HolyWillie'sPrayer

holywillie'sprayer

“andsendthegodlyinapettopray.”—pope.

argument.

holywilliewasaratheroldishbachelorelder,intheparishofmauchline,andmuchandjustlyfamedforthatpolemicalchattering,whichendsintipplingorthodoxy,andforthatspiritualizedbawdrywhichrefinestoliquorishdevotion.inasessionalprocesswithagentlemaninmauchline—amr.gavinhamilton—holywillieandhispriest,fatherauld,afterfullhearinginthepresbyteryofayr,cameoffbutsecondbest;owingpartlytotheoratoricalpowersofmr.robertaiken,mr.hamilton'scounsel;butchieflytomr.hamilton'sbeingoneofthemostirreproachableandtrulyrespectablecharactersinthecounty.onlosingtheprocess,themuseoverheardhim[holywillie]athisdevotions,asfollows:—

othou,whointheheavensdoesdwell,

who,asitpleasesbestthysel',

sendsanetoheavenan'tentohell,

a'forthyglory,

andnoforonygudeorill

they'vedoneaforethee!

iblessandpraisethymatchlessmight,

whenthousandsthouhastleftinnight,

thatiamhereaforethysight,

forgiftsan'grace

aburningandashininglight

toa'thisplace.

whatwasi,ormygeneration,

thatishouldgetsicexaltation,

iwhadeservemostjustdamnation

forbrokenlaws,

fivethousandyearseremycreation,

thro'adam'scause?

whenfraemymither'swombifell,

thoumighthaeplungedmeinhell,

tognashmygums,toweepandwail,

inburninlakes,

wheredamneddevilsroarandyell,

chain'dtotheirstakes.

yetiamhereachosensample,

toshowthygraceisgreatandample;

i'mhereapillaro'thytemple,

strongasarock,

aguide,abuckler,andexample,

toa'thyflock.

olord,thoukenswhatzealibear,

whendrinkersdrink,an'swearersswear,

an'singinthere,an'dancinhere,

wi'greatandsma';

foriamkeepitbythyfear

freefraethema'.

butyet,olord!confessimust,

attimesi'mfash'dwi'fleshlylust:

an'sometimes,too,inwardlytrust,

vileselfgetsin:

butthourememberswearedust,

defil'dwi'sin.

olord!yestreen,thoukens,wi'meg—

thypardonisincerelybeg,

o!may'tne'erbealivinplague

tomydishonour,