Another thing which impresses a stranger is a peculiar habit of speech common to nearly all these people, and is possibly nearly the only relic of their more religious days. “God-forgotten” was the phrase they nearly all used, an expression which gives occasion to the question, “Have Christians, who are the representatives of God upon earth, misrepresented Him to these people by their neglect?” A grudge against God, an idea as if He were the author of evil and not good to them, seemed general. Many of the phrases used showed a sort of reckless belief, which, under the circumstances, was worse than unbelief. Coming down a long dark stair late at night, from an overcrowded land, a frightful hag clutched my arm with her skinny hand, and hissed into my ear, “Is it God’s elect you are seeking here? It’s the devil’s elect you’ll find,” laughing fiendishly at her own wit. “So this is Blackfriars Wynd,” remarked one of our party, as we passed down the crowded alley. “No, it’s hell’s mouth,” exclaimed a forlorn woman, who was dragging a drunken man to his joyless home. “Do you think the missionary would dare to mock me by telling me of God’s love? Could he have the face to do ithere?” a poor woman exclaimed, whose three fatherless children lay ill on some straw, which servedfor a bed in a cellar, of which it and a kettle were the only “furniture.”
It is one thing to hear unpleasant facts stated by unwelcome speakers, or to meet with them fossilized in statistical tables, but altogether another to confront them in beings clothed in kindred flesh and blood, in men, women, and children claiming a common Fatherhood, and asserting their right to be heard. These our brethren, haggard, hopeless, hardened, vicious, on whose faces sin has graved deeper lines than either sorrow or poverty; this old age which is not venerable, this infancy which is not loveable, these childish faces, or faces which should have been childish, peering from amidst elvish locks, and telling of a precocious familiarity with sin,—these glowering upon us from the tottering West Bow, with its patched and dirty windows, from the still picturesque Lawnmarket, from the many-storeyed houses of the High Street,—these are spectres not easily to be laid to rest, and “polite society,” which has become perfect in the polite art of indifference, must encounter them, sooner or later, in one way or another.
Surely it is possible to raise these our brethren, who are living and dying like brutes, to a platform on which the gospel of Him who came to preach glad tidings to the poor would not be met by nearly insuperable obstacles. Though more wretches have been pulled out of the mire by mission churches than by any other agency, the masses are “lapsed,” “gone under,” sunk on the whole to lower depths than the ministerial plummet can sound, and the ministers, most of whom are hampered by the existing necessities of large congregations, are notdirectlyresponsible for a condition of things which is a disgrace to Scottish Christianity. My own experience leads me to believe that these lapsed masses must be raised out of the “Slough of Despond” before they can hear or see; that these miserable thousands must have at least as much light, air, and space as we give our brutes, before a ministerial visit can be aught but a mockery,—before they can rise to manhood and womanhood in Christ. The ministers are not to be altogether blamed for failing to carry the tidings of peace to those who are too deaf, from drink and demoralization, to hear them. Condemn them if they fail to thunder into ears scarcely less dull, that the blood of those who are going down alive into the pit will be required of a church-membership which is bound to aim at no lesser measure of devotion than His who laiddown His life for the brethren. Let them demand the lives of these godless ones from the respectable who enjoy the Sabbath luxury of sermons; let them declare a crusade against the Christlessness and apathy of those who sit at ease at communion-tables, content to leave those to the outer darkness for whom that same body and blood were broken and shed, and they will be guiltless.
It was by a life of sacrifice and a death of shame that the redemption of this world was wrought; and it is by a life of sacrifice alone—if loving search after the lost, if personal sympathy with the wretched, if stooping to raise and aid the poor are to be called sacrifice—that the Master’s steps can be followed and His work on the earth be completed.
I. L. B.
EDINBURGH: T. CONSTABLE,PRINTER TO THE QUEEN, AND TO THE UNIVERSITY.
Now ready, Sixth Edition, in One Vol., Extra Foolscap 8vo, 7s. 6d.HORÆ SUBSECIVÆ.BY JOHN BROWN, M.D., F.R.S.E.FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, EDINBURGH.CONTENTS.LETTER TO JOHN CAIRNS, D.D.DR. CHALMERS.DR. GEORGE WILSON.HER LAST HALF-CROWN.QUEEN MARY’S CHILD-GARDEN.OUR DOGS.NOTES ON ART.“OH, I’M WAT, WAT!”EDUCATION THROUGH THE SENSES.ΑΓΧΙΝΟΙΑ—NEARNESS OF THEΝΟΤΣ—PRESENCE OFMIND—ἘΥΣΤΟΧΙΑ: HAPPYGUESSING.THE BLACK DWARF’S BONES.RAB AND HIS FRIENDS.“WITH BRAINS, SIR!”ARTHUR H. HALLAM.Of all the John Browns, commend as to Dr. John Brown, the physician, the man of genius, the humorist, the student of men, women, and dogs. By means of two beautiful volumes, he has given the public a share of his by-hours, and more pleasant hours it would be difficult to find in any life. Dr. Brown’s master-piece is the story of a dog called ‘Rab.’ The tale moves from the most tragic pathos to the most reckless humour, and could not have been written but by a man of genius. Whether it moves to laughter or tears, it is perfect in its way, and immortalizes its author. The contents of theseHoræ Subsecivæare very miscellaneous. From stories of dogs, biographies of doctors and ministers, hints on medical education and practice, we turn to criticisms on poetry and art. One of the volumes contains the best account of Arthur Hallam, the hero of Mr. Tennyson’sElegiacs, that is anywhere to be found. In the other, there is a very curious and racy criticism on the poems of Henry Vaughan.—Times.There is a pleasant article on the Arthur Henry Hallam of ‘In Memoriam.’... The story of “Rab and his Friends” is a veritable gem. It is true, simple, pathetic, and touched with an antique grace, which, in such vicinity, charms and surprises. If any pre-Raphaelite aspirant would learn how Doric homeliness may be united with the utmost perfection and symmetry of form, let him read this beautiful episode.... A book of much wisdom and beauty, and we most heartily recommend it—its cause as well as its execution.—Fraser’s Mag.
Now ready, Sixth Edition, in One Vol., Extra Foolscap 8vo, 7s. 6d.
HORÆ SUBSECIVÆ.
BY JOHN BROWN, M.D., F.R.S.E.
FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, EDINBURGH.
CONTENTS.
Of all the John Browns, commend as to Dr. John Brown, the physician, the man of genius, the humorist, the student of men, women, and dogs. By means of two beautiful volumes, he has given the public a share of his by-hours, and more pleasant hours it would be difficult to find in any life. Dr. Brown’s master-piece is the story of a dog called ‘Rab.’ The tale moves from the most tragic pathos to the most reckless humour, and could not have been written but by a man of genius. Whether it moves to laughter or tears, it is perfect in its way, and immortalizes its author. The contents of theseHoræ Subsecivæare very miscellaneous. From stories of dogs, biographies of doctors and ministers, hints on medical education and practice, we turn to criticisms on poetry and art. One of the volumes contains the best account of Arthur Hallam, the hero of Mr. Tennyson’sElegiacs, that is anywhere to be found. In the other, there is a very curious and racy criticism on the poems of Henry Vaughan.—Times.
There is a pleasant article on the Arthur Henry Hallam of ‘In Memoriam.’... The story of “Rab and his Friends” is a veritable gem. It is true, simple, pathetic, and touched with an antique grace, which, in such vicinity, charms and surprises. If any pre-Raphaelite aspirant would learn how Doric homeliness may be united with the utmost perfection and symmetry of form, let him read this beautiful episode.... A book of much wisdom and beauty, and we most heartily recommend it—its cause as well as its execution.—Fraser’s Mag.
ODDS AND ENDS.Now Ready, Vol. I., in Cloth, price 4s. 6d., containing Nos. 1-10:1. Sketches of Highland Character.—Sheep Farmers and Drovers.2. Convicts. By aPractical Hand.3. Wayside Thoughts of an Asophophilosopher. ByD’Arcy W. Thompson. No. 1.Rainy Weather; or, the Philosophy of Sorrow.Gooseskin; or, the Philosophy of Horror.Te Deum Laudamus; Or, the Philosophy of Joy.4. The Enterkin. ByJohn Brown, M.D.5. Wayside Thoughts of an Asophophilosopher. ByD’Arcy W. Thompson. No. 2.Asses—History—Plagues.6. Penitentiaries and Reformatories.7. Notes from Paris; or, Why are Frenchmen and Englishmen different?8. Essays by an Old Man. No. 1.In Memoriam—Vanitas Vanitatum—Friends.9. Wayside Thoughts of an Asophophilosopher. ByD’Arcy W. Thompson. No. 3.Not Godless, but Godly; a Triangular Treatise on Education.10. The Influence of the Reformation on the Scottish Character. ByJ. A. Froude, Author of the ‘History of England.’Now Ready, Vol. II., in Cloth, price 4s. 6d., containing Nos. 11-19:11. The Cattle Plague. ByLyon Playfair, C.B., LL.D, F.R.S., etc.12. Rough Nights’ Quarters. ByOne of the People who have Roughed it.13. Letters on the Education of Young Children. By S. G. O.14. The Stormontfield Piscicultural Experiments. 1853-1866. ByRobert Buist.15. A Tract for the Times.16. Spain in 1866.17. The Highland Shepherd. By the Author of ‘The Two Queys.’18. The Doctrine of the Correlation of Forces: its Development and Evidence. By the Rev.James Cranbrook, Edinburgh.19. ‘Bibliomania.’20. A Tract on Twigs, and on the Best Way to Bend them.EDINBURGH: EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS.
ODDS AND ENDS.
Now Ready, Vol. I., in Cloth, price 4s. 6d., containing Nos. 1-10:
1. Sketches of Highland Character.—Sheep Farmers and Drovers.
2. Convicts. By aPractical Hand.
3. Wayside Thoughts of an Asophophilosopher. ByD’Arcy W. Thompson. No. 1.Rainy Weather; or, the Philosophy of Sorrow.Gooseskin; or, the Philosophy of Horror.Te Deum Laudamus; Or, the Philosophy of Joy.
4. The Enterkin. ByJohn Brown, M.D.
5. Wayside Thoughts of an Asophophilosopher. ByD’Arcy W. Thompson. No. 2.Asses—History—Plagues.
6. Penitentiaries and Reformatories.
7. Notes from Paris; or, Why are Frenchmen and Englishmen different?
8. Essays by an Old Man. No. 1.In Memoriam—Vanitas Vanitatum—Friends.
9. Wayside Thoughts of an Asophophilosopher. ByD’Arcy W. Thompson. No. 3.Not Godless, but Godly; a Triangular Treatise on Education.
10. The Influence of the Reformation on the Scottish Character. ByJ. A. Froude, Author of the ‘History of England.’
Now Ready, Vol. II., in Cloth, price 4s. 6d., containing Nos. 11-19:
11. The Cattle Plague. ByLyon Playfair, C.B., LL.D, F.R.S., etc.
12. Rough Nights’ Quarters. ByOne of the People who have Roughed it.
13. Letters on the Education of Young Children. By S. G. O.
14. The Stormontfield Piscicultural Experiments. 1853-1866. ByRobert Buist.
15. A Tract for the Times.
16. Spain in 1866.
17. The Highland Shepherd. By the Author of ‘The Two Queys.’
18. The Doctrine of the Correlation of Forces: its Development and Evidence. By the Rev.James Cranbrook, Edinburgh.
19. ‘Bibliomania.’
20. A Tract on Twigs, and on the Best Way to Bend them.
EDINBURGH: EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS.
Footnotes:
[1]Report on the Condition of the Poorer Classes in Edinburgh, 1868, p. 19.
[2]Report on the Condition of the Poorer Classes of Edinburgh, 1868, p. 49.