That would be the deid blow
to his hatred! But where a man has done an act o' injustice, a wrang to his
neebour, he has no ch'ice, it seems to me, but confess it: that neebour is
the one from whom first he has to ask and receive forgiveness; and that
neebour alone can lift the burden o' 't aff o' him! Besides, the confession
may be but fair, to baud the blame frae bein laid at the door o' some
innocent man!--And the author o' nae offence can affoord to forget," ended
the soutar, "hoo the Lord said, 'There's naething happit-up, but maun come
to the licht'!"
It seems to me that nothing could have led the minister so near the
presentation of his own false position, except the will of God working in
him to set him free. He continued, driven by an impulse he neither
understood nor suspected--
"Suppose the thing not known, however, or likely to be known, and that the
man's confession, instead of serving any good end, would only destroy his
reputation and usefulness, bring bitter grief upon those who loved him, and
nothing but shame to the one he had wronged--what would you say then?--You
will please to remember, Mr.
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