“Gin ye’ve seen sic a book before,” said Mrs Lyall, “let’s hear gin ye can read ony.”
“I don’t mind though I do,” said the soldier, and taking the Bible he read a chapter that had been marked by Mrs Lyall as one condemnatory of his seeming disregard of the Sabbath. The reading of the soldier was perfect.
“There, lad,” said David Lyall, “ye read like a minister.”
“An’ far better than mony ane o’ them,” said the mistress; “but gifts are no graces,” she continued; “it’s nae the readin’ nor the hearin’ that maks a gude man—na, na, it’s the right and proper application—the practice, that’s the real thing.”
David saw that “the mistress was aboot to mount her favourite hobbyhorse,” and cut her lecture short by remarking that “it was time to make ready for the kirk.”
“Aye, ye’ll gae to the kirk,” said Mrs Lyall, “an’ tak the sodger wi’ ye; and see that ye fesh the sermon hame atween ye, as I am no gaun mysel the day.”
The soldier acquiesced, and on their way to church Mr Lyall remarked, among other things, that “the gudewife was, if anything, precise and conceited about kirk matters an’ keepin’ the Sabbath day, but no that ill a body, fin fouk had the git o’ her and latten gang a wee thing her ain git. I keep a calm sough mysel, for the sake o’ peace, as she an’ her neebour wife, Mrs Smith, gudewife o’ Jackston, count themselves the Jachin an’ Boaz o’ our temple. Ye’ll mind as muckle o’ the sermon as ye can, as depend upon it she will be speirin’.” The soldier said he would do his best to satisfy her on that head.
The parish church of Benholm, as well as the secession church of Johnshaven, were that day filled to overflowing more by red coats than black. On their return from church, and while dinner was discussing, Mrs Lyall inquired about the text at David. He told her the text.
“A bonnie text,” she said; “Mr Harper” (the name of the minister) “would say a hantle upon that; fu did he lay out his discourse?”
“Weel, gudewife,” said David, “I can tell ye little mair aboot it; ye may speir at the sodger there. I can tell ye he held the killivine (pencil) gaun to some tune a’ the time.”