The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-05

was consigned for greater or less period II
proportion to his sins, before admission Init
q stare Of happiness"
"But here lay the stress of the doctrine
The po8er was in the Church to obtain par
don BY prayer for the souls who we're In pur
gatory, and to have the gates of that place
Of torture opened for their departure sooner
than would otherwise have taken place.
Men therefore whose conscienceS told them
that they deserved long abode in this place
of punishment, left liberal sums to the
Church to have prayers said for the behalf
of their souls. Children in like manner pro-
cured masses to be said for the souls of their
parents. Widows did the same for their de-
parted husbands husbands for their wives,
All these masses could only be had for money,
and all this money went to the priests.
"But the Pope and his clergy carried the
matter still farther, and not only sold, as
they pretended, the forgiveness of heaven to
those who had committed sins, but also grant
ed them always for money! liberty to break
through the laws of God and the Church
These last were called IGGulgencoS, because
.EZ,Ss VINO purchased them we're indatgsd in
tie privilege Of eommissaa1sI 5SnsTiS esssnd
vices without being SUPP snswerable to
the Divine Wrath"
Then follows Sir Walters lucid and accur-
ate account of the rise of the Reformation in
Scotland, and the organization of the Pres
byterian Church. Aud at later period Of
It's progress he thus describes the ministers:
"The Presbyterian preachers in throwing
away the external pomp and ceremonial OF
religious worship, had inculcated IN It's place
the most severe observation of morality. 1s
was objected to them indeed that as in their
model of Church Government, the Scottish
clergy claimed an undue influence over State
affairs, 50 in their professions of doctrine and
practice, they vsrged towards an ascetic sys
ten, in which too much weight was laid on
venial trspsgressions. and the opinions of
other Christians we're treated with too little
liberslity. But no one who considers their
works and their history can deny TO these
respectable men the merit of practising, in
the most rigid extent the strict doctrines of
morality which they taught. They despised
wealth, shunnsd even harmless pleasures, and
acquired the love of their AOcks by attend
ing to their temporal as we'll as their spiritual
diseases. They preached what they them
selves seriously believed and they were be.
ieved because they spoke with all the earn
estness Of conviction They spared neither
example nor precept to improve the more
ignorsnt Of their hearers, aud often endan-
gered their owa lives in attempting to put q
stop to the feads and trays which daily oc
Cured in their bounds. It is recorded of
worthy clergyman whose parish was partic-
ulsrly distracted by the brswls of the quar-
relsome inhabitants, that he used constantly
to wear stout steel head piece, which bore
an odd appearance cOntrasted with his cler
ical dress, The purpose was that when ne
saw swords drawn in the street, which was
almost daily, he might run between the COM
batsnts, aud thus separate them with less
risk of being killed by chance blow. So
that his msnliness and dauntless humanity
we're perpetually placing his iife in danger.
The clergy of that day were frequently
respectable from their birth aud connexions
as well as from their learning, and at all
times from their character. These qualities
enabled them TO interfere With effect, even in
the feuds of the barOns and gentry; and they
often brought to milder and more peaceful
thoughts men who would not have listened to
sny other intercessOrs. There is no doubt
that these good men and the Christianity
which they taught were one of the principal
means of correcting the furious temper and
revengeful habits Of the Scottish nation in
whose eyes bloodshed and deadly vengeance
had been till then a virtue. Besides the
preeep,s aud examples of religion and mo-
ralisy, the encouragement of general infOr.
nation and knowledge ia also an effactual
mode of tanning and subdaing the wild habits
of military and bsrbsrous people. For
this also the low lands of Scotland were in
debted to the Presbyterian ministers"
After such testimony given in the matu
rity of his judgment and in work which he
intended to be q guide to the thinking of the
youth of his country, il seems reasonable to
insist that this gifted poet, historian and
novelist was not the enemy of Presbyterian
ism-that if be has sketched the characters
and manners Of the leaders of the Scottish
kirk, with free pencil, he has yet done SO
with truth and honesty, and it would be sig
nal injustice to represent him as ridiculing
or trsducing the virtuous and deVout men
whom he has represented in history as the
peace makers and educators Of their fellow
country men.