The herald., 1897-12-19

in the path. 1t Is tire that the stone
be removed.
"Now, l. your minister am the stone
Of stumbling-I, and none other, the
rock Of offense. I will therefore re-
move myself. will cease to trouble
Israel"
mo, no." they cried. "Bide with US.
for you are our minister and we your
faithful and willing folk"
And this saying of theirs in which
all Joined, moved me much, neverthe-
less 1 was fixed in my heart and
could make no more Of it than that I
must depart.
Which, when they heard, they were
grieved very sorely and appointed
certain of them. men Of weight and
sincerity, to combat my resolution.
But it was not to be, for had made
up my mind.
1 saw that there might be an open
door elsewhere, and though I would
not abandon my work in Balmaghie,
yet neither would I any more confine
my ministrations. / would go out to
the Hill-Folk, who, before, had called
me: and If they accepted of me,
we'll! And If not-why, there were
heather folk enough in Scotland with
none to minister to them, and it would
be strange If He who sent out his
disciples two by two, bidding them
take neither purse nor scrip, would not
find bread and water for wandering
teacher throughout broad Scotland.
The fateful Sabbath came-a day of
infinite stiffness, SO that from beside
the tombs of the martyr Hallidays in
the kirkyard of Balmaghie you could
hear the sheep bleating on the hills
Of Crossmichael, the sound breaking
mellow and thin upon the ear over the
still and azure river.
The folk gathered early, clouds upon
clouds of them, so that I think every
man, woman and child in the parish
was there, save the children that could
not walk and the aged who dwelt too
far away to be carried.
Alexander Gordon sat at my right
hand, Immediately beneath the pulpit.
There seemed an extraordinary gra-
ciousness in the singing that day, a
special fervor in the swell OF the
voices, a more excellent sober sweet
ness in the Sabbath air. And I was to
leave all this-to leave forever the
vale of blessing wherein 1 had hoped
to spend my days.
Yes, would adventure forth rather
than that a loyal folk should suffer
any more because of me. But first, so
far as in me lay l would set right the
matter of Alexander Gordon.
1t was the forty-sixth Psalm they
were singing, and as they sang the
people tell that herds on the hill stood
still to listen to the chorus of that
mighty singing, and, without knowing
why, the water stood in their eyes
that day. There seemed to be some
thing by ordinarily moving in all that
was done that day.
"God is our refuge and our strength,
In straits a present aid,
Therefore although the earth remove,
We will not be afraid
And as she sang I saw Mary Gordon
looking past me with the glory Of the
New Song in her eyes. And I knew
that her heart, too, was touched.
BY the pillar in the arched nook by
the door stood Hob my brother, and
by him Alexander-Jonita. They looked
upon one Psalm-book. And in that
day l was glad to think that one man
was happy. Poor lad! That which it
was laid upon me to do came as a
sad surprise to him.
was ready to go-I knew not
whittier. 1t might be that there was
a work greater and more enduring for
me to do, my pilgrim staff in my hand.
among the flowe-mosses and peaty