"But," pursued Mr Keith, "seeing that the Church of England, and the Kirk of Scotland, and the Methodists, all accept the Word of God as the rule of faith, they should all, methinks, be sound in the faith, if that be what you mean by `orthodox.'" "By `orthodox,'" said the Vicar of Sebergham, after a sonorous clearing of his throat, "I understand a man who keeps to the Articles of the Church, and does not run into any extravagances and enthusiasm." "Hear him!" cried Mr Bagnall, as if he were at a Tory meeting. Hatty burst out laughing, but immediately smothered it in her handkerchief. "I do hear him, and with pleasure," said Mr Keith. "I am no friend to extravagance, I assure you. Let a Churchman keep to the Bible and the Articles, and I ask no more of him. But excuse me if I say that we are departing from the question before us, which was the propriety, or impropriety, of one saying that his sins were forgiven. May I ask why you object to that?--and is the objection to the forgiveness, or to the proclamation of it?" "Sir," said Mr Bagnall, warmly, "I think it presumption--arrogance-- horrible self-conceit." "To have forgiveness?--or to say so?" "I cannot answer such a question, Sir!" said Mr Bagnall, getting red in the face, and seizing the pepper-box once more, with which he dusted his pie recklessly. "When a man sets himself up to be better than his neighbours in that way, it is scandalous--perfectly scandalous, Sir!" "`Better than his neighbours!'" repeated Mr Keith, as if he were considering the question. "If a pardoned criminal be better than his neighbours, I suppose the neighbours are worse criminals?" "Sir, you misunderstand me. They fancy themselves better than others." Mr Bagnall was getting angry. "But seeing all are criminals alike, and they own it every Sunday," was Mr Keith's answer, "does it not look rather odd that an objection should be made to one of them stating that he has been pardoned? Is it because the rest are unpardoned, and are conscious of it?" "Come, friends!" said Sir Robert, before Mr Bagnall could reply. "Let us not lose our tempers, I beg. Mr Keith is a Scotsman, and such are commonly good reasoners and love a tilt; and 'tis but well in a young man to keep his wits in practice. But we must not get too far, you know." "Just so! just so!" saith Father, who I think was glad to have a stop put to this sort of converse. "Mr Bagnall, I am sure, bears no malice. Sir Robert, when do the Holme Cultram hounds meet next?" Mr Bagnall growled something, I know not what, and gave himself up to his pie for the rest of the time, Mr Keith smiled, and said no more. But I know in whose hands I thought the victory rested. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note 1. The word "ticket" was still spelt "etiquette." Note 2. These exact expressions are quoted in Whitefield's sermons. CHAPTER FOUR. THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN.