man rose, and trembling with excitement and emotion, he began
abruptly: "An evil spirit has been whispering to me, as to the prophet
of old, 'Speak that which is good,' but the Lord hath delivered me from
mine enemy, and my answer is, 'As the Lord liveth, what the Lord said
unto me, that will I speak'; and it is not easy."

As the old man paused, a visible terror fell upon all the company
assembled. The poor mother sat looking at him with the look of one
shrinking from a blow, while Bella Peter's face expressed only startled
fear.

"And this is the word of the Lord this night to me," the elder went on,
his voice losing its tremor and ringing out strong and clear: "'There is
none righteous, no, not one, for all have sinned and come short of the
glory of God. He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth
not shall be damned.' That is my message, and it is laid upon me as a
sore burden to hear the voice of the Lord in this solemn Providence, and
to warn one and all to flee from the wrath to come."

He paused long, while men could hear their hearts beat. Then, raising
his voice, he cried aloud: "Woe is me! Alas! it is a grievous burden.
The Lord pity us all, and give grace to this stricken family to kiss the
rod that smites."

At this word the old man's voice suddenly broke, and he sat down amid
an awful silence. No one could misunderstand his meaning. As the awful
horror of it gradually made its way into her mind, Mrs. Cameron threw up
her apron over her head and rocked in an agony of sobs, while Long John
sat with face white and rigid. Bella Peter, who had been gazing with
a fascinated stare upon the old elder's face while he was speaking his
terrible words, startled by Mrs. Cameron's sobs, suddenly looked wildly
about as if for help, and then, with a wild cry, fled toward the door.
But before she had reached it a strong hand caught her and a great
voice, deep and tender, commanded her: "Wait, lassie, sit down here a
meenute." It was Macdonald Bhain. He stood a short space silent before
the people, then, in a voice low, deep, and thrilling, he began: "You
have been hearing the word of the Lord through the lips of his servant,
and I am not saying but it is the true word; but I believe that the Lord
will be speaking by different voices, and although I hev not the gift,
yet it is laid upon me to declare what is in my heart, and a sore heart
it is, and sore hearts hev we all. But I will be thinking of a fery
joy