He had noted with some degree of pleasure in the soutar, that he used
almost none of the set phrases of the good people of the village, who
devoutly followed the traditions of the elders; but he knew little as to
what the soutar did not believe, and still less of what he did believe with
all his heart and soul; for John MacLear could not even utter the name of
God without therein making a confession of faith immeasurably beyond
anything inhabiting the consciousness of the parson; and on his part soon
began to note in James a total absence of enthusiasm in regard to such
things of which his very calling implied at least an absolute acceptance:
he would allude to any or all of them as merest matters of course! Never
did his face light up when he spoke of the Son of God, of his death, or of
his resurrection; never did he make mention of the kingdom of heaven as if
it were anything more venerable than the kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland.
But the soul of the soutar would venture far into the twilight, searching
after the things of God, opening wider its eyes, as the darkness widened
around them.
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