I am warned that there are many folk who care not to hear what things were truly said and done at a conventicle of the hill-folk. I have told the tale so that such may omit the reading of these two chapters. Nevertheless, if they will take a friend's word, it might be for their advantage to read the whole.
W. G.
On our way to the conventicle we came to the place that is called the Moat of the Duchrae Bank, and found much people already gathered there. It is a very lonely place on the edge of a beautiful and still water, called the Lane of Grenoch. In the midst of the water, and immediately opposite to the moat, there is an island, called the Hollan Isle1, full of coverts2 and hiding-places among hazel bushes, which grow there in thick matted copses. Beyond that again there are only the moors4 and the mountains for thirty miles. The country all about is lairy5 and boggy6, impossible for horses to ride; while over to the eastward7 a little, the main road passes to Kells and Carsphairn, but out of sight behind the shoulder of the hill.
There was a preaching-tent erected8 on a little eminence9 in the middle of the round bare top of the moat. The people sat all about, and those who arrived late clustered on the farther bank, across the ditch.
I observed that every man came fully10 armed. For the oppressions of Lauderdale in Scotland, and especially the severities of John Graham and Robert Grier in Galloway, were bearing their own proper fruit. The three maids sat together, and Wat Gordon and I sat down near them—I as close to Maisie Lennox as I dared, because, for old acquaintance' sake, my liking11 was chiefly towards her. Also, I perceived that Kate McGhie was more interested to talk to me of my cousin than to hear concerning myself, a thing I never could abide12 in talking to a woman.
But Maisie kept her head bent13, and her face hidden by the fold of her shawl. For she had, even at that time, what I so sadly lacked, a living interest in religion.
From where I sat I could see the watchers on the craigs above the Hollan Isle, and those also over on the hill by the Folds. So many were they, that I felt that not a muir-fowl would cry, nor a crow carry a stick to its nest, without a true man taking note of it. I heard afterwards, that over by the Fords of Crae they had come on a certain informer lying couched in the heather to watch what should happen. Him they chased for three miles over the heather by Slogarie, clodding him with divots of peat and sod, yet not so as to do the ill-set rascal14 overmuch harm. But a sound clouring does such-like good.
Then there arose the pleasant sound of singing. For Mr. Cameron had gone up into the preaching-tent and given out the psalm15. We all stood up to sing, and as I noted16 my cousin standing17 apart, looking uncertainly about, I went over to him and brought him to my side, where one gave us a book to look upon together. As they sang, I watched to see the sentinel on the craigs turn him about to listen to us, and noted the light glance on his sword, and on the barrel of the musket18 on which he leaned. For these little tricks of observation were ever much to me, though the true Whig folk minded them not a hair, but stuck to their singing, as indeed it was their duty to do.
But even to me, the sound of the psalm was unspeakably solemn and touching19 out there in the open fields. It seemed, as we sang of the God who was our refuge and our strength, that as we looked on Grenoch, we were indeed in a defenced city, in a prophesied20 place of broad rivers and streams, wherein should go no galley21 with oars22, neither should gallant23 ship pass thereby24.
I had never before felt so near God, nor had so sweet an income of gladness upon my spirit; though I had often wondered what it all meant when I heard my father and mother speak together. There seemed, indeed, a gale25 of the Spirit upon the meeting, and I think that from that moment I understood more of the mind of them that suffered for their faith; which, indeed, I think a man cannot do, till he himself is ready to undergo his share of the suffering.
But when Richard Cameron began to speak, I easily forgat everything else. He had a dominating voice, the voice of a strong man crying in the wilderness26. "We are here in a kenned27 place," he said, "and there be many witnesses about us. To-day the bitter is taken out of our cup, if it be only for a moment. Yea, and a sweet cup we have of it now. We who have been much on the wild mountains, know what it is to be made glad by Thy works—the works of the Lord's hands. When we look up to the moon or stars, lo! the hand of the Lord is in them, and we are glad. See ye the corn-rigs up ayont us there, on the Duchrae Hill—the hand of God is in the sweet springing of them, when the sun shines upon them after rain. And it is He who sendeth forth28 every pile of the grass that springs so sweetly in the meadows by the water-side."
I own it was very pleasant to me to listen to him, for I had not thought there was such tenderness in the man. He went on:
"We are hirsled over moss29 and moor3, over crags and rocks, and headlong after us the devil drives. Be not crabbit with us, O Lord! It is true we have gotten many calls, and have not answered. We in the West and South have been like David, cockered and pampered30 overmuch. Not even the wild Highlands have sitten through so many calls as we have done here in Galloway and the South.
"For I bear testimony31 that it is not easy to bring folk to Christ. I, that am a man weak as other men, bear testimony that it is not easy—not easy even to come to Him for oneself!"
And here I saw the people begin to yearn32 towards the preacher, and in the grey light I saw the tears running silently down his cheeks. And it seemed as if both the minister and also the most part of the people fell into a rapture33 of calm weeping, which, strangely enough, forced Mr. Cameron often to break off short. Folks' hearts were easily touched in those days of peril34.
"Are there none such here?" he asked. And I confess my heart went out to him and all my sins stood black and threatening before me as I listened. I vow35 that at the time I feared his words far more than ever I did Lag and his riders—this being my first living experience of religion, and the day from which I and many another ground our hope.
Then ere he sufficiently36 commanded himself to speak again, I took a glance at the maid Maisie Lennox beside me, and the look on her face was that on the face of a martyr37 who has come through the torture and won the victory. But the little lass that was called Margaret of Glen Vernock clung to her hand and wept as she listened. As for Kate McGhie, she only looked away over the water of the Hollan Isle to the blue barn rigging of the Orchar Hill and seemed neither to see nor to hear anything. Or at least, I was not the man to whom was given the art to see what were her inner thoughts.
Richard Cameron went on.
"Are there any here that find a difficulty to close with Christ? But before we speak to that, I think we shall pray a short word."
So all the people stood up on the hillside and the sough of their uprising was like the wind among the cedar38 trees. And even as he prayed for the Spirit to come on these poor folk, that were soon to be scattered39 again over the moors and hags as sheep that wanted a shepherd, the Wind of the Lord (for so I think it was) came breathing upon us. The grey of the clouds broke up, and for an hour the sun shone through so kindly40 and warm that many let their plaids fall to the ground. But the mists still clung about the mountain tops of the Bennan and Cairn Edward.
Then after he had prayed not long but fervently41, he went on again to speak to us of the love and sufferings of Christ, for the sake of whose cause and kingdom we were that day in this wild place. Much he pleaded with us to make sure of our interest, and not think that because we were here in some danger at a field preaching, therefore all was well. O but he was faithful with us that day, and there were many who felt that the gate of heaven was very near to them at the great conventicle by the Water of Dee.
And even after many years, I that have been weak and niddering, and that have taken so many sins on my soul, since I sat there on the bank by Maisie Lennox, and trembled under Mr. Cameron's words, give God thank and service that I was present to hear the Lion of the Covenant42 roar that day upon the mountains of Scotland.
Yet when he spoke43 thus to us at this part of his pleading, it was most like the voice of a tender nursing mother that would wile44 her wayward bairns home. But when he had done with offering to us the cross, and commending Him that erewhile hung thereon, I saw him pause and look about him. He was silent for a space, his eyes gleamed with an inner fire, and the wind that had arisen drave among his black locks. I could see, as it had been, the storm gather to break.
"There ayont us are the Bennan and Cairn Edward, and the Muckle Craig o' Dee—look over at them—I take them to witness this day that I have preached to you the whole counsel of God. There be some great professors among you this day who have no living grace—of whom I only name Black MacMichael and Muckle John, for their sins are open and patent, going before them into judgment45. There are also some here that will betray our plans to the enemy, and carry their report of this meeting to the Malignants. To them I say: 'Carry this word to your masters, the word of a wiser than I, "Ye may blaw your bag-pipes till you burst, we will not bow down and worship your glaiks—no, not though ye gar every heid here weigh its tail, and the wind whistle through our bones as we hang on the gallows46-tree."'"
Here he held up his hand and there was a great silence.
"Hush47! I hear the sound of a great host—I see the gate of heaven beset48. The throng49 of them that are to be saved through suffering, are about it. And One like unto the Son of Man stands there to welcome them. What though they set your heads, as they shall mine, high on the Netherbow Port; or cast your body on the Gallows' dunghill as they will Sandy's here? Know ye that there waiteth for you at the door One with face more marred50 than that of any man—One with His garments red coming up from Bozrah, One that hath trodden the winepress alone. And He shall say, as He sees you come through the swellings of Jordan, 'These are they that have come out of great tribulation51, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.' 'Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting52 doors, for the redeemed53 of the Lord shall also enter in!'"
So he made an end, and all the people were astonished at him, because they looked even then for the chariot which it had been foretold54 should come and snatch him out of mortal sight.
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1
isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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coverts
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| n.隐蔽的，不公开的，秘密的( covert的名词复数 )；复羽 | |
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3
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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5
lairy
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| adj.艳俗的，华丽而俗气的 | |
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boggy
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| adj.沼泽多的 | |
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7
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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8
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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9
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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10
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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11
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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12
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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13
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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14
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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15
psalm
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| n.赞美诗，圣诗 | |
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16
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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18
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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19
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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20
prophesied
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| v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21
galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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22
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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23
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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24
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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25
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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26
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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27
kenned
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| v.知道( ken的过去式和过去分词 )；懂得；看到；认出 | |
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28
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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29
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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30
pampered
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| adj.饮食过量的，饮食奢侈的v.纵容，宠，娇养( pamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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32
yearn
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| v.想念；怀念；渴望 | |
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33
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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34
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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35
vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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36
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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37
martyr
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| n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲 | |
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38
cedar
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| n.雪松，香柏(木) | |
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39
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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40
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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41
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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42
covenant
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| n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约 | |
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43
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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44
wile
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| v.诡计，引诱；n.欺骗，欺诈 | |
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45
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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46
gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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47
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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48
beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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49
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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50
marred
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| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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51
tribulation
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| n.苦难，灾难 | |
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52
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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53
redeemed
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| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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54
foretold
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| v.预言，预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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