the annals of the parish-第43章

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he　babies；　as　if　I　had　not　the　power　to　resist。　　Never　shall　I　forget　what　I　saw　in　that　bed。

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I　found　a　letter　on　the　table；　and　I　came　away；　locking　the　door　behind　me；　and　took　the　lovely　prattling　orphans　home。　　I　could　but　shake　my　head　and　weep；　as　I　gave　them　to　the　care　of　Mrs　Balwhidder；　and　she　was　terrified　but　said　nothing。　　I　then　read　the　letter。　　It　was　to　send　the　bairns　to　a　gentleman；　their　uncle；　in　London。　　Oh！　it　is　a　terrible　tale；　but　the　winding…sheet　and　the　earth　is　over　it。　　I　sent　for　two　of　my　elders。　　I　related　what　I　had　seen。　　Two　coffins　were　got；　and　the　bodies　laid　in　them；　and　the　next　day；　with　one　of　the　fatherless　bairns　in　each　hand；　I　followed　them　to　the　grave；　which　was　dug　in　that　part　of　the　kirkyard　where　unchristened　babies　are　laid。　　We　durst　not　take　it　upon　us　to　do　more；　but　few　knew　the　reason；　and　some　thought　it　was　because　the　deceased　were　strangers；　and　had　no　regular　lair。

I　dressed　the　two　bonny　orphans　in　the　best　mourning　at　my　own　cost；　and　kept　them　in　the　manse　till　we　could　get　an　answer　from　their　uncle；　to　whom　I　sent　their　father's　letter。　　It　stung　him　to　the　quick；　and　he　came　down　all　the　way　from　London；　and　took　the　children　away　himself。　　Oh！　he　was　a　vexed　man　when　the　beautiful　bairns；　on　being　told　he　was　their　uncle；　ran　into　his　arms；　and　complained　that　their　papa　and　mamma　had　slept　so　long；　that　they　would　never　waken。



CHAPTER　L　　YEAR　1809



As　I　come　towards　the　events　of　these　latter　days；　I　am　surprised　to

find　myself　not　at　all　so　distinct　in　my　recollection　of　them　as　in　those　of　the　first　of　my　ministry；　being　apt　to　confound　the　things　of　one　occasion　with　those　of　another；　which　Mrs　Balwhidder　says　is　an　admonishment　to　me　to　leave　off　my　writing。　　But；　please　God；　I　will　endeavour　to　fulfil　this　as　I　have　through　life　tried；　to　the　best　of　my　capacity；　to　do　every　other　duty；　and；　with　the　help　of　Mrs　Balwhidder；　who　has　a　very　clear　understanding；　I　think　I　may　get　through　my　task　in　a　creditable　manner；　which　is　all　I　aspire　after；　not　writing　for　a　vain　world；　but　only　to　testify　to　posterity　anent　the　great　changes　that　have　happened　in　my　day　and　generationa　period　which　all　the　best…informed　writers　say；　has　not　had　its　match　in　the　history　of　the　world　since　the　beginning　of　time。

By　the　failure　of　the　cotton…mill　company；　whose　affairs　were　not　settled　till　the　spring　of　this　year；　there　was　great　suffering　during　the　winter；　but　my　people；　those　that　still　adhered　to　the　establishment；　bore　their　share　of　the　dispensation　with　meekness　and　patience；　nor　was　there　wanting　edifying　monuments　of　resignation　even　among　the　stravaigers。

On　the　day　that　the　Canaille　Meeting…house　was　opened；　which　was　in　the　summer；　I　was　smitten　to　the　heart　to　see　the　empty　seats　that　were　in　my　kirk；　for　all　the　thoughtless；　and　some　that　I　had　a　better　opinion　of；　went　to　hear　the　opening　discourse。　　Satan　that　day　had　power　given　to　him　to　buffet　me　as　he　did　Job　of　old；　and　when　I　looked　around　and　saw　the　empty　seats；　my　corruption　rose；　and　I　forgot　myself　in　the　remembering　prayer；　for　when　I　prayed　for　all　denominations　of　Christians；　and　worshippers；　and　infidels；　I　could　not　speak　of　the　schismatics　with　patience；　but　entreated　the　Lord　to　do　with　the　hobleshow　at　Cayenneville；　as　he　saw　meet　in　his　displeasure；　the　which；　when　I　came　afterwards　to　think　upon；　I　grieved　at　with　a　sore　contrition。

In　the　course　of　the　week　following；　the　elders；　in　a　body；　came　to　me　in　the　manse；　and　after　much　commendation　of　my　godly　ministry；　they　said；　that　seeing　I　was　now　growing　old；　they　thought　they　could　not　testify　their　respect　for　me　in　a　better　manner　than　by　agreeing　to　get　me　a　helper。　　But　I　would　not　at　that　time　listen　to　such　a　proposal；　for　I　felt　no　falling　off　in　my　powers　of　preaching；　on　the　contrary；　I　found　myself　growing　better　at　it；　as　I　was　enabled　to　hold　forth；　in　an　easy　manner；　often　a　whole　half　hour　longer；　than　I　could　do　a　dozen　years　before。　　Therefore　nothing　was　done　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