to him that hath-第20章

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and　Law；　The　Ten　Years'　Conflict；　Spurgeon's　Sermons　and　Smith's
Isaiah；　and　a　well　worn　copy　of　the　immortal　Robbie。　　This　was　the
mother's　corner；　a　cosy　spot　where　she　nourished　her　soul　by
converse　with　the　great　masters　of　thought　and　of　conscience。

In　this　〃cosy　wee　hoosie〃　Malcolm　McNish　and　his　mother　passed
their　quiet　evenings；　for　the　days　were　given　to　toil；　in　talk；　not
to　say　discussion　of　the　problems；　the　rights　and　wrongs　of　the
working　man。　　They　agreed　in　much；　they　differed；　and　strongly；　in
point　of　view。　　The　mother　was　all　for　reform　of　wrongs　with　the
existing　economic　system；　reverencing　the　great　Adam　Smith。　　The
son　was　for　a　new　deal；　a　new　system；　the　Socialistic；　with
modifications　all　his　own。　　All；　or　almost　all；　that　Malcolm　had
read　the　mother　had　read　with　the　exception　of　Marx。　　She　〃cudna
thole　yon　godless　loon〃　or　his　theories　or　his　works。　　Malcolm　had
grown　somewhat　sick　of　Marx　since　the　war。　　Indeed；　the　war　had
seriously　disturbed　the　foundations　of　Malcolm's　economic　faith；
and　he　was　seeking　a　readjustment　of　his　opinion　and　convictions；
which　were　rather　at　loose　ends。　　In　this　state　of　mind　he　found
little　comfort　from　his　shrewd　old　mother。

〃Y'e　have　nae　anchor；　laddie；　and　ilka　woof　of　air　and　ilka　turn　o'
the　tide　and　awa'　ye　go。〃

As　for　her　anchor；　she　made　no　bones　of　announcing　that　she　had
been　brought　up　on　the　Shorter　Catechism　and　the　Confession　and　in
consequence　found　a　place　for　every　theory　of　hers；　Social　and
Economic　as　well　as　Ethical　and　Religious；　within　the　four　corners
of　the　mighty　fabric　of　the　Calvinistic　system　of　Philosophy　and
Faith。

One　of　the　keen　joys　of　her　life　since　coming　to　the　new　country
she　found　in　her　discussions　with　the　Rev。　Murdo　Matheson；　whom；
after　some　considerable　hesitation；　she　had　finally　chosen　to　〃sit
under。〃　　The　Rev。　Murdo's　theology　was　a　little　narrow　for　her。
She　had　been　trained　in　the　schools　of　the　Higher　Critics　of　the
Free　Kirk　leaders　at　home。　　She　talked　familiarly　of　George　Adam
Smith；　whom　she　affectionately　designated　as　〃George　Adam。〃　　She
would　wax　wrathful　over　the　memory　of　the　treatment　meted　out　to
Robertson　Smith　by　a　former　generation　of　Free　Kirk　heresy　hunters。
Hence　she　regarded　with　pity　the　hesitation　with　which　her　Minister
accepted　some　of　the　positions　of　the　Higher　Critics。　　Although　it
is　to　be　confessed　that　the　war　had　somewhat　rudely　shattered　her
devotion　to　German　theology。

〃What　d'ye　think　o'　yere　friend　Harnack　the　noo？〃　her　son　had　jibed
at　her　soon　after　the　appearance　of　the　great　manifesto　from　the
German　professors。

〃What　do　A　think　o'　him？〃　she　answered；　sparring　for　time。　　〃What
do　A　think　o'　him？〃　　Then；　as　her　eye　ran　over　her　son's　uniform；
for　he　was　on　leave　at　the　time；　she　blazed　forth；　〃A'll　tell　ye
what　A　think　o'　him。　　A　think　that　Auld　Hornie　has　his　hook　intil
him　and　the　hale　kaboodle　o'　them。　　They　hae　forsaken　God　and　made
tae　themselves　ither　gods　and　the　Almichty　hae　gi'en　them　ower　tae
a　reprobate　mind。〃

But　her　Canadian　Minister's　economic　positions　satisfied　her。　　He
had　specialised　in　Social　and　Economic　Science　in　his　University
Course　and　she　considered　him　sound　〃in　the　main。〃

She　had　little　patience　with　half　baked　theorists　and　none　at　all
with　mere　agitators。　　It　was　therefore　with　no　small　indignation
that　she　saw　on　a　Sunday　morning　Mr。　Wigglesworth　making　his　way　up
the　lane　toward　her　house　door。

〃The　Lord　be　guid　tae　us！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃What　brings　yon　cratur
hereand　on　a　Sabbath　mornin'？　　Mind　you；　Malcolm；〃　she　continued
in　a　voice　of　sharp　decision；　〃A'll　hae　nane　o'　his　'rights　o'
British　citizens'　clack　the　morn。〃

〃Who　is　it；　Mother？〃　enquired　her　son；　coming　from　his　room　to　look
out　through　the　window。　　〃Oh；　dinna　fash　ye're　heid　ower　yon
windbag；〃　he　added；　dropping　into　his　broadest　Doric　and　patting
his　mother　on　the　shoulder。

〃He　disna　fash　me；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃Nae　fears。　　But　A'll　no
pairmit　him　to　brak　the　Sabbath　in　this　hoose；　A　can　tell　ye。〃
None　the　less　she　opened　the　door　to　Mr。　Wigglesworth　with
dignified　courtesy。

〃Guid　mornin'；　Mr。　Wigglesworth；〃　she　said　cordially。　　〃Ye're　airly
on　yere　way　tae　the　Kirk。〃

〃Yesthat　isyes；〃　replied　Mr。　Wigglesworth　in　some　confusion；　〃I
am　a　bit　（h）early。　　Fact　is；　I　was　（h）anxious　to　catch　Malcolm
before　'e　went　aht。　　I　'ave　a　rather　（h）important　business　on　'and
with　'im；　very　（h）important　business；　I　might　say。〃

〃'Business；'　did　ye　say；　Mr。　Wigglesworth？〃　Mrs。　McNish　stood
facing　him　at　the　door。　　〃Business！　　On　the　Lord's　Day？〃

Mr。　Wigglesworth　gaped　at　her；　hat　in　hand。

〃Well；　Mrs。　McNish；　not　（h）exactly　business。　　That　is；〃　he　said
with　an　apologetic　smile；　〃（h）it　depends；　you　see；　just　w'at　yeh
puts　（h）into　a　word；　Mrs。　McNish。〃

Mr。　Wigglesworth's　head　went　over　to　one　side　as　if　in　contemplation
of　a　new　and　striking　idea。

〃A　pit　nae　meaning　into　a　word　that's　no　in　it　on　its　ain　accoont；〃
she　replied　with　uncompromising　grimness。　　〃Business　is　just
business；　an'　my　son　diz　nae　business　on　the　Lord's　Day。〃

There　was　no　place　for　casuistry　in　the　old　Scotch　lady's　mind。　　A
thing　was　or　was　not；　and　there　was　an　end　to　that。

〃Certainly；　Mrs。　McNish；　certainly！　　And　so　sez　I。　　But　there　might
be　a　slight　difference　of　（h）opinion　between　you　and　I；　so　to
speak；　as　to　just　w'at　may　constitute　'business。'　　Now；　for
（h）instance〃　　Mr。　Wigglesworth　was　warming　to　his　subject；　but
the　old　lady　standing　on　her　doorstep　fixed　her　keen　blue　eyes　upon
him　and　ruthlessly　swept　away　all　argumentation　on　the　matter。

〃If　it　is　a　matter　consistent　with　the　Lord's　Day；　come　in；　if　not；
stay　oot。〃

〃Oh！　　Yes；　thank　you。　　By　the　way；　is　your　son　in；　by　（h）any
chance？　　Per'raps　'e's　shavin'　'isself；　eh？〃　　Mr。　Wigglesworth
indulged　in　a　nervous　giggle。

〃Shavin'　himsel！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　McNish。　　〃On　the　Sawbath！　　Man；
d'ye　think　he's　a　heathen；　then？〃　　Mrs。　McNish　regarded　the　man
before　her　with　severity。

〃An　'eathen？　　Not　me！　　I　should　consider　it　an　'eathenish　practice
to　go　dirty　of　a　Sunday；〃　said　Mr。　Wigglesworth　triumphantly。

〃Hoots；　man；　wha's　talkin'　about　gaein'　dirty？　　Can　ye　no　mak　due
preparation　on　the　Saturday？　　What　is　yere　Saturday　for？〃

This　was　a　new　view　to　Mr。　Wigglesworth　and　rather　abashed　him。

〃What　is　it；　Mother？〃　　Malcolm's　voice　indicated　a　desire　to
appease　the　wrath　that　gleamed　in　his　mother's　eye。　　〃Oh；　it　is　Mr。
Wigglesworth。　　Yes；　yes！　　I　want　to　see　Mr。　Wigglesworth。　　Will　you
come　in；　Mr。　Wigglesworth？〃

〃Malcolm；　A　was　jist　tellin'　Mr。　Wigglesworth〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；　Mother；　but　I　want〃

〃Malcolm；　ye　ken　what　day　it　is。　　And　A　wull　not〃

〃Yes；　Mother；　A　ken　weel；　but〃

〃And　ye　ken　ye'll　be　settin'　oot　for　the　Kirk　in　half　an　oor〃

〃Half　an　hour；　Mother？　　Why；　it　is　only　half　past　nine〃

〃A　ken　weel　what　it　is。　　But　A　dinna　like　tae　be　fashed　and
flustered　in　ma　mind　on　ma　way　till　the　Hoose　o'　God。〃

〃I　shall　only　require　a　very　few　moments；　Madam；〃　said　Mr。
Wigglesworth。　　〃The　matter　with　w'ich　I　am　（h）entrusted　need　not
take　more　than　a　minute　or　two。　　In　fact；　I　simply　want　to
（h）announce　a　special；　a　very　special　meetin'　of　the　Union　this
（h）afternoon。〃

〃A　releegious　meetin'；　Mr。　Wigglesworth？〃　enquired　Mrs。　McNish。

〃Wellnot　exactlythat　isI　don't　know　but　you　might　call　it　a
religious　meetin'。　　To　my　mind；　Mrs。　McNish；　you　know〃

But　Mrs。　McNish　would　have　no　sophistry。

〃Mr。　Wigglesworth；〃　she　began　sternly。

But　Malcolm　cut　in。

〃Now；　Mother；　I　suppose　it's　a　regular　enough　meeting。　　Just　wait
till　I　get　my　hat；　Mr。　Wigglesworth。　　I'll　be　with　you。〃

His　mother　followed　him　into　the　house；　leaving　Mr。　Wigglesworth　at
the　door。

〃Malcolm；〃　she　began　with　solemn　emphasis。

〃Now；　now；　Mother；　surely　you　know　me　well　enough　by　this　time　to
trust　my　judgment　in　a　matter　of　this　kind；〃　said　her　son；
hurriedly　searching　for　his　hat。

〃Ay；　but　A'm　no　sae　sure　o'　yon　buddie〃

〃Hoot；　toot；〃　said　her　son；　passing　out。　　〃A'll　be　back　in　abundant
time　for　the　Kirk；　Mither。　　Never　you　fear。〃

〃Weel；　weel；　laddie；　remember　what　day　it　is。　　Ye　ken　weel　it's　no
day　for　warldly　a