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puir maukin an' a'jist like our Robbie Burns for that。 An' see
hoo they a' ken ane anither； thae poets。 What says he aboot
Burns？ye needna tell me； Mr。 Sutherlan'； I min't weel aneuch。 He
says：
'Him wha walked in glory an' in joy；
Followin' his ploo upo' the muntain…side。'
Puir Robbie！ puir Robbie！ But； man； he was a gran' chield efter a'；
an' I trust in God he's won hame by this！〃
Both Janet and Hugh； who had had a very orthodox education； started；
mentally； at this strange utterance； but they saw the eye of David
solemnly fixed； as if in deep contemplation； and lighted in its blue
depths with an ethereal brightness； and neither of them ventured to
speak。 Margaret seemed absorbed for the moment in gazing on her
father's face； but not in the least as if it perplexed her like the
fir…wood。 To the seeing eye； the same kind of expression would have
been evident in both countenances； as if Margaret's reflected the
meaning of her father's； whether through the medium of intellectual
sympathy； or that of the heart only； it would have been hard to say。
Meantime supper had been rather neglected； but its operations were
now resumed more earnestly； and the conversation became lighter；
till at last it ended in hearty laughter； and Hugh rose and took his
leave。
CHAPTER VIII。
A SUNDAY MORNING。
It is the property of good and sound knowledge； to putrifie and
dissolve into a number of subtle； idle； unwholesome； and （as I may
tearme them） vermiculate questions； which have indeed a kinde of
quicknesse； and life of spirite； but no soundnesse of matter； or
goodnesse of quality。LORD BACON。Advancement of Learning。
The following morning； the laird's family went to church as usual；
and Hugh went with them。 Their walk was first across fields； by
pleasant footpaths； and then up the valley of a little noisy stream；
that obstinately refused to keep Scotch Sabbath； praising the Lord
after its own fashion。 They emerged into rather a bleak country
before reaching the church； which was quite new； and perched on a
barren eminence； that it might be as conspicuous by its position； as
it was remarkable for its ugliness。 One grand aim of the reformers
of the Scottish ecclesiastical modes； appears to have been to keep
the worship pure and the worshippers sincere； by embodying the whole
in the ugliest forms that could be associated with the name of
Christianity。 It might be wished； however； that some of their
followers； and amongst them the clergyman of the church in question；
had been content to stop there； and had left the object of worship；
as represented by them； in the possession of some lovable attribute；
so as not to require a man to love that which is unlovable； or
worship that which is not honourablein a word； to bow down before
that which is not divine。 The cause of this degeneracy they share
in common with the followers of all other great men as well as of
Calvin。 They take up what their leader； urged by the necessity of
the time； spoke loudest； never heeding what he loved most； and then
work the former out to a logical perdition of everything belonging
to the latter。
Hugh； however； thought it was all right： for he had the same good
reasons； and no other； for receiving it all； that a Mohammedan or a
Buddhist has for holding his opinions； namely； that he had heard
those doctrines； and those alone； from his earliest childhood。 He
was therefore a good deal startled when； having； on his way home；
strayed from the laird's party towards David's； he heard the latter
say to Margaret as he came up：
〃Dinna ye believe； my bonny doo； 'at there's ony mak' ups or mak'
shifts wi' Him。 He's aye bringin' things to the licht； no covenin'
them up and lattin them rot； an' the moth tak' them。 He sees us
jist as we are； and ca's us jist what we are。 It wad be an ill day
for a' o's； Maggy； my doo； gin he war to close his een to oor sins；
an' ca' us just in his sicht； whan we cudna possibly be just in oor
ain or in ony ither body's； no to say his。〃
〃The Lord preserve's； Dawvid Elginbrod！ Dinna ye believe i' the
doctrine o' Justification by Faith； an' you a'maist made an elder
o'？〃
Janet was the respondent； of course； Margaret listening in silence。
〃Ou ay； I believe in't； nae doot； but； troth！ the minister； honest
man； near…han' gart me disbelieve in't a'thegither wi' his gran'
sermon this mornin'； about imputit richteousness； an' a clean robe
hidin' a foul skin or a crookit back。 Na； na。 May Him 'at woosh
the feet o' his friens； wash us a'thegither； and straucht oor
crookit banes； till we're clean and weel…faured like his ain bonny
sel'。〃
〃Weel； Dawvidbut that's sanctificaition； ye ken。〃
〃Ca't ony name 'at you or the minister likes； Janet； my woman。 I
daursay there's neither o' ye far wrang after a'； only this is jist
my opingan aboot it in sma'that that man； and that man only； is
justifeed； wha pits himsel' into the Lord's han's to sanctifee him。
Noo！ An' that'll no be dune by pittin' a robe o' richteousness
upo' him； afore he's gotten a clean skin aneath't。 As gin a father
cudna bide to see the puir scabbit skin o' his ain wee bit bairnie；
ay； or o' his prodigal son either； but bude to hap it a' up afore he
cud lat it come near him！ Ahva！〃
Here Hugh ventured to interpose a remark。
〃But you don't think； Mr。 Elginbrod； that the minister intended to
say that justification left a man at liberty to sin； or that the
robe of Christ's righteousness would hide him from the work of the
Spirit？〃
〃Na； but there is a notion in't o' hidin' frae God himsel'。 I'll
tell ye what it is Mr。 Sutherlan'： the minister's a' richt in
himsel'； an' sae's my Janet here； an' mony mair； an' aiblins there's
a kin' o' trowth in a' 'at they say； but this is my quarrel wi' a'
thae words an' words an' airguments； an' seemilies as they ca' them；
an' doctrines； an' a' thatthey jist haud a puir body at airm's
lenth oot ower frae God himsel'。 An' they raise a mist an' a stour
a' aboot him； 'at the puir bairn canna see the Father himsel'；
stan'in' wi' his airms streekit oot as wide's the heavens； to tak'
the worn crater；and the mair sinner； the mair welcome；hame to
his verra hert。 Gin a body wad lea' a' that； and jist get fowk
persu鈊it to speyk a word or twa to God him lane； the loss； in my
opingan； wad be unco sma'； and the gain verra great。〃
Even Janet dared not reply to the solemnity of this speech； for the
seer…like look was upon David's face； and the tears had gathered in
his eyes and dimmed their blue。 A kind of tremulous pathetic smile
flickered about his beautifully curved mouth； like the glimmer of
water in a valley； betwixt the lofty aquiline nose and the powerful
but finely modelled chin。 It seemed as if he dared not let the
smile break out； lest it should be followed instantly by a burst of
tears。
Margaret went close up to her father and took his hand as if she had
been still a child； while Janet walked reverentially by him on the
other side。 It must not be supposed that Janet felt any uneasiness
about her husband's opinions； although she never hesitated to utter
what she considered her common…sense notions； in attempted
modification of some of the more extreme of them。 The fact was
that； if he was wrong； Janet did not care to be right； and if he was
right； Janet was sure to be； 〃for；〃 said sheand in spirit； if not
in the letter； it was quite true〃I never mint at contradickin'
him。 My man sall hae his ain get； that sall he。〃 But she had one
especial grudge at his opinions； which was； that it must have been
in consequence of them that he had declined； with a queer smile； the
honourable position of Elder of the Kirk； for which Janet considered
him； notwithstanding his opinions； immeasurably more fitted than any
other man 〃in the haill country…sideye may add Scotlan' forby。〃
The fact of his having been requested to fill the vacant place of
Elder； is proof enough that David was not in the habit of giving
open expression to his opinions。 He was looked upon as a douce man；
long…headed enough； and somewhat precise in the exaction of the
laird's rights； but open…hearted and open…handed with what was his
own。 Every one respected him； and felt kindly towards him； some
were a little afraid of him； but few suspected him of being
religious beyond the degree which is commonly supposed to be the
general inheritance of Scotchmen； possibly in virtue of their being
brought up upon oatmeal porridge and the Shorter Catechism。
Hugh walked behind the party for a short way； contemplating them in
their Sunday clothes： David wore a suit of fine black cloth。 He
then turned to rejoin the laird's company。 Mrs。 Glasford was
questioning her boys； in an intermittent and desultory fashion；
about the sermon。
〃An' what was the fourth heid； can ye tell me； Willie？〃
Willie； the eldest； who had carefully impressed the fourth head upon
his memory； and had been anxiously waiting for an opportunity of
bringing it out； replied at once：
〃Fourthly： The various appellations by which those who have indued
the robe of righteousness are designated in Holy Writ。〃
〃Weel done； Willie！〃 cried the laird。
〃That's richt；