The Bapteesement of the Bairn.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3226, 21 June 1879, Page 2

The Bapteesement o f the Bairn.

[We hare been requested by a number of subscribers to publish the " Bapteesement o' the Bairn." In compliance with that desire we now do 80.] Od, Andra, man! I doot je may be wrang To keep the bairn's bapteesement aff sac lang j Supposing tho fiever, or some quick mischance, Or even the kink host, whup ife aff at ance To fire and brirastane, in the black domain* Of unbelievers and unohristened weans-— I'm sure ye never could forgi'e. jfer^e,}^.,, ,«„*,,;„ Or'cook your head in Heaven,"w? it in—— Weesht, Maggie,, weesht 1 nanie not the wicked place; •■■ - I ken I'm. wrang, but heaven will,gr§nt us grace." I havena' been unmiridfu' o' the bairn, Na, thocht on't till my bowels began to yearn i Bnt, woman, to my sorrow,,l have found Our minuter is anything but sound i .> I'd sooner break the half o' the commands ' Than truat a bairn's bapteesement in hit hands. . ........ v . .I 1,'... - : -., I wadtia say our minister's depraved; In facY in all respect* he's well behaved t'.... iHe veesits the hail parish, rich an'puirj i A worthier man, in world ly ; wajs^l'm ahju* 'We cudna hae ; bub ocb, wae's me, wae's me, Jndpctrine points his head is all agleyj, ( „,. vj Wi' him there's no Slept—-all are the same I An honest heart, an' conduct free frae blamt, He thinks mair likely in the hpur.o' daa^, To comfdrtTane than loads o' Bible"faith; And .c'en the Atonement,.womaiftf^ne ■ lichtlies, so .' It's doubtfu' whether he belieVst or no. Redemption, too, he almost sets aside, He leaves us hopeless, wandering far an wide, Andwhethers.v.d or d.«nrfd W. «n ß a t#<l, For every! man must c'en redeem hinisol'! Then on the Bes^rireetioa heVeUan wrang, "Wherefore," Bays he; "lie in your gravel sac lang; . The speerit is the man, and it ascends The very instant, that your breathin' ends i r The body's buried, andwill rise riae'raatiV ! n Though a' the horns in Heaven should rout 1 andrßir/^M^«« ; 'dATrJA.a.. Sometimes he'll glint at Robbie Burns's deil, As if he were a decent'kind o' chiel; But to the downright Satan o' the Word, Wae'ai trie! ihe disna pay the les^ n|B»Tdi | An' Hell he treats sac britf and countsfiae > sma', ' ■ Thatitvampuntato-nae siaiplae* «ts>- s ; # y : y, O dear, to think our prayers an' holy ciiaumts And a' the aelf denyi«s of u^tannts, Are not to be repaid by the delight The yelling, gnashing, and despairing e»y . ! mine. ' ' •■■>,>, ■■ ••••"■ ■- \ Te'er rioht, guidman, rather thanh^ndlike f , Bapteese the bairn,, we'll keep it as it is— For aye an builin' wi' its kith and kin— A Hottentot, a heathen steeped in sin! „,. | Sin, did ye say, guidwife ? ay, there again Our minister's the erringest o' men, ■ Original sin he almost laughs to scern, An' says the purest thing's albabe new bora, 'V Baith free from guile, corruption, cull;, and I , B |j .1.,°;..'. '.I 'i ( ;rrsp ThecurswWaveesionary fall-^ U A Yes, " veesionary," was his very word! Bapteese our bairn! its morally, absurd*, - ;-• \ ■■ Then; Andr», we'll ju.t let the HptisnY W % J And pray to Heaven the bairn niay never dee. If Providence, for ends known to itael' Has over us placed this darken'd infidel,! -'-'Iv •;Let's trust that Providence will keep usrieht* <O And aiblins turn our present dark to lighWi "w.ul Maggie, my woman k yer baith richt,sisklf

Trust Providence, Wtdinna tit owsr laßg: t vir rT In idle hope that Providence will bring j .>-•■.:>; Licht to your feet or ony'ither thing. no'l bill The Lord jbelps them* that strives*: sreel■"••siO ; trusjb, (i -..,j,. >! ..;-- .„,,!• , V ;f . q T >.#> „*#:,?..,•.«!*■ "Vyhile idle*faith geti naething'but ao'nwt;; We've ever gotten fraWhugraiseleii taodft.'"'(!'' Let's use-the mean., and 1 Heaven will fck»r !1 | lihblenap'.rAO f;ff.i WOMAfiM (M^.Wf And, Maggie, this it what-1 now intendThat you and I, tb* mornV mora* go forth, 'Bearing the bairn along unto the north, Li|ce faroared ones of eld, Hntil we find ■■- A taan of uprioht life, and godly mind, Sound in tthe/faitk matured in-all hi(f/po#ta%r/f Fit to bapteeae a weel-born bairn like ourt— f[ Noo then, the parritoh—fleth maun c'en be 1 fed- >iitta "An* I'll wale oot a ohapter—syne to bed. Eh, b,ut themoKjin'i gtand 1. thAfcrinottlid,, ISI ! *n»9 } ''-**^-- -fjTiTrnrTTT*' Is certain promise o'a famoui day. But;, Maggie, lass, you're gettin' tired I doot | Gie me the bairnVWfl i»k it tiaie aboot. /%l'ax no that tired, and, yet the road looki ■ lang; —-^woxsKAir^n.O Bu;, Andra, man, whar do ye mean to gang ? BTo very far: just north the road a wee, ToLeuchara Ma^s < Ts warrant th«w W#TI / I see "" -• ■ •■ ■ ■ A vpry gaunt—the Reverend Maister Whyte— Mojt w^^(^j^rf»f|f A-H.T A njan of holy xeal, sound as a belL In all things perfect as the Word itssl'; >Strtot in nis goingSJQ^tp^ ! oom^ig•Jni^lUf;. j J| ■A noan that knoweth not the UiU of •in— .Except original. Yon's the manse. Wi* hint .There's nae new readin's o'the text, nae r whint r Teetiates the eisentials o' ou» cr^ed,' '->:""' K Bub scriptural in thought, in word, and deedNo^ let's walk up demurely to, the d00r.,-,.,..' AnS gie a gentle knock-one i^n^nWe;! ? Or else they'll think we're gentles. Boom ! ano's here. * Staid baok a little, Maggie, and ril'tpiir.i J A'l If Mr Whyte—Bruw day, my lass; we came To see if Mr Why te—

I miH r<l ■;-:/■/ jjHe*i!ao'afc;hamf!;>!;■; /• \\k But; he'll be back sometime the nioht, belyve { , He Biartit off, I reckon, aboot five, |,Tfcii mornin', to .to fithbfrrn^ ■ rivnTW* : r .- v i '/'',:'" Wave us a r! '""" '■'""• We'er ower lang here—<-come Maggie, come Letjs shak* the very duit*w tff'our U&Y'* ' f A fiihio' miniiter I And so duereet In all his miniitrationt! But he's young— Ma^be this shred o* Wickednsis has clung Thii lang aboot him, as a warnin' sign ; That he Bhou^ nerer touoh yoitt,l^rn and-. inline. 1"' ~ '■' ' " " '"" '■■'.-' '-"' '*•■ |We ;11 ju»t baud north to Forgan Manse an* iSt iget Auld Doctor STaulo—in every .way most, fit— „ To Consecrate* tlie weani fße'i a divine* T* Of auld experieace, and stood high lang«yne, E'eri we were borne,? ia do«*riq»/olHr and jsound. * . '"" *■ ®o'l| no be at the fish,ia', Xf\ belpand. Wao's me, to think the pious Maister'Whyte In cochin' troota should iak the least delight P "But, Ahdra, man, just hover for a blink, He mayna be aae wicked as!fr«thiokw f; &'<***tr? What do the Scripture* say P'Th%w%iiii»^€ Andrew luaißeterj Juneiaod John of old, An others mentioned in the Holy Word. Werefi^hermen.tbeoUosettoY the Lord. .I'm weel aware o* that, but ye forget f^ at( *|«^#«»Ap^^^hed,jtwas^>h§-i < rf : r ' net. .' . ' ■". " ' ' ' " I Wi. hair lines, and lang waudi whupping the w) burnsrjoO' ><n „.; ;ir.;\- .)•;■)■ .w,T \w^;v^v' «p, yo; they fished i' the lake of GaWeel^T !;v A Bible loah/almost a* bSg's the sea. lheyj had their cobbles, too, wi' sails and oars, ;'v! And \ plied their usefu' trade beyond th» sboroe, 13eside8,.*hpughfirst their tr«de was <s»tobinr^!Cj r 'i-,;r nsh,;!!<■). •■nr? '-,' 1- .ir. *><'*' ":i'... J An uk>nest craft as one could wish, i»n ■ 'iwi. They, gave it up when called upon, and thesis !1 Though they were fishers, still it was o* men.

But this young Mai6ter Whjte first gat a call Tofisb'iorJneh, and—oh ! how sad this fall;! The learned, pious, yet unworthy skoot Neglects his sabred trust to catch a troot! . Noo here comes Forgau Manso amang the trees, ■ . ■'..'■■,■:.>,: A cozio spot, veel Bkogit frae the brcrze. We'll just walk ano by ane up to the door, An' knock an 1 do.the same's we did before. The doctor's been a bachelor v' his life; Ye nlmosfc tak the servant for his wife, She's such command ower a' that's said and dune—

Hush ! this maua bo the cheopin' o' her ehune — How do ye do, mem P There's a bonny day, And h'ko to keep sac. We've come a' the way Frae Edenside to get this bairn bapteeso 1 By Dr Maule, if you and he be pleased. We'vo no objections ; but the doctor's gone. A-shootin' \ since tbb shbotin' time cam' on Ac meenit frae the gun he's hardly been. The Lord protect us! Was the like e'er ■ seen P A shootin' minister! Think shame, auld

wife! Were he the only minister in Fife He'd never lay a hand on bairn o' mine; Irreverent* poacbin'* pouther-an'-lead divine! Let's slink' -the dust frae off our shune again : Come, Maggie, come aw*'. I hardly ken Whilk o' the twa's the warst; but I wad say The shootin' minister ;—he's auld and grey : Grey in the service o' the kirk, and hence Wi' age and service should hae gathered sense. Now, let's consider as we step alang,— ffispn to the waterside we needna gang j Pitt tauld the ministers preach naething there But cauld morality—new-fangled ware That draps all faith, and trusts to warks alone, >- ; That g*ngi skin-deep, feut never (cleaves the bone. We'll ju«t Hattd ower, for troth it'a wearm' rlate^i - >-:'■' . :" -■ '■■■ ■- •'■.■' '■ ' By Picklesillim, and then wast this gate To auld Kiimeny; it slants hnfflin hame, Whilk, for the sake o' this toom, grumblin' wame I wish were nearpr v tJLeeh ! to bbto my saul, I nerer can get pwer ivuld Doctor Mnule! - It plainly c.o.we.aall,things aneath the cun ! Whaur, "Moggie, wiiaur's jont scripture for

•theguti,? «,-m'- ivLi> ■■■■' ■■'■ ■''■■ ''' Oc!,,'Xndrfli ,w, we've come alang the road, ■ r>e ; 'jjis£'bgen. kirnin' through the Word o Baith auld and new, as I oan mind, But not the least iota can I find ■. > -V . That makes the Doctor waur than Maister And on his am auld head brings a'the wyfce. Indeed, the, Word gives not the merest, hint O' guns, and pouth'er's neref mentioned ih't., They had their' 'bows' and' arrows; and their

slings, And implements ©' war—auld fashioned things,' <•!>•- .'.•'•'■ J-; ■' ': ■■■'■ ;;- '■' I reckon—for the din gin' doon o' toons, An' spears, an' swords, and clubs for crackfn' oroonf.j ' ,'.:(■, .;■. ,-.:':• : ■'■.■■ "■• , But as for guns and shot, puir hairs to kill, There* nae authority look wbaur,y*u will. Losb, see the eun'a gaen red, an' looks askance jThe gloaming fa's {but here's Kilmeny Manse. Hark, indra, is that music that we hear, Louder an' louder, as we're drawin' near ? It's naething else! Is'e wad my braw new

fljop.n< : ;;-, v.J ,;,!■ I '■•■■ ■''■ The winietor's frae hame, and some wild loon Comes fiddlin' to the lasses. O, the jads!

The mjbis^r'aawa'—they're in their lads, An' turned;the : Tety manse into a- barn, Fiddlin' an* dancin'—drinkin' too, Is'e

warran'! Tod, Maggie,.but ye're ; rioht; ; l fear ye're "'i&mti,^" '"' " _ v-r "..■ An' hew's greygloamin' sinkin' into nicht, While we're.^s pear our errand's end as whan This mofnm' ; wi';the suurife we began. We'll'e'engang.robnd upon thd kitchen door, An' catch,the,ill-bred herpieo at their eplore I Hush' V saftiy ; I.!diniia hear their feet, An' yeltlie fiddle lilts fu' de{t an' Bweet. It's no the little squeakin' fiddle, though ; But ane that bums douff in its wame and low., .. .I, , ..... ..-.. „,:.;;;■- - ' They 5*1 near us' speakin'--bore'« the lassie comin'—

The minister* fra hame! I hear, my woman. The minister fra hame! he's nae sic thing : He'» ben the hoose there, playing's himsel* a spring. ..-..■• The minister a fiddler! sinfu' shame 1 I'd sooner far that he had been fra c hame, Though he should live as long as Methuselem, I'll never bring anither bairn to hind 1;' Nor will he get the one we've brocht; na, na, Come Maggie, tak' the bairn an' come awa'} I wadna lot him look upon its face. Young woman, you're in 'danger | leave this place! Hear hoo the sinner rasps rosray strings, And nooht but reels and ither warldy springs! Let's shak' the dust ance mair frae aff oor shune, And leave the pagan to his wicked tune. But, Andra, let's consider} ifcfe sac late, We canna noo'garig'ony ither gate, And as we're here wVll better just hattd back An' get the bairn bapteesjd. What does it mikf,,.,.-«« ' ' ' Altho' he scrapes a fiddle now and then ? King pawyit was preferred abore all.men, And yet,'twas t known he played, upon the harp; And stringed instruments, baith flat and sharp, Are mentioned mony a time in Holy Writ, I dinn »think it ngnifies-a bit— The mair especially since, as we heer It's n6 the little thing sac screech andskeer That 'drunken fiddlers play in barns an' , booths, But the big son«ie fiddle, that sac sooths The speer.it into holiness and calm, That even' some kirks hae tfaocht it mends the

psalm. Tempt not the man, O, woman! Maggie, I "say / Get thee,'behind us, Sattn!—came away ; For he] 'the Evil One, has aye a sicht O' argument to turn wrang into rioht. He's atiammeoi wi' pleasant reasons that assail Wott/ufeosaan first, an- maistly ay«prevail } Then she/ of coarse,'maun try her'wiles oh mnn, .■ >V^-' '.;■;.'•

As Ere or Adam did' Thus am began, And goes on too, I fear, until this day, In spite of *' the kirks can do or say. And wfiat can we expect but sin and woe,. When mantes, are the hotbeds where they gr6vrf ';' ''■ s , ..., .: , . „' ,- , ; I griere for? puir <l£ilineny, and I griere For Leuchara and for Porgan-—yea, believe, For Sodom and Gomorrah there will be A better chance than bny'6' the three; ' Especially Kilmeny. I maintain * For a' your reasOlTSi'-saerie'd and profane, ' The minister that plays the fiddle's waur Theony.prtheithpr two, by far. .' And yet, weak woman, you would e?on return And get this fiddler to bapteese our bairn ! Na, na: we'll talc the bairn to whence it came, And get oor ai» braye minjater at hame, Altho' he maybe* wrong on mony a point, And bis salvation scheme" sair dot 6' joint, H« lays it doon without the ''slightest fear', And wiris'the heart'beoause he'sso sincere. And he's a man that doesna need to care Wha looks into his life, there's riaething there, Nae sin, nae slip o' ither band or tongue, ' That ane can tak' an ■• say,. s«' Thou doest wrong." ,'■?'} :J. ;;; ''■ ■ ; "';r: His tbeologic veesion may be skew'd ; But, though the broken Cistern he has hew'd May let the water, through it like a riddle, He neither fishes, shoots, .nor plays the fiddle.