“Then you must thank Him, Mr. Macdonald, that He has not so done; and the sure proof to you is that He has brought you to cry for mercy. That is a glad cry, in the ears of the Saviour. It is the cry of the sheep in the wilderness, that discovers him to the shepherd.” And then, without argument, she took him into her confidence and poured out to him all her hopes and fears for the young people of the congregation, and especially for Ranald, till Macdonald Dubh partly forgot his own fears in hers. And then, just before it was time for Kirsty to arrive from the “Question Meeting,” she took her Gaelic Bible and opened at the Lord's Prayer, as she had done once before.
“It is a terrible thing to be unforgiven, Mr. Macdonald,” she said, “by man or by God. And God is unwilling that any of us should feel that pain, and that is why he is so free with his offer of pardon to all who come with sorrow to him. They come with sorrow to him now, but they will come to him some day with great joy.” And then she spoke a little of the great company of the forgiven before the throne, and at the very last, a few words about the gentle little woman that had passed out from Macdonald Dubh's sight so many years before. Then, falling on her knees, she began in the Gaelic,
“Our Father which art in Heaven.”
Earnestly and brokenly Macdonald Dubh followed, whispering the petitions after her. When they came to
“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,”
Macdonald Dubh broke forth: “Oh, it is a little thing, whatever! It is little I have to forgive.” And then, in a clear, firm voice, he repeated the words after her to the close of the prayer.
Then Mrs. Murray rose, and taking him by the hand to bid him good by, she said, slowly: “'For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you your trespasses.' You have forgiven, Mr. Macdonald.”
“Indeed, it is nothing,” he said, earnestly.
“Then,” replied Mrs. Murray, “the Lord will not break his promise to you.” And with that she went away.
On Saturday morning the session met before the service for the day. In the midst of their deliberations the door opened and Macdonald Bhain and his brother, Macdonald Dubh, walked in and stood silent before the elders. Mr. Murray rose astonished, and coming forward, said to Macdonald Bhain: “What is it, Mr. Macdonald? You wish to see me?”