The Washington herald., 1907-11-21
CHAPTER XXI.
The splitting of the Kirk.

Naturally the news OF what the min
lister Of the Valley Kirk had done rar
swiftly through the village. The VALLEY
Manse was very advantageously placed
for purposes OF observation. Nearly every
housewife in the whole length OF the
High street could see the Manse door
by merely putting aside the little white
lace curtain. strung on a piece OF tape
across the lower third of her window
At eleven OF the morning Hector McKiI
called. entered, and remained a long
time closeted with the minister. Then
he founced out. and went up the road
with long strides.
The whole High street felt certain that
he had lifted hts lines. and wondered
where he would go now. Lifting ones
lines" Is the technical expression for dis
joining oneself from a congregation. Only
on the occasion Of a grave and serious
quarrel is this resorted TO. For Scottish
folk are very faithful 10 their places OF
worship when once they have chosen
them-or, as is more probably the case
had them chosen for them by the re-
ligious professions Of their parents
The conclusion drawn by the wise folk
Of the High street council was. for once
correct. At the Manse Hector McKil
had beseeched. had threatened. had sworn
TO split the ktrk'-always dire posi-
bility in Scotland But every time ne
had found his threats broken upon the
quiet. unresentful discrimination Of Mr.
Fowler He had carried away with him
the double certificates. with the ink
scarcely dry upon them. which stated
that IN the opinion of the Reverend John
Fowler Mr.. and Mrs. Hector McKill were
ht and proper persons to leave the Free
Congregation OF the Valley Church in
Klrktown."
Being otherwise occupied. and with the
anger within him still effervescent, Mr
McKIl did not notice the curious word
ing OF the certificate. At any rate. he
had no intention of making use OF the
"disjunction lines No other church, GER
tainly none in Kirktown, was worthy
TO receive his adherence and that OF
his amiable wife. He would do better
He would set up a new sect in KirktoWn.
Yes, here at last was his opportunity
He had long been dissatisfied with the
projections OF "colleged dIvines." He
would call the ultra-faithful TO arms and
minister to them himself.
II was with this purpose in his head
that he went so rapidly up the street
to take a Sunday and Wednesday lease
Of the Odd Fellows Hall. He secured both
He had also chosen a name for his new
sect 1t was to be called The Church of
the Thousand, Three Hundred and Five
and Thirty Days" He had thought OF
simply and unostentatiously naming il
The Church" as being the only ore
uniting pure doctrine with real authority
But his wife. whose reasons could not
be denied. had asserted the claims of exact
prophecy. And so. with some sacrifice
of simplicity. Hector McKin had yielded.
After lunch be sent his wife, in COM
pany with the beadles wife. TO uplift his
Bible and Psalm books. his hymn books
and hassocks, from the pew he had oc-
c1pied so long In the Valley Kirk. now
become as Sodom and GOmorrah to him.
And II one had listened to that excellent
person, the wife of the beadle, a woman
wholly devoted to -Maister Fowler" II
was with the utmost difficulty that Mrs
McKill, tibet greedy gorb." was pre-
vented from carrying off not only her
own. but a large number Of other books
OF her late cult which were by no means
hers TO dispose Of.
''Eh, hut she's worth the watchin', :,
said Mistress Haldane afteTward. 'I de-
clare II I hadna been there yon woman
wad fair hae strippit the kirk, She
wanted RE to let her into the vestry. But
Ma, na. says I, I hae far over mucklt
respect for the pulpit Bible! That's whai
l said TO her. says l.
It cannot be affirmed that the success.
Of the new venture was proportionate L
the energy with which Hector McKiI
pursued his work OF proselytism. HI
went from foreman to foreman, from