“’Deed, sir, He kens that best Himsel’,” was the shrewd reply.
“Why did the Israelites make a golden calf?” was the question put to a little girl.
“Because they hadna as muckle siller as wad mak’ a coo,” she replied.
These examinations were invariably intimated from the pulpit, and the families in each district were invited to meet the minister on a certain day, at an appointed hour, and in a particular house. The farmers’ wives, not better informed than the humble parishioners, yet considered themselves superior persons, and afraid lest they should be affronted by having a question put to them that they could not answer, the catechiser was frequently bribed by a basketful of eggs and a few pounds of fresh butter being sent over to the manse on the morning of the diet. Thus, a certain minister was intercepted whilst crossing a moor on his way to the house of meeting one day.
“Good morning, Janet,” said the divine; “but are you not to present yourself at the diet of examination in the house of John Anderson, at noon to-day?”
“Ay am I, sir. Ou, deed, ay. But you see, sir, I just sent ower the lassie to the manse this mornin’ wi’ twa or three rows o’ fresh butter and a curn eggs, d’ye see; an’ I was just wantin’ to say to ye, sir, that ye micht speir some easy question at me. It’s no that I dinna read my Book, an’ dinna ken, but I just get in a state o’ the nerves, like, afore fouk, an’ micht mak’ a fule o’ mysel’; an’ that’s the reason I wad like ye just to ask some very simple question when my turn comes.”
“I’m surely obliged to you for your present, Janet,” said the minister, “and, depend upon it, I shall be careful to give you a question that will be easily answered.” So saying, he bade her good morning and rode on. Janet was forward in time; and when her turn came to be examined, the minister, remembering his promise, said—
“Janet Davidson, can you tell me which is the Seventh Commandment?”
Simple as the question would have been to many present, Janet could not answer it, and no voice responding, the question was repeated slowly and with emphasis on the words—Seventh Commandment. Janet cast a beseeching look at the minister, and in a half-reproving tone said—