"I often see the Lord's restraining grace," answered my Uncle, quietly; "but am I to give the credit of it to those whom He restrains?" "But think you, Sir, that it is wise--" Angus paused. "Go on, my boy," said my Uncle. "I like you to speak out, like an honest man. By all means have courage to own your convictions. If they be right ones, you may so have them confirmed; and if they be wrong, you stand in better case to have them put right." I did not think Angus looked quite comfortable. He hesitated a moment, and then, I suppose, came out with what he had meant to say. "Think you not, Sir, that it is wise to leave unsaid such things as offend people, and make them turn away from preaching? Should we not be careful to avoid offence?" "Unnecessary offence," saith my Uncle. "But the offence of the cross is precisely that which we are warned not to avoid. `Not with wisdom of words,' saith the Apostle, `lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.' In his eyes, `then is the offence of the cross ceased,' was sufficient to condemn the preaching whereof he spoke. And that policy of keeping back truth is the Devil's policy; 'tis Jesuitical. `Will ye speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for Him?' `Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with _Thee_?' Never, Angus: never!" "But our Lord Himself seems to have kept things back from His disciples," pleaded Angus, uneasily. "Yes, what they were not ready for and could not yet understand. But never that which offended them. He offended them terribly when He told them that the Son of Man was about to be crucified. So did the Jesuits to the Chinese: and when they found the offence, they altered their policy, and said the story of the crucifixion was an invention of Christ's enemies. Did He?" Angus made no answer: and breakfast being over, we separated to our several work. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note 1. "Enthusiasm" was the term then usually applied to the doctrines of grace, when the word was used in a religious sense. Note 2. These sentences are not taken from any one of Whitefield's sermons exclusively, but are gathered from the gems of thought scattered through his works. Note 3. Singular still meant alone in Whitefield's day. Note 4. Articles twelve and thirteen. All the members of the Church of England ought to be perfectly familiar with the Articles and Homilies, as the Reformers intended them to be. How else can they know what they profess to hold, when they call themselves members of the Church? If they do not share her opinions, they have no right to use her name. Note 5. He died at Newbury Port, in New England, in September 1770. America has no nobler possession than the grave of George Whitefield. CHAPTER SEVEN. RUMOURS OF WAR. "They've left their bonnie Highland hills, Their wives and bairnies dear, To draw the sword for Scotland's Lord, The young Chevalier."