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and he was seeking a readjustment of his opinion and convictions；
which were rather at loose ends。 In this state of mind he found
little comfort from his shrewd old mother。
〃Y'e have nae anchor； laddie； and ilka woof of air and ilka turn o'
the tide and awa' ye go。〃
As for her anchor； she made no bones of announcing that she had
been brought up on the Shorter Catechism and the Confession and in
consequence found a place for every theory of hers； Social and
Economic as well as Ethical and Religious； within the four corners
of the mighty fabric of the Calvinistic system of Philosophy and
Faith。
One of the keen joys of her life since coming to the new country
she found in her discussions with the Rev。 Murdo Matheson； whom；
after some considerable hesitation； she had finally chosen to 〃sit
under。〃 The Rev。 Murdo's theology was a little narrow for her。
She had been trained in the schools of the Higher Critics of the
Free Kirk leaders at home。 She talked familiarly of George Adam
Smith； whom she affectionately designated as 〃George Adam。〃 She
would wax wrathful over the memory of the treatment meted out to
Robertson Smith by a former generation of Free Kirk heresy hunters。
Hence she regarded with pity the hesitation with which her Minister
accepted some of the positions of the Higher Critics。 Although it
is to be confessed that the war had somewhat rudely shattered her
devotion to German theology。
〃What d'ye think o' yere friend Harnack the noo？〃 her son had jibed
at her soon after the appearance of the great manifesto from the
German professors。
〃What do A think o' him？〃 she answered； sparring for time。 〃What
do A think o' him？〃 Then； as her eye ran over her son's uniform；
for he was on leave at the time； she blazed forth； 〃A'll tell ye
what A think o' him。 A think that Auld Hornie has his hook intil
him and the hale kaboodle o' them。 They hae forsaken God and made
tae themselves ither gods and the Almichty hae gi'en them ower tae
a reprobate mind。〃
But her Canadian Minister's economic positions satisfied her。 He
had specialised in Social and Economic Science in his University
Course and she considered him sound 〃in the main。〃
She had little patience with half baked theorists and none at all
with mere agitators。 It was therefore with no small indignation
that she saw on a Sunday morning Mr。 Wigglesworth making his way up
the lane toward her house door。
〃The Lord be guid tae us！〃 she exclaimed。 〃What brings yon cratur
hereand on a Sabbath mornin'？ Mind you； Malcolm；〃 she continued
in a voice of sharp decision； 〃A'll hae nane o' his 'rights o'
British citizens' clack the morn。〃
〃Who is it； Mother？〃 enquired her son； coming from his room to look
out through the window。 〃Oh； dinna fash ye're heid ower yon
windbag；〃 he added； dropping into his broadest Doric and patting
his mother on the shoulder。
〃He disna fash me；〃 said his mother。 〃Nae fears。 But A'll no
pairmit him to brak the Sabbath in this hoose； A can tell ye。〃
None the less she opened the door to Mr。 Wigglesworth with
dignified courtesy。
〃Guid mornin'； Mr。 Wigglesworth；〃 she said cordially。 〃Ye're airly
on yere way tae the Kirk。〃
〃Yesthat isyes；〃 replied Mr。 Wigglesworth in some confusion； 〃I
am a bit （h）early。 Fact is； I was （h）anxious to catch Malcolm
before 'e went aht。 I 'ave a rather （h）important business on 'and
with 'im； very （h）important business； I might say。〃
〃'Business；' did ye say； Mr。 Wigglesworth？〃 Mrs。 McNish stood
facing him at the door。 〃Business！ On the Lord's Day？〃
Mr。 Wigglesworth gaped at her； hat in hand。
〃Well； Mrs。 McNish； not （h）exactly business。 That is；〃 he said
with an apologetic smile； 〃（h）it depends； you see； just w'at yeh
puts （h）into a word； Mrs。 McNish。〃
Mr。 Wigglesworth's head went over to one side as if in contemplation
of a new and striking idea。
〃A pit nae meaning into a word that's no in it on its ain accoont；〃
she replied with uncompromising grimness。 〃Business is just
business； an' my son diz nae business on the Lord's Day。〃
There was no place for casuistry in the old Scotch lady's mind。 A
thing was or was not； and there was an end to that。
〃Certainly； Mrs。 McNish； certainly！ And so sez I。 But there might
be a slight difference of （h）opinion between you and I； so to
speak； as to just w'at may constitute 'business。' Now； for
（h）instance〃 Mr。 Wigglesworth was warming to his subject； but
the old lady standing on her doorstep fixed her keen blue eyes upon
him and ruthlessly swept away all argumentation on the matter。
〃If it is a matter consistent with the Lord's Day； come in； if not；
stay oot。〃
〃Oh！ Yes； thank you。 By the way； is your son in； by （h）any
chance？ Per'raps 'e's shavin' 'isself； eh？〃 Mr。 Wigglesworth
indulged in a nervous giggle。
〃Shavin' himsel！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 McNish。 〃On the Sawbath！ Man；
d'ye think he's a heathen； then？〃 Mrs。 McNish regarded the man
before her with severity。
〃An 'eathen？ Not me！ I should consider it an 'eathenish practice
to go dirty of a Sunday；〃 said Mr。 Wigglesworth triumphantly。
〃Hoots； man； wha's talkin' about gaein' dirty？ Can ye no mak due
preparation on the Saturday？ What is yere Saturday for？〃
This was a new view to Mr。 Wigglesworth and rather abashed him。
〃What is it； Mother？〃 Malcolm's voice indicated a desire to
appease the wrath that gleamed in his mother's eye。 〃Oh； it is Mr。
Wigglesworth。 Yes； yes！ I want to see Mr。 Wigglesworth。 Will you
come in； Mr。 Wigglesworth？〃
〃Malcolm； A was jist tellin' Mr。 Wigglesworth〃
〃Yes； yes； I know； Mother； but I want〃
〃Malcolm； ye ken what day it is。 And A wull not〃
〃Yes； Mother； A ken weel； but〃
〃And ye ken ye'll be settin' oot for the Kirk in half an oor〃
〃Half an hour； Mother？ Why； it is only half past nine〃
〃A ken weel what it is。 But A dinna like tae be fashed and
flustered in ma mind on ma way till the Hoose o' God。〃
〃I shall only require a very few moments； Madam；〃 said Mr。
Wigglesworth。 〃The matter with w'ich I am （h）entrusted need not
take more than a minute or two。 In fact； I simply want to
（h）announce a special； a very special meetin' of the Union this
（h）afternoon。〃
〃A releegious meetin'； Mr。 Wigglesworth？〃 enquired Mrs。 McNish。
〃Wellnot exactlythat isI don't know but you might call it a
religious meetin'。 To my mind； Mrs。 McNish； you know〃
But Mrs。 McNish would have no sophistry。
〃Mr。 Wigglesworth；〃 she began sternly。
But Malcolm cut in。
〃Now； Mother； I suppose it's a regular enough meeting。 Just wait
till I get my hat； Mr。 Wigglesworth。 I'll be with you。〃
His mother followed him into the house； leaving Mr。 Wigglesworth at
the door。
〃Malcolm；〃 she began with solemn emphasis。
〃Now； now； Mother； surely you know me well enough by this time to
trust my judgment in a matter of this kind；〃 said her son；
hurriedly searching for his hat。
〃Ay； but A'm no sae sure o' yon buddie〃
〃Hoot； toot；〃 said her son； passing out。 〃A'll be back in abundant
time for the Kirk； Mither。 Never you fear。〃
〃Weel； weel； laddie； remember what day it is。 Ye ken weel it's no
day for warldly amusement。〃
〃Ay； Mither；〃 replied her son； smiling a little at the associating
of Mr。 Wigglesworth with amusement of any sort on any day。
In abundance of time Malcolm was ready to allow a quiet； unhurried
walk with his mother which would bring them to the church a full
quarter of an hour before the hour of service。
It happened that the Rev。 Murdo was on a congenial theme and in
specially good form that morning。
〃How much better is a man than a sheep；〃 was his text； from which
with great ingenuity and eloquence he proceeded to develop the
theme of the supreme value of the human factor in modern life；
social and industrial。 With great cogency he pressed the argument
against the inhuman and degrading view that would make man a mere
factor in the complex problem of Industrial Finance； a mere
inanimate cog in the Industrial Machine。
〃What did you think of the sermon； Mother？〃 asked Malcolm as they
entered the quiet lane leading home。
〃No sae bad； laddie； no sae bad。 Yon's an able laddie； especially
on practical themes。 Ay； it was no that bad；〃 replied his mother
with cautious approval。
〃What about his view of the Sabbath？〃
〃What about it？ Wad ye no lift a sheep oot o' the muck on the
Sawbath？〃
〃A would； of course；〃 replied Malcolm。
〃Weel； what？〃
〃A was jist thinkin' o' Mr。 Wigglesworth this morning。〃
〃Yon man！〃
〃You were rather hard on him this morning'； eh； Mither？〃
〃Hard on him？ He's no a sheep； nor in some ways as guid's a sheep；
A grant ye that； but such as he is was it no ma duty to pull him
oot o' the mire o' Sawbath desecration and general ungodliness？〃
〃Aw； Mither； Mither！ Ye're incorrigible！ Ye ought to come to the
meeting this afternoon and give them all a lug out。〃
〃A wull that then；〃 said his mother heartily。 〃They need it； A
doot。〃
〃Hoots！ Nonsense； Mither！〃 said her son hastily； knowing well how
thoroughly capable she was of not only going to a meeting of Union
workers but also of speaking her mind if in her judgment they were
guilty of transgressing t