Запретный лес
IV. The Faithful Servant
Hemightvisittheirhousesandcatechizetheirfamilies,butthesewereformaloccasions,withallontheirbestbehaviour,whereasintheintimatebusinessofcharityhesawthemastheywere.
Thenewministerwasyoungandhewasardent,andhisdutieswerestillanadventure.HisSabbathsermonswerediligentlymeditated.ForhismorninglecturehetookthebookoftheprophetAmos,which,astheworkofaherdsman,seemedfittingforacountryparish.Histwoweeklydiscoursesdealtlaboriouslywiththefourfoldstateofman--hisearlystateofinnocence,hisconditionaftertheFall,hisstateundergrace,hisconditionineternity.ThatwinterDaviddidnotgetbeyondthestateofinnocence,andindiscoursingonitheexhaustedhisingenuityinpiecingtextstogetherfromtheScriptures,andinsuchillustrationsashebelievedwouldawakenhishearers’minds.Profanelearningopenlyusedwouldhavebeenresented,buthecontrivedtobringinmuchthatdidnotbelongtothedivinityschools,andheescapedcriticism,itmaybe,becausehisKirkSessiondidnotunderstandhim.Hiselderswerenotedtheologians,andwhatwasstrangetothem,ifitwasweightilyphrased,theytookfortheologicalprofundity.
Atteno’clockeachSabbathmorningRobbthebeadletinkledthefirstbell;atthesecondthecongregationmovedintothekirk,andPeterPennecuik,whoactedasprecentor,ledtheopeningpsalm,readingeachlinebeforeitwassung.WhenRobbjerkedthethirdbell,Davidenteredthepulpitandbeganwithprayer.
