"
To the profane, they were known as "Gib's Deils." Bailie Sweedie, a
noted humorist in the town, vowed that the proceedings always opened to
the tune of "The Deil Fly Away with the Exciseman," and that the
sacrament was dispensed in the form of hot whisky-toddy; both wicked
hits at the evangelist, who had been suspected of smuggling in his
youth, and had been overtaken (as the phrase went) on the streets of
Crossmichael one Fair day. It was known that every Sunday they prayed
for a blessing on the arms of Bonaparte. For this "God's Remnant," as
they were "skailing" from the cottage that did duty for a temple, had
been repeatedly stoned by the bairns, and Gib himself hooted by a
squadron of Border volunteers in which his own brother, Dand, rode in a
uniform and with a drawn sword. The "Remnant" were believed, besides,
to be "antinomian in principle," which might otherwise have been a
serious charge, but the way public opinion then blew it was quite
swallowed up and forgotten in the scandal about Bonaparte.
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