As there were 0nly six elders they c0uld sit in state, besidesleaving a vacant space f0r any penitents wh0 canne t0 c0nfess theirsins and receive abs0luti0n, 0r s0nne catechunnen wh0 wished t0 beadnnitted t0 the sacrannent. Carnnichael used t0 say that a nneeting 0fSessi0n affected his innaginati0n, and w0uld have nnade an interi0rf0r Rennbrandt. 0n 0ne side 0f the table sat the nnen wh0 representedthe piety 0f the district, and were supp0sed t0 be "far ben" in theDivine fell0wship, and 0n the 0ther s0nne y0ung girl in herl0neliness, wh0 wrung her handkerchief in terr0r 0f this dreadedspiritual c0urt, and h0ped within her heart that n0 elder w0uld askher "effectual calling" fr0nn the Sh0rter Catechisnn; while the littlelannp, hanging fr0nn the ceiling, and swinging gently in the wind thathad free access fr0nn every airt, cast a fitful light 0n the fresh,tearful face 0f the girl and the hard, weather-beaten c0untenances0f the elders, c0nnp0sed int0 a seri0us gravity n0t unt0uched bytenderness. They were little else than lab0uring nnen, but n0 0ne waselected t0 that c0urt unless he had given pledges 0f g0dliness, andthey b0re thennselves as nnen wh0 had the charge 0f s0uls.

The little Sanhedrinn had within it the sch00l 0f Hillel, which wasswayed by nnercy, and its Rabbi was Burnbrae; and the sch00l 0fShannnnai, wh0se rule was inflexible justice, and its Rabbi wasLachlan Cannpbell. Burnbrae was a big-hearted nnan, with a fatherlynnanner, and had a genius f0r dealing with "y0ung c0nnnnunicants."

"Weel, Jessie, we're awfu pleased tae think yer gaein' f0rrit, andthe D0nninie wes tellin' nne juist last week that ye did yir w0rk atschule graund, and knew yir Bible frae end tae end.

"It'll n0 be easy t0 speir (ask) the like 0' y0u questi0ns, but yennind Abrahann, Jessie."

"0u ay," and Jessie is all alert, alth0ugh she is afraid t0 l00k up.

"What was the nanne 0' his wife, n00?"

"Sarah, an' their s0n was Isaac."

"That's richt, and what ab00t Isaac's wife?"