in　quiet　reverie；　or　in　exultant　jubilation　over　the　〃attributes；〃
  embracing　in　its　worldwide　sweep　〃the　interests　of　the　kingdom〃　far
  and　near；　and　of　that　part　of　humanity　included　therein　present　and
  to　come；　and　buttressing　its　petitions　with　theological　argument；
  systematic　and　unassailable。　　Before　the　close；　however；　the
  minister　came　to　deal　with　the　needs　of　his　own　people。　　Old　and
  young；　absent　and　present；　the　sick；　the　weary；　the　sin…burdened
  all　were　remembered　with　a　warmth　of　sympathy；　with　a　directness　of
  petition；　and　with　an　earnestness　of　appeal　that　thrilled　and
  subdued　the　hearts　of　all；　and　made　even　the　boys；　who　had　borne
  with　difficulty　the　last　half…hour　of　the　long　prayer；　forget　their
  weariness。
  The　reading　of　Scripture　followed　the　prayer。　　In　this　the　minister
  excelled。　　His　fine　voice　and　his　dramatic　instinct　combined　to
  make　this　an　impressive　and　beautiful　portion　of　the　service。　　But
  to…day　much　of　the　beauty　and　impressiveness　of　the　reading　was
  lost　by　the　frequent　interruptions　caused　by　the　entrance　of　late
  comers；　of　whom；　owing　to　the　bad　roads；　there　were　a　larger　number
  than　usual。　　The　minister　was　evidently　annoyed；　not　so　much　by　the
  opening　and　shutting　of　the　door　as　by　the　inattention　of　his
  hearers；　who　kept　turning　round　their　heads　to　see　who　the　new
  arrivals　were。　　At　length　the　minister　could　bear　it　no　longer。
  〃My　dear　people；〃　he　said；　pausing　in　the　reading；　〃never　mind
  those　coming　in。　　Give　you　heed　to　the　reading　of　God's　Word；　and
  if　you　must　know　who　are　entering；　I　will　tell　you。　　Yes；〃　he
  added；　deliberately；　〃give　you　heed　to　me；　and　I　will　let　you　know
  who　these　late　comers　are。〃
  With　that　startling　declaration；　he　proceeded　with　the　reading；　but
  had　not　gone　more　than　a　few　verses　when　〃click〃　went　the　door…
  latch。　　Not　a　head　turned。　　It　was　Malcolm　Monroe；　slow…going　and
  good…natured；　with　his　quiet　little　wife　following　him。
  The　minister　paused；　looking　toward　the　door；　and　announced：　　〃My
  dear　people；　here　comes　our　friend　Malcolm　Monroe；　and　his　good
  wife　with　him；　and　a　long　walk　they　have　had。　　Come　away；　Malcolm；
  come　away；　we　will　just　wait　for　you。〃
  Malcolm's　face　was　a　picture。　　Surprise；　astonishment；　and　confusion
  followed　each　other　across　his　stolid　countenance；　and　with　quicker
  pace　than　he　was　ever　known　to　use　in　his　life　before；　he　made　his
  way　to　his　seat。　　No　sooner　had　the　reading　began　again　when　once
  more　the　door　clicked。　　True　to　his　promise；　the　minister　paused　and
  cheerfully　announced　to　his　people：　　〃This；　my　friends；　is　John
  Campbell；　whom　you　all　know　as　'Johnnie　Sarah；'　and　we　are　very　glad
  to　see　him；　for；　indeed；　he　has　not　been　here　for　some　time。　　Come
  away；　John；　come　away；　man；〃　he　added；　impatiently；　〃for　we　are　all
  waiting　for　you。〃
  Johnnie　Sarah　stood　paralyzed　with　amazement　and　seemed　uncertain
  whether　to　advance　or　to　turn　and　flee。　　The　minister's　impatient
  command；　however；　decided　him；　and　he　dropped　into　the　nearest　seat
  with　all　speed；　and　gazed　about　him　as　if　to　discover　where　he　was。
  He　had　no　sooner　taken　his　seat　than　the　door　opened　again；　and
  some　half…dozen　people　entered。　　The　minister　stood　looking　at　them
  for　some　moments　and　then　said；　in　a　voice　of　resignation：
  〃Friends；　these　are　some　of　our　people　from　the　Island；　and　there
  are　some　strangers　with　them。　　But　if　you　want　to　know　who　they
  are；　you　will　just　have　to　look　at　them　yourselves；　for　I　must　get
  on　with　the　reading。〃
  Needless　to　say；　not　a　soul　of　the　congregation；　however　consumed
  with　curiosity；　dared　to　look　around；　and　the　reading　of　the
  chapter　went　gravely　on　to　the　close。　　To　say　that　Maimie　sat　in
  utter　astonishment　during　this　extraordinary　proceeding　would　give
  but　a　faint　idea　of　her　state　of　mind。　　Even　Mrs。　Murray　herself；
  who　had　become　accustomed　to　her　husband's　eccentricities；　sat　in
  a　state　of　utter　bewilderment；　not　knowing　what　might　happen　next；
  nor　did　she　feel　quite　safe　until　the　text　was　announced　and　the
  sermon　fairly　begun。
  Important　as　were　the　exercises　of　reading；　praise；　and　prayer；
  they　were　only　the　〃opening　services；〃　and　merely　led　up　to　the
  event　of　the　day；　which　was　the　sermon。　　And　it　was　the　event；　not
  only　of　the　day；　but　of　the　week。　　It　would　form　the　theme　of
  conversation　and　afford　food　for　discussion　in　every　gathering　of
  the　people　until　another　came　to　take　its　place。　　To…day　it　lasted
  a　full　hour　and　a　half；　and　was　an　extraordinary　production。　　Calm；
  deliberate　reasoning；　flights　of　vivid　imagination；　passionate
  denunciation；　and　fervid　appeal；　marked　its　course。　　Its　subject
  was　the　great　doctrine　of　Justification　by　Faith；　and　it　contained
  a　complete　system　of　theology　arranged　with　reference　to　that
  doctrine。　　Ancient　heresies　were　attacked　and　exposed　with
  completeness　amounting　to　annihilation。　　Modern　errors；　into　which
  our　〃friends〃　of　the　different　denominations　had　fallen；　were
  deplored　and　corrected；　and　all　possible　misapplications　of　the
  doctrine　to　practical　life　guarded　against。　　On　the　positive　side
  the　need；　the　ground；　the　means；　the　method；　the　agent；　the
  results；　of　Justification；　were　fully　set　forth　and　illustrated。
  There　were　no　anecdotes　and　no　poetry。　　The　subject　was　much　too
  massive　and　tremendous　to　permit　of　any　such　trifling。
  As　the　sermon　rolled　on　its　majestic　course；　the　congregation
  listened　with　an　attentive　and　discriminating　appreciation　that
  testified　to　their　earnestness　and　intelligence。　　True；　one　here
  and　there　dropped　into　a　momentary　doze；　but　his　slumber　was　never
  easy；　for　he　was　harassed　by　the　terrible　fear　of　a　sudden　summons
  by　name　from　the　pulpit　to　〃awake　and　give　heed　to　the　message；〃
  which　for　the　next　few　minutes　would　have　an　application　so
  personal　and　pungent　that　it　would　effectually　prevent　sleep　for
  that　and　some　successive　Sabbaths。　　The　only　apparent　lapse　of
  attention　occurred　when　Donald　Ross　opened　his　horn　snuff…box；　and
  after　tapping　solemnly　upon　its　lid；　drew　forth　a　huge　pinch　of
  snuff　and　passed　it　to　his　neighbor；　who；　after　helping　himself　in
  like　manner；　passed　the　box　on。　　That　the　lapse　was　only　apparent
  was　made　evident　by　the　air　of　abstraction　with　which　this
  operation　was　carried　on；　the　snuff　being　held　between　the　thumb
  and　forefinger　for　some　moments；　until　a　suitable　resting…place　in
  the　sermon　was　reached。
  When　the　minister　had　arrived　at　the　middle　of　the　second　head；　he
  made　the　discovery；　as　was　not　frequently　the　case；　that　the
  remotest　limits　of　the　alloted　time　had　been　passed；　and　announcing
  that　the　subject　would　be　concluded　on　the　following　Sabbath；　he
  summarily　brought　the　English　service　to　a　close；　and　dismissed　the
  congregation　with　a　brief　prayer；　two　verses　of　a　psalm；　and　the
  benediction。
  When　Maimie　realized　that　the　service　was　really　over；　she　felt　as
  if　she　had　been　in　church　for　a　week。　　After　the　benediction　the
  congregation　passed　out　into　the　churchyard　and　disposed　themselves
  in　groups　about　the　gate　and　along　the　fences　discussing　the　sermon
  and　making　brief　inquiries　as　to　the　〃weal　and　ill〃　of　the　members
  of　their　families。　　Mrs。　Murray；　leaving　Hughie　and　Maimie　to
  wander　at　will；　passed　from　group　to　group；　welcomed　by　all　with
  equal　respect　and　affection。　　Young　men　and　old　men；　women　and
  girls　alike；　were　glad　to　get　her　word。　　To…day；　however；　the　young
  men　were　not　at　first　to　be　seen；　but　Mrs。　Murray　knew　them　well
  enough　to　suspect　that　they　would　be　found　at　the　back　of　the
  church；　so　she　passed　slowly　around　the　church；　greeting　the　people
  as　she　went；　and　upon　turning　the　corner　she　saw　a　crowd　under　the
  big　maple；　the　rendezvous　for　the　younger　portion　of　the　congregation
  before　〃church　went　in。〃　　In　the　center　of　the　group　stood　Ranald
  and　Don；　with　Murdie；　Don's　eldest　brother；　a　huge；　good…natured
  man；　beside　them；　and　Peter　Ruagh；　with　his　cousin　Aleck；　and　others
  of　the　clan。　　Ranald　was　standing；　pale　and　silent；　with　his　head
  thrown　back；　as　his　manner　was　when　in　passion。　　The　talk　was　mainly
  between　Aleck　and　Murdie；　the　others　crowding　eagerly　about　and
  putting　in　a　word　as　they　could。　　Murdie　was　reasoning　good…humoredly；
  Aleck　replying　fiercely。
  〃It　was　good　enough　for　him；〃　Mrs。　Murray　heard　Don　interject；　in　a
  triumphant　tone；　to　Murdie。　　But　Murdie　shut　him　off　sternly。
  〃Whisht；　Don；　you　are　not　talking　just　now。〃
  Don　was　about　to　reply　when　he　caught　sight　of　Mrs。　Murray。
  〃Here's　the　minister's　wife；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone；　and　at　once
  the　group　parted　in　shamefaced　confusion。　　But　Murdie　kept　his　face
  unmoved；　and　as　Mrs。　Murray　drew　slowly　near；　said；　in　a　quiet
  voice　of　easy　good…humor；　to　Aleck；　who　was　standing　with　a　face
  like　that　of　a　detected　criminal：　　〃Well；　we　will　see　about　it　to…
  morrow　night；　Aleck；　at　the　post…office；〃　and　he　faced　about　to
  meet　Mrs。　Murray　with　an　easy　smile；　while　Aleck　turned　away。　　But
  Mrs。　Murray　was　not　deceived；　and　she　went　straight　to　the　point。
  〃Murdie；〃　she　said；　quietly；　when　she　had　answered　his　greeting；
  〃will　you　just　come　with　me　a　little；　I　want　to　ask　you　about
  something。〃　　And　Murdie　walked　away　with　her；　followed　by　the　winks
  and　nods　of