“No, I don’t. I’ve forgotten all about that. I only desire and pray to do the will of my God—which is all in all to me.”
“What say ye than aboot the sowls o’ ither fowk? Wadna ye save them, no?”
“Gladly would I save them—but according to the will of God. If I were, even unwittingly, to attempt it in any other way, I should be casting stumbling-blocks in their path, and separating myself from my God—doing that which is not of faith, and therefore is sin. It is only where a man is at one with God that he can do the right thing or take the right way. Whatever springs from any other source than the spirit that dwelt in Jesus, is of sin, and works to thwart the divine will. Who knows what harm may be done to a man by hurrying a spiritual process in him?”
“I doobt, sir, gien yer doctrine was to get a hearin’, there wad be unco little dune for the glory o’ God i’ this place!” remarked Bow-o’-meal, with sententious reproof.
“But what was done would be of the right sort, and surpassingly powerful.”
“Weel, to come back to the business in han’—what wad be yer advice?” said Bow-o’-meal.
“That’s a thing none but a lawyer should give. I have shown you what seem to me the principles involved: I can do no more.”
“Ye dinna ca’ that neebourly, whan a body comes speirin’ ’t?”
“Are you prepared then to take my advice?”
“Ye wadna hae a body du that aforehan’! We micht as weel a’ be Papists, an’ believe as we’re tauld.”