　first　and　second　Mrs　Balwhidders。



Footnotes：

｛1｝　　Dreghorn；　Ayrshire；　two　miles　from　Irvine。

｛2｝　　Irvine；　Ayrshire。

｛3｝　　Cognac。





End