The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-07-07
THE BAPTISM.

SnOulu DC carried 10 the lOnU Dy young
maidens. After the ceremony the in
fants were delivered into the arms of
their fathers.
The rite of baptism had not been per-
formed for several months in the kirk
of Lanark. 1t was the hottest time of
| persecution, and the inhabitants of that
parish found other places in which to
worship God and celebrate the ordi-
nances of religion. 1t was now the Sab
bath day, and small congregation of
about u hundred souls had met for di-
vine service in u place of worship more
magnificent than any temple that hui
man hands had ever built to deity.
Here, too, were three children about to
be baptized. The congregation had not
assembled to the toll of the bell, but each
, heart knew the hour and observed it,
for there are IA hundred sundials among
the hills, woods. moors and fields, and
the shepherd and the peasant see the
hours passing by them in sunshine and
shadow.
The church in which they were assem-
bled was hewn by Gods hand ont Of
the eternal rocks. \ river rolled its way
through a mighty chasm OF cliffs several
hundred feet high. of which The one side
presented enormous masses M the 9TH
er corresponding recesses, as if the great
stone girdle had been rent by Il. couvul-
sion. The channel was overspread with
prodigious fragments of rock or large
loose stones, some of them smooth and
bare, others containing soil and verdure
in their rents and assures and here and
there crowned with shrubs and trees.
The eye could at once command Il long
stretching vista seemingly closed and
shut up at both extrcnities by the CO.
alescing cliffs.
This majestic reach of river contained
pools, streams. rushing shelves and
waterfalls innumerablc, and when the
water was low, which it now was in the
COMMON drought, it was easy to walk
up this scene with the calm, blue sky
o~vGahead, an utter and sublime solitude.
On booking up the soul was bowed down
by the feeling Of that prodigious height
of unscalable and often ovcrhanging
cliff. Between the channel and the sum-
init of the far extended prccipiccs were
perpetually flying rocks and wood pi-
geons and now and then a hawk. filling
the profound abyss with their wild cav
ing, deep murmiir or shrill shrek.
Sometimes a heron would stand erect
and still on some little stone island or
rise up like a white cloud along the
black walls Of the chasm and disappear.
Winged creatures alone could inhaLit
this region. The fox and wildcat chose
more accessible haunts. Yet here came
the prosecuted Christians and worshiped
God, whose hand hung over their heads
those magnificent pillars and arches,
scooped out those galleries from the solid
rock and laid at their feet the calm
waterin its transparent beauty, in which
they could see themselves sitting in re-
fected groups, with their Bibles in their
hands.
Here upon q semicircular ledge of
rocks, over % narrow chasm, through
which the tiny stream played in a muir
muring waterfall and divided the con
gregation into equal parts, sat about a
hundred persons al devOutly listening
to their minister, who stood before them
on what might well be called a small,
natural pulpit Of living stone. Up to it
there led IA short flight Of steps, and over
it waved the canopy of a tall, graceful
birch tree. This piilpit stood on the
middle of the channel directly facing
that congregation, and separated from
them by the clear, deep sparkling pool
into which the scarce heard water poured
over the blackcned rock.
The water as it left tine pool separated
into two streams and flowed on each
side of that altar, thus placing it in an
island, whose large, messy stones were
richly EMPOWERED under the golden bios.
SONS and green tresses Of the broom.
Divine service was closed, and q row OF
maidens, all clothed III purest white,
came gliding off from the congregation,
and crossing the stream on some step
ping stones arranged themselves at th'
foot Of the pulpit. with the infants about
to be baptized.
The fathers Of the infants, just as il
they had been in their own kirk, had
been sitting there during worship, AM
now stood up before the minister. The
baptismal water, taken from that pei
lucid pool, WAS lying cOnsecrated III
small hollow Of one Of the upright stone
that formed one side or pillar Of the pull
pit, and the holy rite proceeded. Som
Of the younger ones in that selnicircl'
kept gazing down into the pool, in which
the whole sccne was reflected, and nov
and then, III spite Of the grave lOrks o
admonishing whispers Of their elders
> letting a pHbb!o fall into the water ,ha
they might judge Of it, depth from In
> length Of time that elapsed before th
clear air b".!, lay sparkling on the agi
tated h%urtac'
The me vas pYcr, and Che religion
7 service of the day c!Dsnd by Il psalm
The mighty rp"ks hrmmed IN the hri
% SJund aud b'H; II N - Inplr rDinppctr'
volume. c!r:... tWrri and Ltryug, up I