s 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 wor