ld not come forth
till, as like as not, "he had gotten the blessin'."

The fathers of Eden Valley held in utter contempt the theology of "Old
Tabernacle Israel," but the mothers, seeing a troublesome boy forsaking
the error of his ways and settling down to be the comfort of his
folk--looked more to results, and thanked God for old Israel and his
Tabernacle. After a while the fathers also came to be of his opinion.
And on one memorable occasion, the great Doctor Gillespie himself went
in by the door of Israel's tar-smelling Tabernacle, and seated himself
in all the glory of his black coat and ruffled shirt on the back seat
among the riff-raff of the port, just as if he were nobody at all.

At first Israel did not see him, so quietly had he entered. He went on
with his prayer that "sinners might be turned from their way, and saints
confirmed in their most holy faith."

But when he had opened his eyes, and beheld the white head and reverend
countenance of Doctor Gillespie the human soul within him trembled a
little. Nevertheless, commanding himself, he descended the narrow aisle
till he came to where the minister was seated. Then with head humbly
bent and a voice that shook, he begged that "the Doctor might to-day
open up the Word of Life to them." Which accordingly, with the simplest
directness, the Doctor did, using as his pulpit the middle section of a
longboat, which had been sawn across and floored for Israel. The Doctor
told the story of Peter walking on the waters, and of the hand stretched
out to save. And this the Doctor, as Israel said afterwards, "fastened
into them with nails."

"Some of you will believe anything except the Gospel," was one of these.
Yet all he said was the simplest evangel. The Doctor was a Justice of
the Peace, but this time he spoke of another peace--that of believing.
He had an audience of smugglers, but he never mentioned Caesar. He only
advised them to "Render unto God the things that are God's."

And when he finished, after the last solemn words of exhortation, he
added very quietly, "I will again preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in
the Parish Kirk, next Sabbath at noonday."

And so when the Sabbath came and in the Tabernacle those of Israel's
sowing and gleaning were gathered together, the old Ranter addressed
them thus: "All hands on deck to worship with the Doctor! He hath kept
his watch with us--let us do the like by him!"

And so the astonishing thing was seen. The great Spe