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〃Indeed； I will be thinking that He has cast me off forever；〃 he
said； wondering at this new phase of the subject。
〃Then you must thank Him； Mr。 Macdonald； that He has not so done；
and the sure proof to you is that He has brought you to cry for
mercy。 That is a glad cry； in the ears of the Saviour。 It is the
cry of the sheep in the wilderness； that discovers him to the
shepherd。〃 And then； without argument； she took him into her
confidence and poured out to him all her hopes and fears for the
young people of the congregation； and especially for Ranald； till
Macdonald Dubh partly forgot his own fears in hers。 And then； just
before it was time for Kirsty to arrive from the 〃Question Meeting；〃
she took her Gaelic Bible and opened at the Lord's Prayer； as she
had done once before。
〃It is a terrible thing to be unforgiven； Mr。 Macdonald；〃 she said；
〃by man or by God。 And God is unwilling that any of us should feel
that pain； and that is why he is so free with his offer of pardon
to all who come with sorrow to him。 They come with sorrow to him
now； but they will come to him some day with great joy。〃 And then
she spoke a little of the great company of the forgiven before the
throne； and at the very last； a few words about the gentle little
woman that had passed out from Macdonald Dubh's sight so many years
before。 Then； falling on her knees； she began in the Gaelic；
〃Our Father which art in Heaven。〃
Earnestly and brokenly Macdonald Dubh followed； whispering the
petitions after her。 When they came to
〃Forgive us our debts； as we forgive our debtors；〃
Macdonald Dubh broke forth： 〃Oh； it is a little thing； whatever！
It is little I have to forgive。〃 And then； in a clear； firm voice；
he repeated the words after her to the close of the prayer。
Then Mrs。 Murray rose； and taking him by the hand to bid him good
by； she said； slowly： 〃'For if ye forgive men their trespasses；
your heavenly Father will also forgive you your trespasses。' You
have forgiven； Mr。 Macdonald。〃
〃Indeed； it is nothing；〃 he said； earnestly。
〃Then；〃 replied Mrs。 Murray； 〃the Lord will not break his promise
to you。〃 And with that she went away。
On Saturday morning the session met before the service for the day。
In the midst of their deliberations the door opened and Macdonald
Bhain and his brother； Macdonald Dubh； walked in and stood silent
before the elders。 Mr。 Murray rose astonished； and coming forward；
said to Macdonald Bhain： 〃What is it； Mr。 Macdonald？ You wish to
see me？〃
〃I am here；〃 he said； 〃for my own sake and for my brother's。 We
wish to make confession of our sins； in that we have not been men
of love； and to seek the forgiveness of God。〃
The minister stood and gazed at him in amazed silence for some
moments； and then； giving his hand to Macdonald Dubh； he said； in a
voice husky with emotion： 〃Come away； my brother。 The Lord has a
welcome for you。〃
And there were no questions that day asked in the session before
Macdonald Dubh received his token。
CHAPTER XVI
AND THE GLORY
The first communion in the new church was marked by very great
solemnity。 There were few new members； but among the older men
who had hitherto kept 〃back from the table〃 there was a manifest
anxiety； and among the younger people a very great seriousness。
The 〃coming forward〃 of Macdonald Dubh was an event so remarkable
as to make a great impression not only upon all the Macdonald men
who had been associated with him so many years in the lumbering；
but also upon the whole congregation； to whom his record and
reputation were well known。 His change of attitude to the church
and all its interests； as well as his change of disposition and
temperament； were so striking as to leave in no one's mind any
doubt as to the genuineness of his 〃change of heart；〃 and every
week made this more apparent。 A solemn sense of responsibility
and an intensity of earnestness seemed to possess him； while his
humility and gentleness were touching to see。
On the evening of Monday； the day of thanksgiving in the Sacrament
Week； a great congregation assembled for the closing meeting of the
Communion Season。 During the progress of the meeting； Mr。 Murray
and the ministers assisting him became aware that they were in the
presence of some remarkable and mysterious phenomenon。 The people
listened to the Word with an intensity； response； and eagerness
that gave token of a state of mind and heart wholly unusual。 Here
and there； while the psalms were being sung or prayers being
offered； women and men would break down in audible weeping； and in
the preaching the speaker was conscious of a power possessing him
that he could not explain。
At length the last psalm was given out； and the congregation；
contrary to their usual custom； by the minister's direction； rose
to sing。 As John 〃Aleck〃 led the people in that great volume of
praise； the ministers held a hasty consultation in the pulpit。 The
professor had never seen anything so marvelous； Mr。 Murray was
reminded of the days of W。 C。 Burns。 The question was； What was to
be done？ Should the meetings be continued； or should they close
tonight？ They had a great fear of religious excitement。 They had
seen something of the dreadful reaction following a state of
exalted religious feeling。 It was the beginning of harvest； too。
Would it be advisable to call the people from their hard work in
the fields to nightly meetings？
At length； as the congregation were nearing the close of the psalm；
the professor spoke。 〃Brethren；〃 he said； 〃this is not our work。
Let us leave it to the Lord to decide。 Put the question to the
people and abide by their decision。〃
After the psalm was sung； the minister motioned the congregation to
their seats； and without comment or suggestion； put before them the
question that had been discussed in the pulpit。 Was it their
desire that the meetings should be continued or not？ A deep；
solemn silence lay upon the crowded church； and for some time no
one moved。 Then the congregation were startled to see Macdonald
Dubh rise slowly from his place in the middle of the church。
〃Mr。 Murray；〃 he said； in a voice that vibrated strangely； 〃you
will pardon me for letting my voice be heard in this place。 It is
the voice of a great sinner。〃
〃Speak； Mr。 Macdonald；〃 said the minister； 〃and I thank God for the
sound of your voice in His house。〃
〃It is not for me to make any speeches here。 I will only make bold
to give my word that the meetings be continued。 It may be that the
Lord； who has done such great things for me； will do great things
for others also。〃 And with that he sat down。
〃I will take that for a motion；〃 said the minister。 〃Will any one
second it？〃
Kenny Crubach at once rose and said： 〃We are always slow at
following the Lord。 Let us go forward。〃
The minister waited for some moments after Kenny had spoken； and
then said； in a voice grave and with a feeling of responsibility in
it： 〃You have heard these brethren； my people。 I wait for the
expression of your desire。〃
Like one man the great congregation rose to their feet。 It was a
scene