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frae nicht to mornin' i' the back closes and wynds o' the great
city？'
'I trust it's the glory o' God； laddie。'
'I houp that's no a'thegither wantin'； grannie。 For I love God wi'
a' my hert。 But I doobt it's aftener the savin' o' my earthly
father nor the glory o' my heavenly ane that I'm thinkin' o'。'
Mrs。 Falconer heaved a deep sigh。
'God grant ye success； Robert；' she said。 'But that canna be richt。'
'What canna be richt？'
'No to put the glory o' God first and foremost。'
'Weel； grannie； but a body canna rise to the heicht o' grace a' at
ance； nor yet in ten； or twenty year。 Maybe gin I do richt； I may
be able to come to that or a' be dune。 An' efter a'； I'm sure I
love God mair nor my father。 But I canna help thinkin' this； that
gin God heardna ae sang o' glory frae this ill…doin' earth o' his；
he wadna be nane the waur； but'
'Hoo ken ye that？' interrupted his grandmother。
'Because he wad be as gude and great and grand as ever。'
'Ow ay。'
'But what wad come o' my father wantin' his salvation？ He can waur
want that； remainin' the slave o' iniquity； than God can want his
glory。 Forby； ye ken there's nae glory to God like the repentin' o'
a sinner； justifeein' God； an' sayin' till him〃Father； ye're a'
richt； an' I'm a' wrang。〃 What greater glory can God hae nor that？'
'It's a' true 'at ye say。 But still gin God cares for that same
glory； ye oucht to think o' that first； afore even the salvation o'
yer father。'
'Maybe ye're richt； grannie。 An' gin it be as ye sayhe's promised
to lead us into a' trowth； an' he'll lead me into that trowth。 But
I'm thinkin' it's mair for oor sakes than his ain 'at he cares aboot
his glory。 I dinna believe 'at he thinks aboot his glory excep' for
the sake o' the trowth an' men's herts deein' for want o' 't。'
Mrs。 Falconer thought for a moment。
'It may be 'at ye're richt； laddie； but ye hae a way o' sayin'
things 'at 's some fearsome。'
'God's nae like a prood man to tak offence； grannie。 There's
naething pleases him like the trowth； an' there's naething
displeases him like leein'； particularly whan it's by way o'
uphaudin' him。 He wants nae sic uphaudin'。 Noo； ye say things
aboot him whiles 'at soun's to me fearsome。'
'What kin' o' things are they； laddie？' asked the old lady； with
offence glooming in the background。
'Sic like as whan ye speyk aboot him as gin he was a puir prood
bailey…like body； fu' o' his ain importance； an' ready to be doon
upo' onybody 'at didna ca' him by the name o' 's officeay
think…thinkin' aboot 's ain glory； in place o' the quaiet； michty；
gran'； self…forgettin'； a'…creatin'； a'…uphaudin'； eternal bein'；
wha took the form o' man in Christ Jesus； jist that he micht hae 't
in 's pooer to beir and be humblet for oor sakes。 Eh； grannie！
think o' the face o' that man o' sorrows； that never said a hard
word till a sinfu' wuman； or a despised publican： was he thinkin'
aboot 's ain glory； think ye？ An' we hae no richt to say we ken God
save in the face o' Christ Jesus。 Whatever 's no like Christ is no
like God。'
'But； laddie； he cam to saitisfee God's justice by sufferin' the
punishment due to oor sins； to turn aside his wrath an' curse； to
reconcile him to us。 Sae he cudna be a'thegither like God。'
'He did naething o' the kin'； grannie。 It's a' a lee that。 He cam
to saitisfee God's justice by giein' him back his bairns； by garrin'
them see that God was just； by sendin' them greetin' hame to fa' at
his feet； an' grip his knees an' say； 〃Father； ye're i' the richt。〃
He cam to lift the weicht o' the sins that God had curst aff o' the
shoothers o' them 'at did them； by makin' them turn agen them； an'
be for God an' no for sin。 And there isna a word o' reconceelin'
God till 's in a' the Testament； for there was no need o' that： it
was us that he needed to be reconcilet to him。 An' sae he bore oor
sins and carried oor sorrows； for those sins comin' oot in the
multitudesay and in his ain disciples as weel； caused him no en'
o' grief o' mind an' pain o' body； as a'body kens。 It wasna his ain
sins； for he had nane； but oors； that caused him sufferin'； and he
took them awa'they're vainishin' even noo frae the earth； though
it doesna luik like it in Rag…fair or Petticoat…lane。 An' for oor
sorrowsthey jist garred him greit。 His richteousness jist
annihilates oor guilt； for it's a great gulf that swallows up and
destroys 't。 And sae he gae his life a ransom for us： and he is the
life o' the world。 He took oor sins upo' him； for he cam into the
middle o' them an' took them upby no sleicht o' han'； by no
quibblin' o' the lawyers； aboot imputin' his richteousness to us；
and sic like； which is no to be found i' the Bible at a'； though I
dinna say that there's no possible meanin' i' the phrase； but he
took them and took them awa'； and here am I； grannie； growin' oot o'
my sins in consequennce； and there are ye； grannie； growin' oot o'
yours in consequennce； an' haein' nearhan' dune wi' them a'thegither
er this time。'
'I wis that may be true； laddie。 But I carena hoo ye put it；'
returned his grandmother； bewildered no doubt with this outburst；
'sae be that ye put him first an' last an' i' the mids' o' a' thing；
an' say wi' a' yer hert； 〃His will be dune！〃'
'Wi' a' my hert； 〃His will be dune；〃 grannie；' responded Robert。
'Amen； amen。 And noo； laddie； duv ye think there's ony likliheid
that yer father 's still i' the body？ I dream aboot him whiles sae
lifelike that I canna believe him deid。 But that's a' freits
（superstitions）。'
'Weel； grannie； I haena the least assurance。 But I hae the mair
houp。 Wad ye ken him gin ye saw him？'
'Ken him！' she cried； 'I wad ken him gin he had been no to say four；
but forty days i' the sepulchre！ My ain Anerew！ Hoo cud ye speir
sic a queston； laddie？'
'He maun be sair changed； grannie。 He maun be turnin' auld by this
time。'
'Auld！ Sic like 's yersel； laddie。Hoots； hoots！ ye're richt。 I
am forgettin'。 But nanetheless wad I ken him。'
'I wis I kent what he was like。 I saw him ancehardly twise； but
a' that I min' upo' wad stan' me in ill stead amo' the streets o'
Lonnon。'
'I doobt that；' returned Mrs。 Falconera form of expression rather
oddly indicating sympathetic and somewhat regretful agreement with
what has been said。 'But；' she went on； 'I can lat ye see a pictur'
o' 'im； though I doobt it winna shaw sae muckle to you as to me。 He
had it paintit to gie to yer mother upo' their weddin' day。 Och
hone！ She did the like for him； but what cam o' that ane； I dinna
ken。'
Mrs。 Falconer went into the little closet to the old bureau； and
bringing out the miniature； gave it to Robert。 It was the portrait
of a young man in antiquated blue coat and white waistcoat； looking
innocent； and； it must be confessed； dull and uninteresting。 It had
been painted by a travelling artist； a