ublime, and awful in the
extreme. He finally made out the IT, mentioned in the text, to mean,
properly and positively, the notable town of Auchtermuchty. He proved
all the people in it, to their perfect satisfaction, to be in the gall
of bitterness and bond of iniquity, and he assured them that God would
overturn them, their principles, and professions; and that they should
be no more, until the Devil, the town's greatest enemy, came, and then
it should be given unto him for a prey, for it was his right, and to
him it belonged, if there was not forthwith a radical change made in
all their opinions and modes of worship.

"'The inhabitants of Auchtermuchty were electrified--they were charmed;
they were actually raving mad about the grand and sublime truths
delivered to them by this eloquent and impressive preacher of
Christianity. "He is a prophet of the Lord," said one, "sent to warn
us, as Jonah was sent to the Ninevites." "Oh, he is an angel sent from
Heaven, to instruct this great city," said another, "for no man ever
uttered truths so sublime before." The good people of Auchtermuchty
were in perfect raptures with the preacher, who had thus sent them to
Hell by the slump, tag-rag, and bobtail! Nothing in the world delights
a truly religious people so much as consigning them to eternal
damnation. They wandered after the preacher--they crowded together, and
spoke of his sermon with admiration, and still, as they conversed, the
wonder and the admiration increased; so that honest Robin Ruthven's
words would not be listened to. It was in vain that he told them he
heard a raven speaking, and another raven answering him: the people
laughed him to scorn, and kicked him out of their assemblies, as a one
who spoke evil of dignities; and they called him a warlock, an' a daft
body, to think to mak language out o' the crouping o' craws.

"'The sublime preacher could not be heard of, although all the country
was sought for him, even to the minutest corner of St. Johnston and
Dundee; but as he had announced another sermon on the same text, on a
certain day, all the inhabitants of that populous country, far and
near, flocked to Auchtermuchty. Cupar, Newburgh, and Strathmiglo,
turned out men, women and children. Perth and Dundee gave their
thousands; and, from the East Nook of Fife to the foot of the Grampian
hills, there was nothing but running and riding that morning to
Auchtermuchty. The kirk would not hold the thousandth part of