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hours。 They learned to sing； not only the old psalm tunes but psalm
tunes never heard in the congregation before； as also hymns and
anthems。 The anthems and hymns were； of course； never used in
public worship。 They were reserved for the sacred concert which
John 〃Aleck〃 gave once a year。 It was in the Bible class that he
and his fellow enthusiasts found opportunity to sing their new Psalm
tunes； with now and then a hymn。 When John 〃Aleck；〃 a handsome；
broad…shouldered； six…footer； stood up and bit his tuning…fork to
catch the pitch； the people straightened up in their seats and
prepared to follow his lead。 And after his great resonant voice had
rolled out the first few notes of the tune； they caught him up with
a vigor and enthusiasm that carried him along； and inspired him to
his mightiest efforts。 Wonderful singing it was； full toned；
rhythmical and well balanced。
With characteristic courage； the minister's wife had chosen Paul's
Epistle to the Romans for the subject of study； and to…night the
lesson was the redoubtable ninth chapter； that arsenal for
Calvinistic champions。 First the verses were repeated by the class
in concert； and the members vied with each other in making this a
perfect exercise； then the teaching of the chapter was set forth
in simple； lucid speech。 The last half hour was devoted to the
discussion of questions； raised either by the teacher or by any
member of the class。 To…night the class was slow in asking
questions。 They were face to face with the tremendous Pauline
Doctrine of Sovereignty。 It was significant that by Macdonald
Dubh； his brother； and the other older and more experienced members
of the class； the doctrine was regarded as absolutely inevitable
and was accepted without question； while by Yankee and Ranald and
all the younger members of the class； it was rejected with fierce
resentment。 The older men had been taught by the experience of
long and bitter years； that above all their strength； however
mighty； a power； resistless and often inscrutable； determined their
lives。 The younger men； their hearts beating with conscious power
and freedom； resented this control； or accepting it； refused to
assume the responsibility for the outcome of their lives。 It was
the old； old strife； the insoluble mystery； and the minister's
wife； far from making light of it； allowed its full weight to press
in upon the members of her class； and wisely left the question as
the apostle leaves it； with a statement of the two great truths of
Sovereignty and Free Will without attempting the impossible task of
harmonizing these into a perfect system。 After a half…hour of
discussion； she brought the lesson to a close with a very short and
very simple presentation of the practical bearing of the great
doctrine。 And while the mystery remained unsolved； the limpid
clearness of her thought； the humble attitude of mind； the sympathy
with doubt； and above all； the sweet and tender pathos that filled
her voice； sent the class away humbled； subdued； comforted； and
willing to wait the day of clearer light。 Not that they were done
with Pharaoh and his untoward fate； that occupied them for many a
day。
The class was closed with prayer and singing。 As a kind of treat；
the last singing was a hymn and they stood up to sing it。 It was
Perronet's great hymn sung to old Coronation； and when they came to
the refrain； 〃Crown him Lord of all；〃 the very rafters of the
little church rang with the mighty volume of sound。 The Bible
class always closed with a great outburst of singing； and as a
rule； Ranald went out tingling and thrilling through and through。
But tonight； so deeply was he exercised with the unhappy doom of
the unfortunate king of Egypt； from which； apparently； there was no
escape； fixed as it was by the Divine decree； and oppressed with
the feeling that the same decree would determine the course of his
life； he missed his usual thrill。 He was walking off by himself in
a perplexed and downcast mood； avoiding every one； even Don； and
was nearly past the minister's gate when Hughie； excited and
breathless； caught up to him and exclaimed： 〃Oh； Ranald； was not
that splendid？ Man； I like to hear John 'Aleck' sing 'Crown him'
that way。 And I say；〃 he continued； 〃mother wants you to come in。〃
Then all at once Ranald remembered the young man who had behaved so
disgracefully in church。
〃No；〃 he said； firmly； 〃I must be hurrying home。 The cows will be
to milk yet。〃
〃Oh； pshaw！ you must come；〃 pleaded Hughie。 〃We will have some
singing。 I want you to sing bass。 Perhaps John 'Aleck' will come
in。〃 This was sheer guessing； but it was good bait。 But the young
man with 〃his head split in the middle〃 would be there； and perhaps
Maimie would be 〃going on；〃 with him as she did in the Bible class。
〃You will tell your mother I could not come；〃 he said。 〃Yankee and
father are both out； and there will be no one at home。〃
〃Well； I think you are pretty mean；〃 said Hughie； grievously
disappointed。 〃I wanted you to come in； and mother wanted Cousin
Harry to see you。〃
〃Cousin Harry？〃
〃Yes； Maimie's brother came last night； you know； and Maimie is
going back with him in two weeks。〃
〃Maimie's brother。 Well； well； is that the nice…looking fellow
that sat by you？〃
〃Huh…huh； he is awful nice； and mother wanted〃
〃Indeed he looks it； I am sure；〃 Ranald said； with sudden
enthusiasm； 〃I would just like to know him。 If I thought Yankee
would〃
〃Oh； pshaw！ Of course Yankee will milk the cows；〃 exclaimed
Hughie。 〃Come on； come on in。 And Ranald went to meet one of the
great nights of his life。
〃Here is Ranald！〃 called Hughie at the top of his voice； as he
entered the room where the family were gathered。
〃You don't say so； Hughie？〃 answered his cousin； coming forward。
〃You ought to make that fact known。 We all want to hear it。〃
Ranald liked him from the first。 He was not a bit 〃proud〃 in spite
of his fine clothes and his head being 〃split in the middle。〃
〃You're the chap；〃 he said； stretching out his hand to Ranald；
〃that snatched Maimie from the fire。 Mighty clever thing to do。
We have heard a lot about you at our house。 Why； every week〃
〃Let some one else talk； Harry；〃 interrupted Maimie； with cheeks
flaming。 〃We are going to have some singing now。 Here is auntie。
Mayn't we use the piano？〃
〃Why； yes； I suppose so；〃 said Mrs。 Murray。 〃I was glad to see
your father there to…night；〃 she said to Ranald。
〃And Yankee； mother。〃
〃Hush； Hughie； you must call people by their right names。 Now let
us have some singing。 I hear Ranald is singing bass these days。〃
〃And bully good bass； too；〃 cried Hughie。 〃John 'Aleck' says that
it's the finest bass in the whole singing school。〃
〃Well； Hughie；〃 said his mother； quietly； 〃I don't think it is
necessary to shout even such pleasant information as that。 Now go
to your singing； and I shall listen。〃
She lay back in the big chair； looking so pale and weary that Harry
hardly believed it was the same woman that had just been keeping a
hundred and fifty people keenly alert for an hour and a half； and
leading them with such intellectual a