This led to some of us occasionally attending her
church.
A sermon of the strongest kind upon predestination which Miller heard
there brought the subject of theology upon us and it would not down.
Mr. Miller's people were strong Methodists, and Tom had known little
of dogmas. This doctrine of predestination, including infant
damnation--some born to glory and others to the opposite--appalled
him. To my astonishment I learned that, going to Mr. McMillan after
the sermon to talk over the matter, Tom had blurted out at the finish,
"Mr. McMillan, if your idea were correct, your God would be a perfect
devil," and left the astonished minister to himself.
This formed the subject of our Sunday afternoon conferences for many a
week. Was that true or not, and what was to be the consequence of
Tom's declaration? Should we no longer be welcome guests of Mrs.
McMillan? We could have spared the minister, perhaps, but none of us
relished the idea of banishment from his wife's delightful reunions.
There was one point clear. Carlyle's struggles over these matters had
impressed us and we could follow him in his resolve: "If it be
incredible, in God's name let it be discredited." It was only the
truth that could make us free, and the truth, the whole truth, we
should pursue.
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