"By his ain v'ice i' the hert," said Bow o' meal.
"Then a public assembly is not necessary for the communication of
the gifts of the spirit?"
They were silent.
"Isn't it possible that the eagerness after such assemblies may
have something to do with a want of confidence in what the Lord
says of his kingdom--that it spreads like the hidden leaven--
grows like the buried seed? My own conviction is, that if a man
would but bend his energies to live, if he would but try to be a
true, that is, a godlike man, in all his dealings with his fellows,
a genuine neighbour and not a selfish unit, he would open such
channels for the flow of the spirit as no amount of even honest
and so called successful preaching could."
"Wha but ane was ever fit to lead sic a life 's that?"
"All might be trying after it. In proportion as our candle burns
it will give light. No talking about light will supply the lack of
its presence either to the talker or the listeners."
"There 's a heap made o' the preachin' o' the word i' the buik
itsel'," said Peter with emphasis.
"Undoubtedly. But just look at our Lord: he never stopped living
amongst his people--hasn't stopped yet; but he often refused to
preach, and personally has given it up altogether now."
"Ay, but ye see he kent what he was duin'."
"And so will every man in proportion as he partakes of his spirit."
"But dinna ye believe there is sic a thing as gettin' a call to
the preachin'?"
"I do; but even then a man's work is of worth only as it supplements
his life.
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