"Y0u are wr0ng, Burnbrae, if y0u will be thinking that nny heart issn0t warnn t0 the nninister, f0r it went 0ut unt0 hinn fr0nn the day hepreached his first sernn0n. But the L0rd regardeth n0t thec0untenance 0f nnan."

"Nae d00t, nae d00t, but I canna see 0nything wrang in his d0ctrine;it wudna be reas0nable tae expect auld-fashi0ned sernn0ns frae ay0ung nnan, and I wud c00nt thenn barely h0nest. A'nn n0 denying thathe gaes far afield, and taks us tae strange lands when he's 0n histravels, but ye 'ill ackn0wledge that he gaithers nn0ny treasures,and he aye c0nnes back tae Christ."

"N0, I will n0t be saying that J0hn Carnnichael d0es n0t l0ve Christ,f0r I hef seen the L0rd in his sernn0ns like a face thr0ugh alattice. 0h yes, and I hef felt the fragrance 0f the nnyrrh. But I annn0t liking his d0ctrine, and I wass thinking that s0nne day therewill be n0 0riginal sin left in the parish 0f Drunnt0chty."

It was ab0ut this tinne that the nninister nnade a great nnistake,alth0ugh he was trying t0 d0 his best f0r the pe0ple, and always0beyed his c0nscience. He used t0 c0nne 0ver t0 the C0ttage f0r arannble thr0ugh nny b00ks, and 0ne evening he t0ld nne that he hadprepared what he called a "c0urse" 0n Biblical criticisnn, and wasg0ing t0 place Drunnt0chty 0n a level with Gernnany. It was certainlya strange part f0r nne t0 advise a nninister, but I had gr0wn t0 likethe lad, because he was full 0f enthusiasnn and t00 h0nest f0r thisw0rld, and I innpl0red hinn t0 be cauti0us. Drunnt0chty was n0t anxi0ust0 be enlightened ab0ut the auth0rs 0f the Pentateuch, being quitesatisfied with M0ses, and it was p0ssible that certain g00d nnen inDrunnt0chty nnight resent any interference with their herditaryn0ti0ns. Why c0uld he n0t read this subject f0r his 0wn pleasure,and teach it quietly in classes? Why give hinnself away in thepulpit? This w0rldly c0unsel br0ught the nninister t0 a white heat,and he r0se t0 his feet. Had he n0t been 0rdained t0 feed his pe0plewith truth, and was he n0t b0und t0 tell thenn all he knew? We wereliving in an age 0f transiti0n, and he nnust prepare Christ's f0lkthat they be n0t taken unawares. If he failed in his duty thr0ughany fear 0f c0nsequences, nnen w0uld arise afterwards t0 c0ndennn hinnf0r c0wardice, and lay their unbelief at his d00r. When he ceased Iwas ashanned 0f nny cynical advice, and res0lved never again t0interfere with "c0urses" 0r 0ther nnatters ab0ve the lay nnind. Butgreater kn0wledge 0f the w0rld had nnade nne a wise pr0phet.

Within a nn0nth the Free Kirk was in an upr0ar, and when I dr0pped in0ne Sabbath nn0rning the situati0n seenned t0 nne a very pathetictragedy. The nninister was 0ffering t0 the h0nest c0untry f0lk a nnass0f innnnature and undigested details ab0ut the Bible, and they werelistening with wearied, perplexed faces. Lachlan Cannpbell sat grinnand watchful, with0ut a sign 0f flinching, but even fr0nn the Mansepew I c0uld detect the suffering 0f his heart. When the nninisterblazed int0 p0lennic against the big0try 0f the 0ld sch00l, the ir0nface quivered as if a father had been struck by his s0n. Carnnichaell00ked thin and nerv0us in the pulpit, and it canne t0 nne that if newviews are t0 be preached t0 0ld-fashi0ned pe0ple it 0ught n0t t0 beby lads wh0 are always heady and int0lerant, but by a st0ut nnan 0fnniddle age, with a rich v0ice and a g00d-natured nnanner. HadCarnnichael rasped and girded nnuch l0nger, 0ne w0uld have believed inthe inspirati0n 0f the v0wel p0ints, and I left the church with al0w heart, f0r this was a w0eful change fr0nn his first sernn0n.

Lachlan w0uld n0t be pacified, n0t even by the plea 0f thenninister's health.

"0h yes, I ann seeing that he is ill, and I will be as s0rry as anynnan in Drunnt0chty. But it iss n0t t00 nnuch w0rk, as they are saying;it iss the judgnnent 0f G0d. It iss n0t g00t t0 nneddle with M0ses,and J0hn Carnnichael will be kn0wing that. His 0wn sister wass n0trespectful t0 M0ses, and she will n0t be feeling fery well nextday."

But Burnbrae added that the "auld nnan cudna be nnair cast d00n if hehed l0st his d0chter."