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annals of the parish(教区年鉴)-第44部分

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     In   conformity   with   the   altered   fashions   of   the   age;   in   this   year   the 

session came to an understanding with me; that we should not inflict the 

common church censures for such as made themselves liable thereto; but 

we did not formally promulge our resolution as to this; wishing as long as 

possible     to  keep    the  deterring    rod   over   the  heads    of  the   young    and 

thoughtless。      Our     motive;   on   the   one   hand;   was   the   disregard    of  the 

manufacturers in Cayenneville; who were; without the breach of truth; an 

irreligious people; and; on the other; a desire to preserve the ancient and 

wholesome        admonitory      and   censorian    jurisdiction    of  the   minister   and 

elders。     We therefore laid it down as a rule to ourselves; that; in the case 

of   transgressions   on   the   part   of   the   inhabitants   of   the   new   district   of 

Cayenneville; we should subject them rigorously to a fine; but that for the 

farming…lads; we would put it in their option to pay the fine; or stand in the 

kirk。 

     We   conformed   also   in   another   matter   to   the   times;   by   consenting   to 

baptize occasionally in private houses。             Hitherto it had been a strict rule 

with   me   only  to   baptize   from  the   pulpit。   Other   parishes;  however;   had 

long been in the practice of this relaxation of ancient discipline。 

     But all this on my part; was not done without compunction of spirit; 

for   I   was   of   opinion;   that   the   principle   of   Presbyterian   integrity   should 

have been   maintained   to   the uttermost。         Seeing;  however;  the  elders   set 

on an alteration; I distrusted my own judgment; and yielded myself to the 

considerations that weighed with them; for they were true men; and of a 

godly   honesty;   and   took   the   part   of   the   poor   in   all   contentions   with   the 

heritors; often to the hazard and damage of their own temporal welfare。 

     I have now to note a curious thing; not on account of its importance; 

but   to   show   to   what   lengths   a   correspondence   had   been   opened   in   the 

parish with the farthest parts of the earth。            Mr Cayenne got a turtle…fish 

sent to him from a Glasgow merchant; and it was living when it came to 

the Wheatrig House; and was one of the most remarkable beasts that had 



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ever been seen in our country side。 It weighed as much as a well…fed calf; 

and had three kinds of meat in its body; fish; flesh; and fowl; and it had 

four water…wings; for they could not be properly called fins; but what was 

little short   of   a   miracle   about   the   creature;   happened   after   the   head   was 

cutted off; when; if a finger was offered to it; it would open its mouth and 

snap at it; and all this after the carcass was divided for dressing。 

     Mr Cayenne made a feast on the occasion to many of the neighbouring 

gentry; to the which I was invited; and we drank lime…punch as we ate the 

turtle;   which;    as   I  understand;     is  the  fashion    in  practice    among     the 

Glasgow West Indy merchants; who are famed as great hands with turtles 

and lime…punch。        But it is a sort of food that I should not like to fare long 

upon。     I was not right the next day; and I have heard it said; that when 

eaten too often; it has a tendency to harden the heart and make it crave for 

greater luxuries。 

     But the story of the turtle is nothing to that of the Mass; which; with all 

its   mummeries   and   abominations;   was   brought   into   Cayenneville   by   an 

Irish priest of the name of Father O'Grady; who was confessor to some of 

the poor deluded Irish labourers about the new houses and the cotton…mill。 

How he had the impudence to set up that memento of Satan; the crucifix; 

within   my   parish     and   jurisdiction;   was   what   I   never   could    get   to   the 

bottom of; but the soul was shaken within me; when; on the Monday after; 

one of the elders came to the manse; and told me that the old dragon of 

Popery;     with   its  seven    heads   and    ten  horns;   had   been    triumphing     in 

Cayenneville on   the   foregoing   Lord's   day!         I   lost   no time   in   convening 

the session to see what was to be done; much; however; to my surprise; the 

elders recommended no step to be taken; but only a zealous endeavour to 

greater Christian excellence on our part; by which we should put the beast 

and his worshippers to shame and flight。              I am free to confess; that; at the 

time; I did not think this the wisest counsel which they might have given; 

for; in the heat of my alarm; I was for attacking the enemy in his camp。 

But they prudently observed; that the days of religious persecution were 

past; and it was a comfort to see mankind cherishing any sense of religion 

at all; after the vehement infidelity that had been sent abroad by the French 

Republicans;   and   to   this   opinion;   now   that   I   have   had   years   to   sift   its 



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wisdom; I own myself a convert and proselyte。 

     Fortunately;   however;   for   my   peace   of   mind;   there   proved   to   be   but 

five Roman Catholics in Cayenneville; and Father O'Grady not being able 

to   make   a   living   there;   packed   up   his   Virgin   Marys;   saints;   and   painted 

Agneses   in   a   portmanteau;   and   went   off   in   the Ayr   fly   one   morning   for 

Glasgow; where I hear he has since met with all the encouragement that 

might   be   expected   from   the   ignorant   and   idolatrous   inhabitants   of   that 

great city。 

     Scarcely were we well rid of Father O'Grady; when another interloper 

entered the parish。        He was more dangerous; in the opinion of the session; 

than   even   the   Pope   of   Rome   himself;   for   he   came   to   teach   the   flagrant 

heresy of Universal Redemption; a most consolatory doctrine to the sinner 

that is loth to repent; and who loves to troll his iniquity like a sweet morsel 

under   his   tongue。     Mr   Martin   Siftwell;   who   was   the   last   ta'en   on   elder; 

and     who    had    received     a  liberal    and   judicious     education;     and    was; 

moreover;       naturally     possessed      of  a   quick    penetration;      observed;     in 

speaking of this new doctrine; that the grossest papist sinner might have 

some   qualms   of   fear   after   he   had   bought   the   Pope's   pardon;   and   might 

thereby be led to a reformation of life; but that the doctrine of universal 

redemption was a bribe to commit sin; the wickedest mortal; according to 

it;  being   only  liable  to  a   few  thousand   years;  more  or   less; of   suffering; 

which; compared with eternity; was but a momentary pang; like having a 

tooth drawn for the toothache。             Mr Siftwell is a shrewd and clear…seeing 

man in points of theology; and I would trust a great deal to what he says; 

as I have not; at my advanced age; such a mind for the kittle crudities of 

polemical investigation that I had in my younger years; especially when I 

was a student in the Divinity Hall of Glasgow。 

     It will be seen from all I have herein recorded; that; in the course of 

this   year;   there   was   a   general   resuscitation   of   religious   sentiments;   for 

what happened in my parish was but a type and index to the rest of the 

world。      We had; however; one memorable that must stand by itself;   for 

although   neither   death   nor   bloodshed   happened;   yet   was   it   cause   of   the 

fear of both。 

     A  rumour   reached   us   from  the   Clyde;  that   a   French   man…of…war   had 



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appeared   in   a   Highland   loch;   and   that   all   the   Greenock   volunteers   had 

embarked in merchant vessels to bring her in for a prize。                    Our volunteers 

were just jumping and yowling; like chained dogs; to be at her too; but the 

colonel;   Sir   Hugh;   would   do   nothing   without   orders   from   his   superiors。 

Mr Cayenne; though an aged man above seventy;  was as bold as a lion; 

and came forth in the old garb of an American huntsman; like; as I was 

told;   a   Robin   Hood   in   the   play   is;   and   it   was   just   a   sport   to   see   him; 

feckless   man;   trying   to   march   so   crousely   with   his   lean;   shaking   hands。 

But the whole affair proved a false alarm; and our men; when they heard it; 

were as well pleased that they had been constrained to 
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