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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 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 w