_MORE FAITHFULNESS BUT LESS LOVE_.
'We have been compelled, sir,' said Peter Malloch, and he fixed his
eyes sternly on the tie of Roderick's cravat (he would have liked to
frown into the face of the culprit, and to wither him up with the
sternness of his regard, but the amused astonishment in his eyes was
discomposing). 'Me, that's to say an' Mester Prittie there, or may be
I suld say the Deacons' Court an' the Eldership, though they arena a'
Israel that are _of_ Israel. An' there was a Tummas even amang the
Apostles,' (and here he glanced reproachfully at the Laird). 'Aweel,
sir, to come to the tail o' 't at ance, we hae just been haudin' a bit
meetin' wi' the Presbytery, as ane micht say, or wi' twa o' the
ministers ony gate, to consider yer terrible on-gaein's, Mester Brown!
An' I'm just fairly dumfoundered to see the brazen effrontery o' ye,
man! To be sittin' there an' glowerin' frae ye, as though ye had dune
nae wrang, when the hale glen's ringin' wi' the din o' yer iniquities,
an' the enemies o' the truth's lachin' i' their sleeve, an' cryin'
aha! as they pass on the ither side. An' we hae been app'inted, hiz
four that is, though I'm feared we hae gotten an enemy amang us 'at's
no takin' kindly t'ey wark' (another glance at the Laird), 'a Gallio
'at cares for non _of_ thase things, to ca' on ye an' to dale
faithfully wi' ye anent yer transgressions. We're wullin' to dale wi'
ye in luve, my brither, my little brither, I micht say; for I can mind
ye a bit hafflin callant no lang syne; an' we'll allow 'at youth's ill
to haud e'y strecht gate, an' 'at flesh is waik; we'll allow a' that,
an' dale wi' ye in a' kindness for yer saul's sake, but ye maun e'en
mak a clean breast o' 't, an' speak out afore waur comes o' 't. It's
a' kenned! Sae just up an' own til't, for we're busy folk, me and
Ebenezer here, an' we hae nae mair time to waur on parryin' an'
senseless havers. Ye beut to repent o' yer misdeeds, seeing they're a'
fand out, and the very first step is to confess them. Sae out wi' 't
a' like a gude laud, for ye can be nae mair a minister, an' the less
fash an' din ye mak ower't noo, the less ill ye'll do to the kirk ye
hae disgraced.'
'What do you mean? demanded Roderick, beginning to flush indignantly.
'State what it is you accuse me of! You appear to have found me guilty
and condemned me already, without troubling yourselves to try me; but
if you wish me to confess anything, you must at least state your
accusation.'
'An' winna ye take my word for it, 'at a' is kenned 'at ye hae dune?
An' wull ye gar folk gang ower yer shame word for word, afore the very
face o' yer auld father there? Him 'at was sae gude a man, for a' he
was a Moderate, lookin' doon on ye frae the wa'! I'm misdoubtin' but
he couldna lie still e'y moulds this day, gin he kenned o' yer
on-gaein's!'
'Mr. Sangster!' exclaimed Roderick, 'this is growing intolerable! I
must request you to state the purpose of these persons' visit. What do
they accuse me of? And on what grounds? They seem unable themselves to
say intelligibly what is their errand.'
'I certainly will not soil my lips,' said the Laird, 'with anything so
outrageous as well as absurd; and I am not surprised that even in the
midst of this ridiculous scene, they should have sufficient sense
left, and good feeling, to make it difficult for them to clothe their
preposterous accusation in words. Forgive them, and overlook the whole
escapade. It is the wisest and kindest thing to do.'
'Mr. Sangster!' remonstrated Mr. Geddie, 'I do think, and you must
permit me to say, that your language is not judicious. Even although
in your overflowing charity, which I admit is beautiful and refreshing
to see, and will no doubt be fruitful of blessing to your own soul,
you are still (though I confess it seems unaccountable to me)
persuaded of the innocence of (alas, that I should have to use the
words!) our erring brother, even you must admit that there prevails in
this parish a _fama clamosa_ of the most crying and distressing kind,
affecting the moral character of the misguided young man whom the
Presbytery has set over it for the present to minister to it in
spiritual things. His teaching may be within the letter of the
Standards. I am thankful to say I have heard nothing of false doctrine
and soul-destroying error; but, alas! his example is not what it ought
to be! His teaching may be orthodox, his head knowledge of the
mysteries not to be impugned; but if the heart is wrong, if his walk
and conversation are not convenient, if his conformity to common
morality is not what it should be, we must rebuke and chasten him till
he repents of his evil life,--we must cut off the withered branch, and
cast it out of the vineyard. Oh! my brother!' he cried, 'repent and
confess! Put an end to this clamour! Enable us to bring the matter
before the Presbytery in such form that it may be able to deal with it
promptly if sharply, and without delay. Why should this clamour of
indignation go forth over all Scotland to put us to shame?'
'Say what it is you accuse me of, Mr. Geddie. I certainly shall
confess if I am guilty.'
'Alas! my brother! Will you still hide your head in a bush like the
ostrich, and believe yourself concealed? Think you that the pursuer
will overpass thus easily? I tell you nay! But if you will force us to
discuss in detail your lamentable backslidings, tell us how the infant
which you lately presented for baptism, and which, as I understand,
you continue to nourish under this roof--tell us how it came into your
hands.'
'The child was saved almost miraculously from a shipwreck, I believe.
At least I saw the ship perish, and afterwards picked up the child on
the sea-shore near the place, where it appeared to be the only living
thing that had come to land. Being impatient to get home, and yet
bound to render succour to the little one, I picked it up and brought
it home with me, rather than carry it the four miles back to
Inverlyon, where the bodies of the drowned were conveyed later in the
morning, when the fishermen and coastguard had made their rounds. From
the clothing of the child, as well as from reading in the newspapers
that the ship was an East Indiaman, I believe that it is the child of
some Indian officer who has perished in the wreck, and I have
advertised in an Edinburgh newspaper regarding the child, but have
received no communication or enquiry from any one whatever; but I
cannot imagine how any _fama_ can have arisen in the parish over such
a matter, which can only be looked on, I should imagine, as an
ordinary exercise of Christian charity.'
'Hech!' sighed Ebenezer, 'but he sticks til't weel! But, I'm sayin',
sir, Wasna some o' yer ain folk i' the Indies? An' wasna there siller
an' gear cam to ye frae there? I'm thinkin' I mind hearin' tell o'
kists o' plenissin' an' bonny things 'at was brocht t'ey auld manse
frae there awa.'
'Certainly. I had an uncle who died in India and left his property to
my mother.'
'Aweel, then, the claes 'at ye say cam wi' the bairnie wad pruive
naething, sin ye had plenty sic like e'y house. Ye micht just hae
dressed up the puir thing in ony auld duds ye fand i' thae kists. But
what o' the bairnie's mither, sir? Tell's about Tibbie Tirpie!'
'Tibbie Tirpie? What connection is there between her and the baby?'
'Mither an' bairn, I'm thinkin'; or sae the folk say.'
'They must be mad! or most abominable slanderers to trifle so with the
good name of a decent young woman.'
'An' ye ken naething about it, minister?' demanded Peter; 'an' wull ye
really be for haudin' to that when I have seen ye slidin' hame frae
there mysel' after dark? Ye _ken_ ye gaed there ae forenicht, it was
Sawbith by the same token, an' ye gied them siller, ye ken that! to
gar them keep a calm sough. I hae had that siller through my ain
fingers, sae ye needna deny't!'
'Deny what? Deny that I gave charity to widow Tirpie? Why should I?
She is poor and deserving, I believe, and I gave to her as I hope I
should give to any other in like case, so long as I had it to give,
and the recipient appeared to need it.'
'An' what was't ye gae her, sir? Was na't a note? It's braw crackin'
about _charity!_ an' a bawbee til a puir body, or aiblins a penny gin
ye haena the change is a godly ac'; but folk dinna part wi' their pund
notes that lichtly!'
'I regret to observe, Peter, that my ministrations have made so little
impression on your memory. Let us hope my successor may be more blest.
Have you forgotten the words of David? "Shall I offer to the Lord of
that which cost me nothing?" Or of another, "Sell that which thou hast
and give to the poor?" The gift of the bawbee would show little
self-sacrifice in either you or me!'
'Speak for yersel', sir! I hae muckle fash gatherin' the bawbees 'at
ye lichtly sae; an' I care na to waur mony o' them on a curran
feckless gowks, 'at suld be garred get for themsel's; but I'm thinkin'
it's the ither gate wi' you an' yer like--easy come easy gang. Arena
we a' payin' intil the Sustentation Fund? An' ye hae naething to do
but tak yer share, an' read yer books an' crack til's. My certie, but
it's a braw tred the preachin'! But I'm just winderin' hoo ye can
gar't gree wi' yer principles, 'at whan ye gie sae muckle, ye dinna
support mair the tred o' them 'at's contreebutin' to support yersel'!
We're no a' beggars i' Glen Effick, but gin a' body did as ye do,
there's Mester Prittie an' mysel micht tak t'ey beggin' afore lang for
a' the tred we'd do.'
'As to that, Peter, we live in a free country. You take your Gospel in
any church you have a mind to, and no one has a right to gainsay your
choice; and so, also, my sister buys her groceries where she thinks
proper. As it happens, she continues, I believe, to buy them mostly in
Inverlyon, where her mother bought them before her. And as to the
people in the Glen having a claim to our custom, because they
contribute to the Sustentation Fund, and I am paid out of it, I can
only say that I distribute among them all I receive from that source,
and more, though I make no merit of it. I have lived on my own means
ever since I have been among you. My residence, however, is drawing to
an end. My physician warns me, it will be at the risk of my life if I
remain here during the winter. I have been unwilling to follow his
advice, believing it my duty to remain and labour while strength
lasted; but after this conversation and the state of feeling in the
parish which it betrays, I see clearly that all hope of usefulness for
me here is at an end, and so soon as I am sufficiently recovered, I
shall go. The discovery that such suspicions are entertained against
me, coming too so suddenly and unexpectedly, is deeply painful; but if
I am to suffer, it is a consolation to know that it is for my good
deeds, and not for evil. Saint Peter's words, which Mr. Geddie there
can point out to you, are my assured consolation.'
'Ye maunna be thinkin', sir,' urged Ebenezer, somewhat overawed by the
bold front and indignant tone assumed by Roderick, whom he had
expected to see humbled in the dust, in tearful penitence, and for
whose benefit he had actually prepared a little speech full of
superior pity, to be delivered before taking leave, 'ye maunna be
thinkin' 'at there's nae evidence against ye but the pund note 'at
Peter there has traced. The first o't cam frae Inchbracken, I'm
thinkin', frae the very castle o' the persecutors; for the puir lass
gaes working up there whiles, I'm thinkin'. An', oh sir! but it was an
ill-faured trick o' ye, 'at ye wad expose our shame an' our nakedness
up yonder!--tellin't in Gath, as a body micht say, publishin' 't in
Askelon! An' ye beut to confess afore ye gang, sir, an' mak reparation
to the puir lass, an' syne ye an' her micht begin ower again, whaur ye
wisna kenned, an' ye micht do weel yet, afore ye dee!'
'I must protest,' said Mr. Geddie, 'against removal out of the parish
at present! though it is only right that your ministrations should
cease. Brother Dowlas will have seen the Moderator of the Presbytery
ere now, and I doubt not a _pro re nata_ meeting is already called to
investigate this terrible _fama_. The case will be taken up forthwith,
and it would be a fleeing from discipline, which you are aware, my
poor brother, is a most serious ecclesiastical offence, were you to
remove yourself beyond the bounds. The law of the Church requires that
you should be tried and put to open shame, that your soul may be
saved. Accept the chastening in a fitting spirit. And oh! my brother!
confess! confess! if peradventure the publicity and the discredit
which it will bring upon the Church be averted!'
Roderick rose to his feet. 'Enough! Mr. Geddie,' he said. 'I can
permit no more of this! I have told you how the innocent cause of this
misunderstanding came into my hands, and I cannot consent to hear my
statements treated as falsehood in my own study. I would say more, but
I know well that when you come at last to perceive the truth of the
case, there is no man living who will be more ashamed of his
acceptance of a preposterous calumny.'
Mr. Geddie would have made still another heart-moving appeal to the
sinner to confess, but the Laird had risen, so too had Peter and
Ebenezer, and he found himself borne along to the door. With a last
great cry he raised his hands aloft, and as he crossed the threshold
he exclaimed--'Ephraim is joined to his idols! Let him alone!'