Scotland/Scots > Licht frae the smiddy o' Saunders Dinwuddie

CHRISTIAN KINDNESS TO MINISTERS. 57
huddlin’ and shoutherin’ ane anither like a dis¬
orderly rabble. The straught line’s aye the
shortest, Sir.”
“ The last time we met, Saunders, you spoke of
the provision for the ministry being ‘ sma’ and
scrimpit.’ ”
“ I did that, Sir; the provision for them is sma’
and scrimpit indeed. I mean the ministers wha
depend on the freewill ofFerin’s o’ their people.
In the big towns they ha’e something like a com¬
fortable provision, but in the clachans and kintra
places they are sair hauden down; and my
won’er is how the decent men can continue to
keep their heads aboon the water ava, especially
if they ha’e wives, wi’ rowth o’ bairns a’ needin’
brats and sowps and lear forbye. A’ the gangrels
wha vaig frae toon to toon and frae house to house
—your stickit ministeis and stickit dominies,
and the hail riff-raff o’ beggars, gentil and
sempil—are aye sure to land in the manse as a
place o’ refuge and refreshment. Besides a’, the
minister maun gie a subscription to a’ kinds o’
associations for charitable and benevolent ends.
His hand is seldom out o’ his pouch, till it’s as
toom’s a whistle, puir man. He would need to
ha’e the widow’s barrel o’ meal, and her cruise o’
oil. He canna gang up and doon like a dyvour.
He maun ha’e a decent coat on his back, and his
wife and weans need deedin’ a wee thing aboon
the common, to mak’ them wise-like. He has to
entertain frien’s and brethren, no grudgingly, but
hospitably. He needs intellectual furniture for
his library, as well as household furniture for his
manse. He canna dae without a maid-servant;