identified any departure from
sovereignty with that pestilent form of Socialism which demanded equal
chances for every man. He was only a plain layman, he said, and
perhaps he ought not to speak in the presence of so many reverend
gentlemen, but he was very grateful to Doctor Saunderson for his
honourable and straightforward conduct. It would be better for the
Church if there were more like him, and he would just like to ask Mr.
Carmichael one or two questions. Did he sign the Confession?--that was
one; and had he kept it?--that was two; and the last was, When did he
propose to go? He knew something about building contracts, and he had
heard of a penalty when a contract was broken. There was just one
thing more he would like to say--if there was less loose theology in
the pulpit there would be more money in the plate. The shame of the
Rabbi during this harangue was pitiable to behold.

Then a stalwart arose on the other side, and a young gentleman who had
just escaped from a college debating society wished to know what
century we were living in, warned the last speaker that the progress of
theological science would not be hindered by mercenary threats, advised
Doctor Saunderson to read a certain German, called Ritschl,--as if he
had been speaking to a babe in arms,--and was refreshing himself with a
Latin quotation, when the Rabbi, in utter absence of mind, corrected a
false quantity aloud.

"Moderator," the old man apologised in much confusion, "I wot not what
I did, and I pray my reverend brother, whose interesting and
instructive address I have interrupted by this unmannerliness, to grant
me his pardon, for my tongue simply obeyed my ear." Which untoward
incident brought the modern to an end, as by a stroke of ironical fate.
It seemed to the clerk that little good to any one concerned was to
come out of this debate, and he signalled to Doctor Dowbiggin, with
whom he had dined the night before, when they concocted a motion over
their wine. Whereupon that astute man explained to the court that he
did not desire to curtail the valuable discussion, from which he
personally had derived much profit, but he had ventured to draw up a
motion, simply for the guidance of the House--it was said by the
Rabbi's boys that the Doctor's success as an ecclesiastic was largely
due to the skilful use of such phrases--and then he read: "Whereas the
Church is set in all her courts for the defence of the truth, whereas
it is rep