Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg Read Free Book Online

nature, that prayers were said in the uppermost story of Dalcastle house against the Canaanitish woman, every night and every morning; and great discontent prevailed there, even to anathemas and tears. Letter after letter was dispatched to Glasgow; and at length, to the lady’s great consolation, the Rev. Mr. Wringhim arrived safely and devoutly in her elevated sanctuary. Marvellous was the conversation between these gifted people. Wringhim had held in his doctrines that there were eight different kinds of F AITH , all perfectly distinct in their operations and effects. But the lady, in her secluded state, had discovered another five, making twelve [
sic
] in all: the adjusting of the existence or fallacy of these five faiths served for a most enlightened discussion of nearly seventeen hours; in the course of which the two got warm in their arguments, always in proportion as they receded from nature, utility, and common sense. Wringhim at length got into unwonted fervour about some disputed point between one of these faiths and T RUST ; when the lady, fearing that zeal was getting beyond its wonted barrier, broke in on his vehement asseverations with the following abrupt discomfiture: ‘But, Sir, as long as I remember, what is to be done with this case of open and avowed iniquity?’
    The minister was struck dumb. He leaned him back on his chair, stroked his beard, hemmed — considered, and hemmed again, and then said, in an altered and softened tone: ‘Why, that is a secondary consideration; you mean the case between your husband and Miss Logan?’
    ‘The same, Sir. I am scandalized at such intimacies going on under my nose. The sufferance of it is a great and crying evil.’
    ‘Evil, madam, may be either operative, or passive. To them it is an evil, but to us none. We have no more to do with the sins of the wicked and unconverted here than with those of aninfidel Turk; for all earthly bonds and fellowships are absorbed and swallowed up in the holy community of the Reformed Church. However, if it is your wish, I shall take him to task, and reprimand and humble him in such a manner that
he
shall be ashamed of his doings, and renounce such deeds for ever, out of mere self-respect, though all unsanctified the heart, as well as the deed, may be. To the wicked, all things are wicked; but to the just, all things are just and right.’
    ‘Ah, that is a sweet and comfortable saying, Mr. Wringhim! How delightful to think that a justified person can do no wrong! Who would not envy the liberty wherewith we are made free? Go to my husband, that poor unfortunate, blindfolded person, and open his eyes to his degenerate and sinful state; for well are you fitted to the task.’
    ‘Yea, I will go in unto him, and confound him. I will lay the strong holds of sin and Satan as flat before my face as the dung that is spread out to fatten the land.’
    ‘Master, there’s a gentleman at the fore-door wants a private word o’ ye.’
    ‘Tell him I’m engaged: I can’t see any gentleman to-night. But I shall attend on him to-morrow as soon as he pleases.’
    ‘He’s coming straight in, Sir. Stop a wee bit, Sir, my master is engaged. He cannot see you at present, Sir.’
    ‘Stand aside, thou Moabite! My mission admits of no delay. I come to save him from the jaws of destruction!’
    ‘An that be the case, Sir, it makes a wide difference; an’, as the danger may threaten us a’, I fancy I may as weel let ye gang by as fight wi’ ye, sin’ ye seem sae intent on ’t. — The man says he’s comin’ to save ye, an’ canna stop, Sir. Here he is.’
    The laird was going to break out into a volley of wrath against Waters, his servant; but, before he got a word pronounced, the Rev. Mr. Wringhim had stepped inside the room, and Waters had retired, shutting the door behind him.
    No introduction could be more
mal-a-propos
: it was impossible; for at that very moment the laird and Arabella Logan were both sitting on one seat, and both