登陆注册
19980500000007

第7章 YEAR 1762(1)

The third year of my ministry was long held in remembrance for several very memorable things.William Byres of the Loanhead had a cow that calved two calves at one calving; Mrs Byres, the same year, had twins, male and female; and there was such a crop on his fields, testifying that the Lord never sends a mouth into the world without providing meat for it.But what was thought a very daunting sign of something, happened on the Sacrament Sabbath at the conclusion of the action sermon, when I had made a very suitable discourse.The day was tempestuous, and the wind blew with such a pith and birr, that I thought it would have twirled the trees in the kirkyard out by the roots, and, blowing in this manner, it tirled the thack from the rigging of the manse stable; and the same blast that did that, took down the lead that was on the kirk-roof, which hurled off, as Iwas saying, at the conclusion of the action sermon, with such a dreadful sound, as the like was never heard, and all the congregation thought that it betokened a mutation to me.However, nothing particular happened to me; but the smallpox came in among the weans of the parish, and the smashing that it made of the poor bits o' bairns was indeed woeful.

One Sabbath, when the pestilence was raging, I preached a sermon about Rachel weeping for her children, which Thomas Thorl, who was surely a great judge of good preaching, said, "was a monument of divinity whilk searched the heart of many a parent that day;" a thing I was well pleased to hear, for Thomas, as I have related at length, was the most zealous champion against my getting the parish;but, from this time, I set him down in my mind for the next vacancy among the elders.Worthy man! it was not permitted him to arrive at that honour.In the fall of that year he took an income in his legs, and couldna go about, and was laid up for the remainder of his days, a perfect Lazarus, by the fire-side.But he was well supported in his affliction.In due season, when it pleased Him that alone can give and take, to pluck him from this life, as the fruit ripened and ready for the gathering, his death, to all that knew him, was a gentle dispensation, for truly he had been in sore trouble.

It was in this year that Charlie Malcolm, Mrs Malcolm's eldest son, was sent to be a cabin-boy in the Tobacco trader, a three-masted ship, that sailed between Port-Glasgow and Virginia in America.She was commanded by Captain Dickie, an Irville man; for at that time the Clyde was supplied with the best sailors from our coast, the coal-trade with Ireland being a better trade for bringing up good mariners than the long voyages in the open sea; which was the reason, as I often heard said, why the Clyde shipping got so many of their men from our country side.The going to sea of Charlie Malcolm was, on divers accounts, a very remarkable thing to us all;for he was the first that ever went from our parish, in the memory of man, to be a sailor, and everybody was concerned at it, and some thought it was a great venture of his mother to let him, his father having been lost at sea.But what could the forlorn widow do? She had five weans, and little to give them; and, as she herself said, he was aye in the hand of his Maker, go where he might; and the will of God would be done, in spite of all earthly wiles and devices to the contrary.

On the Monday morning, when Charlie was to go away to meet the Irville carrier on the road, we were all up, and I walked by myself from the manse into the clachan to bid him farewell, and I met him just coming from his mother's door, as blithe as a bee, in his sailor's dress, with a stick, and a bundle tied in a Barcelona silk handkerchief hanging o'er his shoulder, and his two little brothers were with him, and his sisters, Kate and Effie, looking out from the door all begreeten; but his mother was in the house, praying to the Lord to protect her orphan, as she afterwards told me.All the weans of the clachan were gathered at the kirkyard yett to see him pass, and they gave him three great shouts as he was going by; and everybody was at their doors, and said something encouraging to him;but there was a great laugh when auld Mizy Spaewell came hirpling with her bauchle in her hand, and flung it after him for good-luck.

同类推荐
  • 蓬折直辨

    蓬折直辨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 三国演义

    三国演义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 祖庭指南

    祖庭指南

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 冰揭罗天童子经

    冰揭罗天童子经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 杂病心法要诀

    杂病心法要诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 青春若雨纷飞

    青春若雨纷飞

    上世纪90年代,黑涩会横行,有的人为了混口饭而出入社会。新政二中一名普通学生被混混堵到班级角落,在食堂被人用饭盖到头上,在厕所受尽屈辱,想要不被欺负就要比别人更狠!
  • EXO之灿晨兴

    EXO之灿晨兴

    她是一个富有女汉子的富家千金,行为像男孩子,头发一直是用帽子给掩盖,一次偶然去韩国旅行却被星探发现,女扮男装加入当红偶像EXO,和灿烈产生一段既有趣又悲催的恋爱。。。
  • 盛世末章:大明花下

    盛世末章:大明花下

    她是汾阳王郭子仪的孙女她是升平公主与郭暧的爱女她是恩宠受尽的广陵王妃她是无奈花下的郭氏贵妃她是手握朝政的五朝太后她是。。。。。。。谁起谁伏,后宫争宠昔日荣华只是一尺白绫怨不得,恨不得只求永生不在帝王家。这只是大唐的后宫。只是郭璇的一代荣辱罢了
  • 每天读点季羡林(全集)

    每天读点季羡林(全集)

    季羡林,一位世纪老人,走过了风雨飘摇、朝代更迭、持续战争的动乱年代;经历了政治斗争、天灾人祸、狂热运动的动荡时期;风雨的历练,成就无悔的人生,晚年的季羡林被尊为国内为数不多的几位大师级人物之一,学界的泰斗。
  • 未来行者

    未来行者

    在地球面临灭亡之际,人类被迫在浩瀚的太空中寻找存根之地。好不容易找到一处合适的行星,却被行星异种压迫,于是科学家便研制出超科药剂,注入人体,激发人体巨大的潜能,制造出一个个超级强者保卫人类,对抗强大的异种。这些超级强者被人们尊称为“行者”,他们是整个人类的保护神!三百年悄然而过,异种不甘心地背地里又发起了又一轮的战火……
  • 风舞九霄

    风舞九霄

    第一卷爱在红叶纷飞时简介:九十年代末,当陆枫步入一家酒店工作时,遇到了个笑容可亲的女孩——红叶。相处日久之下,他们惊喜的发现,彼此间竟如此的相似,有着共同的爱好、兴趣和追求,于是两人不由自主的深深吸引着,默默相恋着。红豆本是相思子,一寸相思一寸灰。正当他们情难自禁,真正相爱时,尘世的束缚和阻碍却纷至沓来。当你面对一段看不到岸的爱情,是否还会义无反顾地爱下去?会的,我不认输,我不痛苦,我只为你而赌……明天的幸福!那好,此生我为了你的找寻,甘愿付出我所有的灵魂!就算终于还是要失去,那么,请允许我的遗憾少一点。PS:本人QQ号:729052524,交流爱好者可联系,作品需要亲们的多多支持和鼓励,谢谢
  • 妖孽神棍:废材要逆天

    妖孽神棍:废材要逆天

    她,是21世纪的顶尖杀手,却穿越到流落他乡的小乞儿身上,懦弱胆小,受人凌虐,还是个废物?呐,看来我要让他们看看什么是真正的废材才行呐。看我等级压死你!神兽虐死你!废材?嗯哼,请容我吐槽你的眼睛瞎了。她本云游天下,却不曾想捡了一个妖孽美男回家。正考虑要不要把他扔掉的时候,美男醒了,所以......某女果断把他给扔了。他却对她纠缠不清,至死方休。演绎一场倾世绝恋。
  • 苏卿俏玲珑

    苏卿俏玲珑

    一朝赌约,今生错过,不知是对还是错,如此之后,生命又将何去何从?
  • 上清琼宫灵飞六甲箓

    上清琼宫灵飞六甲箓

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 丹青物语

    丹青物语

    她和他同是艺术学院的学生,相恋四年。毕业后,因他出轨,她选择离开。他为了挽回她的心,敲遍整个街区每一户人家的房门,终于找到她的新家,看到她和现任男友。三人相对而坐,她该如何选择?此时,门铃却再次响起……此书献给所有正在恋爱和即将恋爱的美女们!切记!切记!男人有风险,爱情须谨慎!