The Ayrshire Legatees

The worst point, howsomever, of all is, what is done with the

prayers--and I have heard you say, that although there was nothing more

to objec to the wonderful Doctor Chammers of Glasgou, that his reading of

his sermons was testimony against him in the great controversy of sound

doctrine; but what will you say to reading of prayers, and no only

reading of prayers, but printed prayers, as if the contreet heart of the

sinner had no more to say to the Lord in the hour of fasting and

humiliation, than what a bishop can indite, and a book-seller make profit

o'. "Verily," as I may say, in a word of scripter, I doobt if the glad

tidings of salvation have yet been preeched in this land of London; but

the ministers have good stipends, and where the ground is well manured,

it may in time bring forth fruit meet for repentance.

There is another thing that behoves me to mention, and that is, that an

elder is not to be seen in the churches of London, which is a sore signal

that the piple are left to themselves; and in what state the morality can

be, you may guess with an eye of pity. But on the Sabbath nights, there

is such a going and coming, that it's more like a cried fair than the

Lord's night--all sorts of poor people, instead of meditating on their

bygane toil and misery of the week, making the Sunday their own day, as

if they had not a greater Master to serve on that day, than the earthly

man whom they served in the week-days. It is, howsomever, past the poor

of nature to tell you of the sinfulness of London; and you may we think

what is to be the end of all things, when I ashure you, that there is a

newspaper sold every Sabbath morning, and read by those that never look

at their Bibles. Our landlady asked us if we would take one; but I

thought the Doctor would have fired the house, and you know it is not a

small thing that kindles his passion. In short, London is not a place to

come to hear the tidings of salvation preeched,--no that I mean to deny

that there is not herine more than five righteous persons in it, and I

trust the cornal's hagent is one; for if he is not, we are undone, having

been obligated to take on already more than a hundred pounds of debt, to

the account of our living, and the legacy yet in the dead thraws. But as

I mean this for a spiritual letter, I will say no more about the root of

all evil, as it is called in the words of truth and holiness; so

referring you to what I have told Miss Mally Glencairn about the legacy

and other things nearest my heart, I remain, my dear Mrs. Glibbans, your

fellou Christian and sinner, JANET PRINGLE.