THE DOCTOR'S HEAVY BRIGADE.
"They would scarcely believe him when he told them that when in Thurso, some time ago, he on one occasion saw six hundred people asleep in a church." Speech of Dr. Guthrie, October 26th.
O'er their devoted heads,
While the law thunder'd,
Snugly and heedlessly
Snored the Six Hundred!
Great was the preacher's theme;
Screw'd on was all the steam;
Neither with shout nor scream
Could he disturb the dream
Of the Six Hundred!
Terrors to right of them!
Terrors to left of them!
Terrors in front of them!
Hell itself plundered!
Of its most awful things,
All those unlawful things.
Weak-minded preacher flings
At the dumb-founder'd!
Boldly he spoke, and well,
All on deaf ears it fell,
Vain was his loudest yell
Volley'd and thundered;
For, caring—the truth to tell,
Neither for Heaven nor Hell,
Snor'd the Six Hundred;
Still, with redoubled zeal,
Still he spoke onward,
And, in a wild appeal,
Striking with hand and heel,
Making the pulpit reel,
Shaken and sundered—
Called them the Church's foes,
Threatened with endless woes,
Faintly the answer rose,
(Proofs of their sweet repose),
From the United Nose
Of the Six Hundred!