the man from glengarry-第33章

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〃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　profoundly　impressive；　and　with　these　serious…minded；　sober
people；　one　that　indicated　overwhelming　emotion。

And　thus　the　great　revival　began。

For　eighteen　months；　night　after　night；　every　night　in　the　week
except　Saturday；　the　people　gathered　in　such　numbers　as　to　fill　the
new　church　to　the　door。　　Throughout　all　the　busy　harvest　season；　in
spite　of　the　autumn　rains　that　filled　the　swamps　and　made　the　roads
almost　impassable；　in　the　face　of　the　driving　snows　of　winter；
through　the　melting　ice　of　the　spring；　and　again　through　the
following　summer　and　autumn；　the　great　revival　held　on。　　No
fictitious　means　were　employed　to　stir　the　emotions　of　the　people
or　to　kindle　excitement　among　them。　　There　were　neither　special
sermons　nor　revival　hymns。　　The　old　doctrines　were　proclaimed；　but
proclaimed　with　a　fullness　and　power　unknown　at　other　times。　　The
old　psalms　were　sung；　but　sung　perhaps　as　they　had　never　been
before。　　For　when　John　〃Aleck's〃　mighty　voice　rolled　forth　in　its
full　power；　and　when　his　band　of　trained　singers　followed；　lifting
onward　with　them　the　great　congregationfor　every　man；　woman；　and
child　sang　with　full　heart　and　open　throatthe　effect　was
something　altogether　wonderful　and　worth　hearing。　　Each　night　there
was　a　sermon　by　the　minister；　who；　for　six　months；　till　his　health
broke　down；　had　sole　charge　of　the　work。　　Then　the　sermon　was
followed　by　short　addresses　or　prayers　by　the　elders；　and　after
that　the　minister　would　take　the　men；　and　his　wife　the　women；　for
closer　and　more　personal　dealing。

As　the　revival　deepened　it　became　the　custom　for　others　than　the
elders　to　take　part；　by　reading　a　psalm　or　other　Scripture；　without
comment；　or　by　prayer。　　There　was　a　shrinking　from　anything　like　a
violent　display　of　emotion；　and　from　any　unveiling　of　the　sacred
secrets　of　the　heart；　but　Scripture　reading　or　quoting　was　supposed
to　express　the　thoughts；　the　hopes；　the　fears；　the　gratitude；　the
devotion；　that　made　the　religious　experience　of　the　speaker。　　This
was　as　far　as　they　considered　it　safe　or　seemly　to　go。

One　of　the　first；　outside　the　ranks　of　the　elders；　to　take　part　in
this　way　was　Macdonald　Dubh；　then　Long　John　Cameron　followed；　then
Peter　McGregor　and　others　of　the　men　of　maturer　years。　　A　distinct
stage　in　the　revival　was　reached　when　young　Aleck　McRae　rose　to
read　his　Scripture。　　He　was　quickly　followed　by　Don；　young
Findlayson；　and　others　of　that　age；　and　from　that　time　onward　the
old　line　that　had　so　clearly　distinguished　age　from　youth　in
respect　to　religious　duty　and　privilege；　was　obliterated　forever。
It　had　been　a　strange；　if　not　very　doubtful；　phenomenon　to　see　a
young　man　〃coming　forward；〃　or　in　any　way　giving　indication　of
religious　feeling。　　But　this　would　never　be　again。

It　was　no　small　anxiety　and　grief　to　Mrs。　Murray　that　Ranald；
though　he　regularly　attended　the　meetings；　seemed　to　remain　unmoved
by　the　tide　of　religious　feeling　that　was　everywhere　surging
through　the　hearts　of　the　people。　　The　minister　advised　letting　him
alone；　but　Mrs。　Murray　was　anxiously　waiting　for　the　time　when
Ranald　would　come　to　her。　　That　time　came；　but　not　until　long
months　of　weary　waiting　on　her　part；　and　of　painful　struggle　on
his；　had　passed。

From　the　very　first　of　the　great　movement　his　father　threw　himself
into　it　with　all　the　earnest　intensity　of　his　nature；　but　at　the
same　time　with　a　humility　that　gave　token　that　the　memory　of　the
wild　days　of　his　youth　and　early　manhood　were　never　far　away　from
him。　　He　was　eager　to　serve　in　the　work；　and　was　a　constant　source
of　wonder　to　all　who　had　known　him　in　his　youth　and　early　manhood。
At　all　the　different　meetings　he　was　present。　　Nothing　could　keep
him　away。　　〃Night　cometh；〃　he　said　to　his　brother；　who　was
remonstrating　with　him。　　His　day's　work　was　drawing　to　its　close。

But　Ranald　would　not　let　himself　see　the　failing　of　his　father's
health；　and　when；　in　the　harvest；　the　slightest　work　in　the　fields
would　send　his　father　panting　to　the　shade；　Ranald　would　say；　〃It
is　the　hot　weather；　father。　　When　the　cool　days　come　you　will　be
better。　　And　why　should　you　be　bothering　yourself　with　the　work；
anyway？　　Surely　Yankee　and　I　can　look　after　that。〃　　And　indeed　they
seemed　to　be　quite　fit　to　take　off　the　harvest。

Day　by　day　Ranald　swung　his　cradle　after　Yankee　with　all　a　man's
steadiness　till　all　the　grain　was　cut；　and　by　the　time　the　harvest
was　over；　Ranald　had　developed　a　strength　of　muscle　and　a　skill　in
the　harvest　work　that　made　him　equal　of　almost　any　man　in　the
country。　　He　was　all　the　more　eager　to　have　the　harvest　work　done
in　time；　that　his　father　might　not　fret　over　his　own　inability　to
help。　　For　Ranald　could　not　bear　to　see　the　look　of　disappointment
that　sometimes　showed　itself　in　his　father's　face　when　weakness
drove　him　from　the　field；　and　it　was　this　that　made　him　throw
himself　into　the　work　as　he　did。　　He　was　careful　also　to　consult
with　his　father　in　regard　to　all　the　details　of　the　management　of
the　farm；　and　to　tell　him　all　that　he　was　planning　to　do　as　well　as
all　that　was　done。　　His　father　had　always　been　a　kind　of　hero　to
Ranald；　who　admired　him　for　his　prowess　with　the　gun　and　the　ax；
as　well　as　for　his　great　strength　and　courage。　　But　ever　since
calamity　had　befallen　him；　the　boy's　heart　had　gone　out　to　his
father　in　a　new　tenderness；　and　the　last　months　had　drawn　the　two
very　close　together。　　It　was　a　dark　day　for　Ranald　when　he　was
forced　to　face　the　fact　that　his　father　was　growing　daily　weaker。
It　was　his　uncle；　Macdonald　Bhain；　who　finally　made　him　see　it。

〃Your　father　is　failing；　Ranald；〃　he　said　one　day　toward　the　close
of　harvest。

〃It　is　the　hot　weather；〃　said　Ranald。　　〃He　will　be　better　in　the
fall。〃

〃Ranald；　my　boy；〃　said　his　uncle；　gravely；　〃your　father　will　fade
with　the　leaf；　and　the　first　snow　will　lie　upon　him。〃

And　then　Ranald　fairly　faced　the　fact　that　before　long　he　would　be
alone　in　the　world。　　Without　any　exchange　of　words；　he　and　his
father　came　to　understand　each　other；　and　they　both　knew　that　they
were　spending　their　la