congregation of one of these churches determined that the service should close in a more decorous manner, and steps were taken to attain this object.  Accordingly, when a stranger clergyman was officiating, he found the people all sitting when he was about to pronounce the blessing.  He hesitated, and paused, expecting them to rise, till an old shepherd, looking up to the pulpit, said, “Say awa’, sir; we’re a’ sittin’ to cheat the dowgs.”

There must have been some curious specimens of Scottish humour brought out at the examinations or catechisings by ministers of the flock before the administrations of the communion.  Thus, with reference to human nature before the fall, a man was asked, “What kind of man was Adam?” “Ou, just like ither fouk.”  The minister insisted on having a more special description of the first man, and pressed for more explanation.  “Weel,” said the catechumen, “he was just like Joe Simson the horse-couper.”  “How so?” asked the minister.  “Weel, naebody got onything by him, and mony lost.”

A lad had come for examination previous to his receiving his first communion.  The pastor, knowing that his young friend was not very profound in his theology, and not wishing to discourage him, or keep him from the table unless compelled to do so, began by asking what he thought a safe question, and what would give him confidence.  So he took the Old Testament, and asked him, in reference to the Mosaic law, how many commandments there were.  After a little thought, he put his answer in the modest form of a supposition, and replied, cautiously, “Aiblins[24] a hunner.”  The clergyman was vexed, and told him such ignorance was intolerable, that he could not proceed in examination, and that the youth must wait and learn more; so he went away.  On returning home he met a friend on his way to the manse, and on learning that he too was going to the minister for examination, shrewdly asked him, “Weel, what will ye say noo if the minister speers hoo mony commandments there are?” “Say! why, I shall say ten to be sure.”  To which the other rejoined, with great triumph, “Ten!  Try ye him wi’ ten!  I tried him wi’ a hunner, and he wasna satisfeed.”  Another answer from a little girl was shrewd and reflective.  The question was, “Why did the Israelites make a golden calf?” “They hadna as muckle siller as wad mak a coo.”

A kind correspondent has sent me, from personal knowledge, an admirable pendant to stones of Scottish child acuteness and shrewd observation.  A young lady friend of his, resident in a part of Ayrshire rather remote from any very satisfactory administration of the gospel, is in the habit of collecting the children of the neighbourhood on Sundays at the “big hoose,” for religious instruction.  On one occasion the class had repeated the paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer, which contains these lines—­

     “Give us this day our daily bread,
      And raiment fit provide.”