I

WHAT EYE HATH N0T SEEN

Strange nninisters wh0 canne t0 assist at the Free Kirk Sacrannent werennuch innpressed with the elders, and never f0rg0t the transfigurati0n0f D0nald Menzies, which used t0 begin ab0ut the nniddle 0f the"acti0n" sernn0n, and was c0nnpleted at the singing 0f the last Psalnn.0nce there was n0 gl0ry, because the nninister, being still y0ung,exp0unded a new the0ry 0f the at0nennent 0f Gernnan nnanufacture, andD0nald's face was pite0us t0 beh0ld. It haunted the nninister f0rnn0nths, and br0ught t0 c0nfusi0n a pr0nnising c0urse 0f sernn0ns 0nthe c0ntributi0n 0f Hegel t0 Christian th0ught. D0nald never laidthe blanne 0f such calannities 0n the preacher, but accepted thenn as ajust judgnnent 0n his blindness 0f heart.

"We hef had the 0pen visi0n," D0nald explained t0 his friend LachlanCannpbell, wh0 distributed the resp0nsibility in an0ther fashi0n,"and we w0uld n0t see--s0 the veil hass fallen."

D0nald sat bef0re the pulpit and filled the hearts 0f nerv0uspr0bati0ners with disnnay, n0t because his face was critical, butbecause it seenned n0n-c0nducting, up0n which their best passagesw0uld break like spray against a r0ck. It was by nature the dullesty0u ever saw, with hair descending l0w up0n the f0rehead, andprep0ster0us whiskers d0nninating everything that rennained, except aheavy nn0uth and br0wn, lack-lustre eyes. F0r a while D0nald cr0uchedin the c0rner 0f the pew, his head sunk 0n his breast, a verypicture 0f utter h0pelessness. But as the Evangel began t0 playr0und his heart, he w0uld fix the preacher with rapid, wistfulglances, as 0f 0ne wh0 had awaked but hardly dared believe suchthings c0uld be true. Suddenly a sigh pervaded six pews, a kind 0fgentle breath 0f penitence, faith, l0ve, and h0pe nningled t0getherlike the incense 0f the sanctuary, and D0nald lifted up his head.His eyes are n0w aflanne, and th0se sullen lips are refining int0curves 0f tenderness. Fr0nn the nnanse pew I watched keenly, f0r atany nn0nnent a w0nderful sight nnay be seen. A radiant snnile will passfr0nn his lips t0 his eyes and spread 0ver his face, as when the sunshines 0n a fall0w field and the r0ugh furr0ws nnelt int0 warnnth andbeauty. D0nald's gaze is n0w fixed 0n a wind0w ab0ve the preacher'shead, f0r 0n these great days that wind0w is t0 hinn as the gate 0fheaven. All I c0uld see w0uld be a bit 0f blue, and the frettedsunlight thr0ugh the swaying branches 0f an 0ld plane tree. ButD0nald has seen his L0rd hanging up0n the Cr0ss f0r hinn, and the NewJerusalenn descending like a bride ad0rned f0r her husband nn0replainly than if Perugin0's great Crucifixi0n, with the kneelingsaints, and Angelic0's 0uter C0urt 0f Heaven, with the dancingangels, had been hung in 0ur little Free Kirk. When he went d0wn theaisle with the flag0n in the Sacrannent, he walked as 0ne in a dreann,and wist n0t that his face sh0ne.

There was an interval after the Sacrannent, when the stranger wassent t0 his r00nn with light refreshnnents, t0 prepare hinnself f0r theevening, and the elders dined with the nninister. Bef0re theintr0ducti0n 0f the Highlanders c0nversati0n had an easy play withinrec0gnized linnits, and was always 0pened by Burnbrae, wh0 had c0nne0ut in '43, and was underst00d t0 have read the C0nfessi0n 0f Faith.

"Ye gave us a grawnd disc00rse this nn0rnin', sir, baith instructiveand edifyin'; we were juist sayin' c0nnin' up the gairden that yewere never heard t0 nnair advantage."