Page:A history of booksellers, the old and the new.djvu/368

328 328 THE R1VINGTONS, THE PARKERS, writes Nisbet, " a most tumultuous scene took place, the lives of many people being in jeopardy, so that even Mr, Irving himself was terrified, and said that he would not allow the spirits to speak again in public." He was then accused of heresy, and Nisbet, like most conscientious men, felt constrained to side against him. An ecclesiastical assize was holden for his trial, in March, 1833, at which a strange scene occurred. His answer to the charge was rather an authoritative command than an apology, perorating thus : " I stand here not by constraint, but willingly. Do what you like. I ask not judgment of you ; my judgment is with my God ; and as to the General Assembly, the spirit of judgment is departed from it. Oh, know ye not how near ye are to the brink of destruction. Ye need not expedite your fall. All are dead carrion. The Church is struggling with many enemies, but her word is within herself I mean this wicked assembly." Then after the trial he was found guilty, and the sentence of deposition was about to be prefaced with prayer, when a loud voice was heard from behind a pew where Irving stood : " Arise, depart ! arise, depart ! flee ye out, flee ye out of here ! ye cannot pray ! How can ye pray ? How can ye pray to Christ whom ye deny ? Ye cannot pray. Depart, de- part ! flee, flee !" The church was at this moment wrapped in silent darkness, and when this strange voice ceased, the 2000 sprang trembling to their feet as though the judgment day had come. On lighting a candle, however, it was ascertained that the speaker was a Mr. Dow, who had been lately ousted from the church for similar views. Irving rose grandly to obey