Запретный лес
XXI. The Going of the Minister
Hespokeasonehavingauthority;thoughheusedthebroadcountryspeech,hehadthatinhisvoicewhich,whetheritspringfromcamporcourtorcollege,meanscommand.VerysensitivetothisnoteintheirdisciplinedKirk,thetwoministerslistened.
WhatfellfromMark’slipswasdiscussedsecretlyformanyadayinthecountryside.Publiclyitwasrarelymentioned,foramoreawfulblasphemy,itseemed,wasneverspokeninthehouseofGod.HetoldtwopillarsoftheKirkandacongregationofthedevoutthattheyhadallfailedutterlytointerpretGod’sWord;thattheywerePhariseesfaithfultoanill-understoodletterandheedlessofthespirit;thattheywerefoolsbemusedwithJewishriteswhichtheydidnotcomprehendandJewishnameswhichtheycouldnotproperlypronounce."It’snothingbutabairn’sploy,"hecried,"butit’sacruelploy,forithasspiltmucklegoodbloodinScotland.Ifyetaketheblood-thirstiness,andthehewinginpieces,andthrawnnessoftheauldJews,andettletoshapeyourselvesontheirpattern,whatfordoyenogangfurther?Wherefored’yenosetupanaltarandburnawedderon’t?Whatkindo’kirkisthis,whenyesuldhaveatemplewithgopherandshittimwoodandshew-breadandanarko’thecovenantandbranchedcandlesticks,andbuskyourministerinanephodinsteadofablackgown?YecannapickandchooseintheWord.Ifonethingistobezealouslycopied,whereforenotall?...Yefattedcalves!...Yemuckleweans,thatplayatbeingancientIsraelites!"
ThiswastoomuchforMr.Proudfoot.
"Silence,blasphemer,"hecried.
