ANECDOTES OF DR ANDERSON, GLASGOW.

Evening Star, Issue 3516, 30 May 1874, Page 3

ANECDOTES OF DR ANDERSON, GLASGOW.

Mr George Gilfillan, in his “Life of Dr Anderson,” says— I “Dr Alex. Macleod relates a story of Anderson wiiioh he heard him tell in hia own pulpit. He was expounding the words, ‘He that putteth not out his money to usury.’ ‘ Does that mean,’ he said, ‘asking ten per cent, or more ? Not entirely It means also the spirit in which the per cent, is taken. There was once in this church a poor widow, and she wanted twenty pounds to begin a small shop. Having no friends, she came to me, her minister ; and I happened to know a man, not of this church, who could advance the money to the poor widow', bo we went to this man, the widow and I, and the mm said he would be happy to help the widow. And he drew out a bill for twenty pounds, and the widow signed it, and I signed it too. Then he put the signed paper in his desk, and took out the money and gave it to the widow. But, counting it, she said, ‘Sir, there is only fifteen pounds here.’ ‘lt is all right,’said the man. ‘that is the interest i charge.’ And, as we had no redress, we came away. But the widow prospered. And she brought the twenty pounds to me, and 1 took it myself to the offic ; of the man who lent it, and I said to him, ‘ Bir, there are the twenty pounds from the widow.’ And he said, ‘There is the paper you signed, and if you know any other poor widow, I will be happy to help her in the same way.’ I replied, ‘You help the widow ! Sir, you have robbed this widow.’ And when his will was produced and read, it appeared that on the very day I had spoken to him he had put to it a codicil leaving fifty pounds to the poor. Poor deluded mortal, to think his soul’s salvation could be bought for fifty pounds. Dr Macleod alludes to a story of Anderson taking snuff as he was uttering the words, ‘My soul cleaveth to the dust,’ but refers to it to contradict it. We have heard a similiar of his raising to his nose a tremendous pinch as he was quoting the words, All is vanity.’ and discharging it into his nostrils, while he added, ‘This also is vanity. ’ ”