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That poor sickly Miss Anne—he seemed to think more of her than
of anybody else in the world。 There wasn’t a soul in the parish had
a word to say against him； and his servants stayed with him till
they were so old and pottering； he had to hire other folks to do
their work。”
“Well；” I said； “that was an excellent way of preaching in the
weekdays； but I daresay； if your old friend Mr。 Irwine were to
come to life again； and get into the pulpit next Sunday； you would
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be rather ashamed that he didn’t preach better after all your
praise of him。”
“Nay； nay；” said Adam； broadening his chest and throwing
himself back in his chair； as if he were ready to meet all
inferences； “nobody has ever heard me say Mr。 Irwine was much
of a preacher。 He didn’t go into deep speritial experience； and I
know there s a deal in a man’s inward life as you can’t measure by
the square； and say； ‘Do this and that ’ll follow；’ and； ‘Do that and
this ’ll follow。’ There’s things go on in the soul； and times when
feelings come into you like a rushing mighty wind； as the
Scripture says； and part your life in two a’most； so you look back
on yourself as if you was somebody else。 Those are things as you
can’t bottle up in a ‘do this’ and ‘do that’； and I’ll go so far with the
strongest Methodist ever you’ll find。 That shows me there’s deep
speritial things in religion。 You can’t make much out wi’ talking
about it； but you feel it。 Mr。 Irwine didn’t go into those things—he
preached short moral sermons； and that was all。 But then he acted
pretty much up to what he said； he didn’t set up for being so
different from other folks one day； and then be as like ’em as two
peas the next。 And he made folks love him and respect him； and
that was better nor stirring up their gall wi’ being over busy。 Mrs。
Poyser used to say—you know she would have her word about
everything—she said； Mr。 Irwine was like a good meal o’ victual；
you were the better for him without thinking on it； and Mr。 Ryde
was like a dose o’ physic； he gripped you and worreted you； and
after all he left you much the same。”
“But didn’t Mr。 Ryde preach a great deal more about that
spiritual part of religion that you talk of； Adam？ Couldn’t you get
more out of his sermons than out of Mr。 Irwine’s？”
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“Eh； I knowna。 He preached a deal about doctrines。 But I’ve
seen pretty clear； ever since I was a young un； as religion’s
something else besides doctrines and notions。 I look at it as if the
doctrines was like finding names for your feelings； so as you can
talk of ’em when you’ve never known ’em； just as a man may talk
o’ tools when he knows their names； though he’s never so much as
seen ’em； still less handled ’em。 I’ve heard a deal o’ doctrine i’ my
time； for I used to go after the Dissenting preachers along wi’ Seth；
when I was a lad o’ seventeen； and got puzzling myself a deal
about th’ Arminians and the Calvinists。 The Wesleyans； you know；
are strong Arminians； and Seth； who could never abide anything
harsh and was always for hoping the best； held fast by the
Wesleyans from the very first； but I thought I could pick a hole or
two in their notions； and I got disputing wi’ one o’ the class leaders
down at Treddles’on； and harassed him so； first o’ this side and
then o’ that； till at last he said； ‘Young man； it’s the devil making
use o’ your pride and conceit as a weapon to war against the
simplicity o’ the truth。’ I couldn’t help laughing then； but as I was
going home； I thought the man wasn’t far wrong。 I began to see as
all this weighing and sifting what this text means and that text
means； and whether folks are saved all by God’s grace； or whether
there goes an ounce o’ their own will to ’t； was no part o’ real
religion at all。 You may talk o’ these things for hours on end； and
you’ll only be all the more coxy and conceited for ’t。 So I took to
going nowhere but to church； and hearing nobody but Mr。 Irwine；
for he said nothing but what was good and what you’d be the wiser
for remembering。 And I found it better for my soul to be humble
before the mysteries o’ God’s dealings； and not be making a clatter
about what I could never understand。 And they’re poor foolish
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questions after all； for what have we got either inside or outside of
us but what comes from God？ If we’ve got a resolution to do right；
He gave it us； I reckon； first or last； but I see plain enough we shall
never do it without a resolution； and that’s enough for me。”
Adam； you perceive； was a warm admirer； perhaps a partial
judge； of Mr。 Irwine； as； happily； some of us still are of the people
we have known familiarly。 Doubtless it will be despised as a
weakness by that lofty order of minds who pant after the ideal； and
are oppressed by a general sense that their emotions are of too
exquisite a character to find fit objects among their everyday
fellowmen。 I have often been favoured with the confidence of
these select natures； and find them to concur in the experience
that great men are overestimated and small men are
insupportable； that if you would love a woman without ever
looking back on your love as a folly； she must die while you are
courting her； and if you would maintain the slightest belief in
human heroism； you must never make a pilgrimage to see the
hero。 I confess I have often meanly shrunk from confessing