the annals of the parish-第19节

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Robin　Bicker　was　soon　after　this　affair　removed　to　another　district；　and　we　got　in　his　place　one　Mungo　Argyle；　who　was　as　proud　as　a　provost；　being　come　of　Highland　parentage。　　Black　was　the　hour　he　came　among　my　people；　for　he　was　needy　and　greedy；　and　rode　on　the　top　of　his　commission。　　Of　all　the　manifold　ills　in　the　train　of　smuggling；　surely　the　excisemen　are　the　worst；　and　the　setting　of　this　rabiator　over　us　was　a　severe　judgment　for　our　sins。　　But　he　suffered　for't；　and　peace　be　with　him　in　the　grave；　where　the　wicked　cease　from　troubling！

Willie　Malcolm；　the　youngest　son　of　his　mother；　had　by　this　time　learned　all　that　Mr　Lorimore；　the　schoolmaster；　could　teach；　and　as　it　was　evidenced　to　every　body；　by　his　mild　manners　and　saintliness　of　demeanour；　that　he　was　a　chosen　vessel；　his　mother　longed　to　fulfil　his　own　wish；　which　was　doubtless　the　natural　working　of　the　act　of　grace　that　had　been　shed　upon　him；　but　she　had　not　the　wherewithal　to　send　him　to　the　college　of　Glasgow；　where　he　was　desirous　to　study；　and　her　just　pride　would　not　allow　her　to　cess　his　brother…in…law；　the　Captain　Macadam；　whom；　I　should　now　mention；　was　raised　in　the　end　of　this　year；　as　we　read　in　the　newspapers；　to　be　a　major。　　I　thought　her　in　this　somewhat　unreasonable；　for　she　would　not　be　persuaded　to　let　me　write　to　the　captain；　but　when　I　reflected　on　the　good　that　Willie　Malcolm　might　in　time　do　as　a　preacher；　I　said　nothing　more　to　her；　but　indited　a　letter　to　the　Lord　Eaglesham；　setting　forth　the　lad's　parts；　telling　who　he　was　and　all　about　his　mother's　scruples；　and；　by　the　retour　of　the　post　from　London　his　lordship　sent　me　an　order　on　his　steward；　to　pay　me　twenty　pounds　towards　equipping　my　protegee；　as　he　called　Willie；　with　a　promise　to　pay　for　his　education；　which　was　such　a　great　thing　for　his　lordship　to　do　off…hand　on　my　recommendation；　that　it　won　much　affection　throughout　the　country　side；　and　folks　began　to　wonder；　rehearsing　the　great　things；　as　was　said；　that　I　had　gotten　my　lord　at　different　times；　and　on　divers　occasions；　to　do；　which　had　a　vast　of　influence　among　my　brethren　of　the　presbytery；　and　they　grew　into　a　state　of　greater　cordiality　with　me；　looking　on　me　as　a　man　having　authority；　but　I　was　none　thereat　lifted　up；　for　not　being　gifted　with　the　power　of　a　kirk…filling　eloquence；　I　was　but　little　sought　for　at　sacraments；　and　fasts；　and　solemn　days；　which　was　doubtless　well　ordained；　for　I　had　no　motive　to　seek　fame　in　foreign　pulpits；　but　was　left　to　walk　in　the　paths　of　simplicity　within　my　own　parish。　　To　eschew　evil　myself；　and　to　teach　others　to　do　the　same；　I　thought　the　main　duties　of　the　pastoral　office；　and　with　a　sincere　heart　endeavoured　what　in　me　lay　to　perform　them　with　meekness；　sobriety；　and　a　spirit　wakeful　to　the　inroads　of　sin　and　Satan。　　But　oh；　the　sordiness　of　human　nature！The　kindness　of　the　Lord　Eaglesham's　own　disposition　was　ascribed　to　my　influence；　and　many　a　dry　answer　I　was　obliged　to　give　to　applicants　that　would　have　me　trouble　his　lordship；　as　if　I　had　a　claim　upon　him。　　In　the　ensuing　year；　the　notion　of　my　cordiality　with　him　came　to　a　great　head；　and　brought　about　an　event；　that　could　not　have　been　forethought　by　me　as　a　thing　within　the　compass　of　possibility　to　bring　to　pass。



CHAPTER　XX　　YEAR　1779



I　was　named　in　this　year　for　the　General　Assembly；　and　Mrs　Balwhidder；　by　her　continual　thrift；　having　made　our　purse　able　to　stand　a　shake　against　the　wind；　we　resolved　to　go　into　Edinburgh　in　a　creditable　manner。　　Accordingly；　in　conjunct　with　Mrs　Dalrymple；　the　lady　of　a　major　of　that　name；　we　hired　the　Irville　chaise；　and　we　put　up　in　Glasgow；　at　the　Black　Boy；　where　we　stayed　all　night。　Next　morning；　by　seven　o'clock；　we　got　into　a　fly…coach　for　the　capital　of　Scotland；　which　we　reached　after　a　heavy　journey　about　the　same　hour　in　the　evening；　and　put　up　at　the　public　where　it　stopped　till　the　next　day；　for　really　both　me　and　Mrs　Balwhidder　were　worn　out　with　the　undertaking；　and　found　a　cup　of　tea　a　vast　refreshment。

Betimes；　in　the　morning；　having　taken　our　breakfast；　we　got　a　caddy　to　guide　us　and　our　wallise　to　Widow　M'Vicar's；　at　the　head　of　the　Covenanters'　Close。　　She　was　a　relation　to　my　first　wife；　Betty　Lanshaw；　my　own　full　cousin　that　was；　and　we　had　advised　her；　by　course　of　post；　of　our　coming；　and　intendment　to　lodge　with　her　as　uncos　and　strangers。　　But　Mrs　M'Vicar　kept　a　cloth　shop；　and　sold　plaidings　and　flannels；　besides　Yorkshire　superfines；　and　was　used　to　the　sudden　incoming　of　strangers；　especially　visitants；　both　from　the　West　and　the　North　Highlands；　and　was　withal　a　gawsy　furthy　woman；　taking　great　pleasure　in　hospitality；　and　every　sort　of　kindliness　and　discretion。　　She　would　not　allow　of　such　a　thing　as　our　being　lodgers　in　her　house；　but　was　so　cagey　to　see　us；　and　to　have　it　in　her　power　to　be　civil　to　a　minister；　as　she　was　pleased　to　say；　of　such　repute；　that　nothing　less　would　content　her　but　that　we　must　live　upon　her；　and　partake　of　all　the　best　that　could　be　gotten　for　us　within　the　walls　of　〃the　gude　town。〃

When　we　found　ourselves　so　comfortable；　Mrs　Balwhidder　and　me　waited　on　my　patron's　family　that　was；　the　young　ladies；　and　the　laird；　who　had　been　my　pupil；　but　was　now　an　advocate　high　in　the　law。　　They　likewise　were　kind　also。　　In　short；　every　body　in　Edinburgh　were　in　a　manner　wearisome　kind；　and　we　could　scarcely　find　time　to　see　the　Castle　and　the　palace　of　Holyrood…house；　and　that　more　sanctified　place；　where　the　Maccabeus　of　the　Kirk　of　Scotland；　John　Knox；　was　wont　to　live。

Upon　my　introduction　to　his　grace　the　Commissioner；　I　was　delighted　and　surprised　to　find　the　Lord　Eaglesham　at　the　levee；　and　his　lordship　was　so　glad　on　seeing　me；　that　he　made　me　more　kenspeckle　than　I　could　have　wished　to　have　been　in　his　grace's　presence；　for；　owing　to　the　same；　I　was　required　to　preach　before　his　grace；　upon　a　jocose　recommendation　of　his　lordship；　the　which　gave　me　great　concern；　and　daunted　me　so　that　in　the　interim　I　was　almost　bereft　of　all　peace　and　studious　composure　of　mind。　　Fain　would　I　have　eschewed　the　honour　that　was　thus　thrust　upon　me；　but　both　my　wife　and　Mrs　M'Vicar　were　just　lifted　out　of　themselves　with　the　thought。

When　the　day　came；　I　thought　all　things　in　this　world　were　loosened　from　their　hold；　and　that　the　sure　and　steadfast　earth　itself　was　grown　coggly　beneath　my　feet；　as　I　mounted　the　pulpit。　　With　what　sincerity　I　prayed　for　help　that　day！　and　never　stood　man　more　in　need　of　it；　for　through　all　my　prayer　the　congregation　was　so　watchful　and　still；　doubtless　to　note　if　my　doctrine　was　orthodox；　that　the　beating　of　my　heart　might　have　been　heard　to　the　uttermost　corners　of　the　kirk。

I　had　chosen　as　my　text；　from　Second　Samuel；　xixth　chapter　and　35th　verse；　these　words〃Can　I　hear　any　more　the　voice　of　singing　men　and　singing　women？　　Wherefore；　then；　should　thy　servant　be　yet　a　burden　to　the　king？〃　　And　hardly　had　I　with　a　trembling　voice　read　the　words；　when　I　perceived　an　awful　stir　in　the　congregation；　for　all　applied　the　words　to　the　state　of　the　church；　and　the　appointment　of　his　grace　the　Commissioner。　　Having　paused　after　giving　out　the　text；　the　same　fearful　and　critical　silence　again　ensued；　and　every　eye　was　so　fixed　upon　me；　that　I　was　for　a　time　deprived　of　courage　to　look　about；　but　heaven　was　pleased　to　compassionate　my　infirmity；　and　as　I　proceeded；　I　began　to　warm　as　in　my　own　pulpit。　　I　described　the　gorgeous　Babylonian　harlot　riding　forth　in　her　chariots　of　gold　and　silver；　with　trampling　steeds　and　a　hurricane　of　followers；　drunk　with　the　cup　of　abominations；　all　shouting　with　revelry；　and　glorying　in　her　triumph；　treading　down　in　their　career　those　precious　pearls；　the　saints　and　martyrs；　into　the　mire　beneath　their　swinish　feet。　　〃Before　her　you　may　behold　Wantonness　playing　the　tinkling　cymbal；　Insolence　beating　the　drum；　and　Pride　blowing　the　trumpet。　　Every　vice　is　there　with　his　emblems；　and　the　seller　of　pardons；　with　his　crucifix　and　triple　crown；　is　distributing　his　largess　of　perdition。　　The　voices　of　men　shout　to　set　wide　the　gates；　to　give　entrance　to　the　queen　of　nations；　and　the　gates　are　set　wide；　and　they　all　enter。　　The　avenging　gates　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　page