lessed morning came to lead the father and mother, with their sons and
daughters, up into the mountain of God's House, to stand in the presence
of the Lord of glory, and absorb the brightness that would shine in
their faces for many days to come. The Sabbath was the great day of the
week in the Covenanter's home.

Let us get a glimpse of these homes of the Covenanters, as they suffered
when the storms of persecution swept the land. But will not the
dwelling-place of the righteous be protected from harm? Will not the
Lord, in His glorious presence, hover over them as a cloud by day and as
a flaming fire by night? Hath He not said, "Upon all the glory shall be
a defence?" Shall the cruel persecutor then have power to tread on that
sacred threshold? May the ruthless slayer enter this little sanctuary,
where God and His children dwell together in mutual and unquenchable
love? Will the wicked be permitted to draw the sword, and quench the
coals on the hearth, and the fire on the altar, with the blood of the
worshipers? The answer is found in the story of the sufferings of the
Covenanters.

God had now begun judgment at His own House. He was testing the fidelity
of His people. The test must touch every point, cover every relation,
and reach the degree of suffering that satisfies His mysterious will.
God cares much, even for houses, fields, harvests, garners, comforts,
conveniences, earthly ties--He cares much for all these as they affect
His people. He cares infinitely more, however, for their moral
cleanness, spiritual growth, untarnished fidelity, unconquerable faith,
and everlasting honor. Therefore He permits the furnace to be heated,
and sometimes heated sevenfold; yet He brings them out of the flames
without the smell of fire on their garments.

The persecutors, heartless as the rocks and frigid as the iceberg, had
equal disregard for the rights of men, the delicacy of women, and the
innocency of children. A few incidents will show the general conditions.
Nor are these exceptional cases; thousands, yea, tens of thousands
suffered in like manner.

[Illustration: THE HOWIE HOME, LOCHGOIN.

The house is located in one of Scotland's solitudes. Here the Howies
have lived for 28 successive generations, keeping the altar fire burning
since 1178. The present house is modern, bearing the date 1858; John
Howie, the present occupant, (1912), is the 28th lineal descendant of
one of the first settlers. We had the pleasure of me