The Ayrshire Legatees

Tam Glen having, in consequence of the exhortations of Mr. Micklewham,

and the earnest entreaties of Mr. Daff, backed by the pious

animadversions of the rigidly righteous Mr. Craig, confessed a fault, and

acknowledged an irregular marriage with Meg Milliken, their child was

admitted to church privileges. But before the day of baptism, Mr. Daff,

who thought Tam had given but sullen symptoms of penitence, said, to put

him in better humour with his fate,--"Noo, Tam, since ye hae beguiled us

of the infare, we maun mak up for't at the christening; so I'll speak to

Mr. Snodgrass to bid the Doctor's friens and acquaintance to the ploy,

that we may get as meikle amang us as will pay for the bairn's baptismal

frock."

Mr. Craig, who was present, and who never lost an opportunity of

testifying, as he said, his "discountenance of the crying iniquity,"

remonstrated with Mr. Daff on the unchristian nature of the proposal,

stigmatising it with good emphasis "as a sinful nourishing of carnality

in his day and generation." Mr. Micklewham, however, interfered, and

said, "It was a matter of weight and concernment, and therefore it

behoves you to consult Mr. Snodgrass on the fitness of the thing. For if

the thing itself is not fit and proper, it cannot expect his countenance;

and, on that account, before we reckon on his compliance with what Mr.

Daff has propounded, we should first learn whether he approves of it at

all." Whereupon the two elders and the session-clerk adjourned to the

manse, in which Mr. Snodgrass, during the absence of the incumbent, had

taken up his abode.

The heads of the previous conversation were recapitulated by Mr.

Micklewham, with as much brevity as was consistent with perspicuity; and

the matter being duly digested by Mr. Snodgrass, that orthodox young

man--as Mrs. Glibbans denominated him, on hearing him for the first

time--declared that the notion of a pay-christening was a benevolent and

kind thought: "For, is not the order to increase and multiply one of the

first commands in the Scriptures of truth?" said Mr. Snodgrass,

addressing himself to Mr. Craig. "Surely, then, when children are

brought into the world, a great law of our nature has been fulfilled, and

there is cause for rejoicing and gladness! And is it not an obligation

imposed upon all Christians, to welcome the stranger, and to feed the

hungry, and to clothe the naked; and what greater stranger can there be

than a helpless babe? Who more in need of sustenance than the infant,

that knows not the way even to its mother's bosom? And whom shall we

clothe, if we do not the wailing innocent, that the hand of Providence

places in poverty and nakedness before us, to try, as it were, the depth

of our Christian principles, and to awaken the sympathy of our humane

feelings?"