A CLEAR SUNSET.
Wullie now felt a great relief with regard to ways and means. Ten pounds
seemed quite a sum to those frugal cottagers. But as Rab's illness
increased Wullie became very anxious about his brother's future welfare,
and earnestly desired that he should experience a good hope through the
Saviour of sinners. He missed no opportunity to set before him the love
of Christ, and his willingness to save all who come to him with a humble
and contrite heart. He proposed to bring the parish minister. But Rab
said, "Not yet. I like best to talk wi' yoursel, Wullie. I would be
ashamed to talk to onybody aboot my past life."
"Are ye sorry for it as weel as ashamed o' it."
"Ay, I am baith ashamed and sorry."
"There is a godly sorrow that warketh repentance. Hae ye that sorrow?"
"I dinna ken right weel what that s'ould be."
"I will tell you what it is as near as I can come to it. If the
remembrance o' sin is painfu' to us because it is hateful in the sight
o' God; if our misspent, unprofitable lives grieve us because they hae
grieved our Saviour, to whom we owe obedient, faithful service; if we
wish to forsake sin, because it is sin, and not from fear o' punishment
alane, then I think it is the sorrow that warketh repentance."
"I think I feel something like that. I dinna ken hoo it would be if I
were oot again wi' my auld comrades; but noo as I lie here I am seck o'
sin, seck o' the things I ance loved. I canna bear to think o' my past
life. In the night season I often put oot my hand in the vain attempt to
push it far frae me, but it willna gang oot o' my memory. Then I think
o' Him wha deed to save us frae oor sins, and I remember that I hae
never turned towards him, but awa frae him, and I feel that my
condemnation would be just. But at ither times I feel that I will, I
must, lay hold o' some promise; that I will lay me doun just outside the
door o' mercy, and wait to see if the Maister willna lift the latch and
bid me come in."
"Brither, it is yoursel maun lift the latch to the door o' your heart,
and bid the Maister come in and possess it. Beyond a doot the Saviour is
noo knocking to be admitted. Do ye no remember that passage o' Scripture
that reads, 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my
voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with me'? Noo, my brither, in faith bid the Maister enter your
heart, and all will be weel. Only believe, Rab. 'Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.'"
"Wullie, I am gaen to believe noo." Then closing his eyes, he said
aloud, "Lord, I will believe thee. I do believe thee; and if I do not
believe aright, wilt thou teach me how to believe?"
Wullie went to the bedside, and, kneeling down, he poured out his soul
in prayer that God would bless them all, and bless them then. When he
arose from his knees Jeannie was weeping softly, but Rab had a glad
light in his eyes. "Wullie," he said, "the darkness is o'erpast, and
light is breaking through. Oh, the wondrous condescension o' the
Saviour! Jeannie, my puir wife, ye maun find Jesus and hae him for your
dearest freend."
"I hae found him, Rab. Ane can greet wi' joy as weel as sorrow."
"That is true," said Wullie, as he wiped away the great joy-born tears
from his own cheeks. It was a sight for angels--and angels do know of
such scenes, for "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner that repenteth."
"I think I would hae been comforted sooner," said Rab, "if I could hae
brought mysel to forgive Donald the wrang he has done me. But I couldna
do it, although I aye remembered what oor Saviour himsel said, 'If ye
forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father
forgive you your trespasses.' It was only this morning that I forgave
him, and noo I am rejoicing in forgiveness mysel. I would like to tell
Donald that I forgive him, for perhaps after I am awa he may feel
troubled aboot it."
Donald McPherson had always felt very guilty concerning his own part in
Rab's illness. He never came near the cottage, and he took care to avoid
honest Wullie. But now that Rab had expressed a desire to tell Donald
that he had forgiven him, Wullie went to Donald's cottage and told him
that Rab would like to see him. Donald looked embarrassed and troubled.
"He wants to upbraid me," said he, "but God knows my ain conscience has
upbraided me eneuch for that night's wark."
"Na, naething o' the kind. I could tell you what it is mysel, but he
would rather tell it."
"I will come and see him. I hear he isna lang for this warld."
"He willna be here lang," replied Wullie.
"God hae mercy on us a'," said Donald, with emotion.
That night there was a timid knock at honest Wullie's door. "Come in,"
said Wullie in a loud tone. The latch was lifted, and in walked Donald
McPherson. Jeannie set a chair for him, and Wullie spoke pleasantly to
him. But Donald was ill at ease. He seemed looking for some one he did
not see. A voice from the bed said, "Good evening to ye, Donald." Donald
approached the bed, and Rab extended his hand.
"I am o'er sorry to see you here," said Donald, grasping the proffered
hand. A shiver ran through him as he saw and felt how emaciated it was.
[Illustration: Page 52. "I am o'er sorry to see you here," said Donald.]
"My hand is o'er thin," said Rab, noticing his emotion.
"Ay is it, and it is a' my ain faut."
"Not a'thegither, Donald, for I s'ould hae been proof against
temptation."
"Ye would hae dune weel eneuch if ye had been left alane."
"That is true as to the night I got my seckness; but I might hae fallen
some ither time, for I hadna the grace o' God to keep me in the right
way. Noo I willna fall into that sin ony mair--I canna. And ye maunna
think ye are no forgien your part in that night's wark, for I hae
forgien ye, and that is what I wanted to tell you. God has forgien me,
but he wouldna do it until I had forgien you. Noo I hope ye will ken
what it is to hae God's forgiveness as weel as mine. Ye hae, as ye say,
led me in the wrang way; let me noo seek to lead you in the right way.
It is a fearsome thing to live withoot God for a freend. I hae found
that oot the last year o' my life. To feel, as I hae felt, that life is
fast passing awa, and to see nae hope in the darkness beyond, is
dreadful, dreadful, Donald. Your life will hae an end too, Donald,
though it mayna be for mony years. Then ye will stand alane before your
Maker. Do ye no ken that there are robes provided, so that each wha will
may wrap himsel around wi' them as he wraps his plaid aboot him? only
thae robes cover us entirely. They are robes o' the Saviour's
righteousness. Wi' sic a robe aboot us we may stand before the Judge o'
all the earth and not fear condemnation. I dinna ken as I mak it plain
to you, for I am but a beginner in the scule o' Christ; but I am in his
scule, Donald; yes, I am; praised be the gude Lord for that! And what I
canna learn here I can learn in the warld above."
"I hope I shall meet you there," said Donald, wiping the tears away with
his hand.
"Dinna put off repentance till ye come to your death-bed, Donald. Gie
your heart to God noo; and then, whether ye are called sooner or later,
ye are aye ready."
Donald was much affected. He remained an hour or more talking with
Wullie, and then left, promising to come again, and offering his
assistance if it should be needed.
During Rab's illness Jeannie was very quiet in her manner, but her heart
was heavy and sad. Slowly but surely proof was added to proof that her
husband was soon to die. With many fears and anxieties she had looked
forward to the long, weary time that must elapse between the sad event
about to befall her and the time when her children would be old enough
to seek their own livelihood. But since she had obtained a hope of
eternal life she had learned to regard the future with less anxiety, and
to cast her cares on One stronger than herself. Still the sadness
remained. She could not forget that disease was fast wasting all that
was mortal of Robert Murdoch. That which is spiritual within us may
assent to God's providences, and we think it to be in the ascendency,
and so it is; but sometimes, when the chill and gloom of a starless
night settle down upon our spirits, our natural desires assert
themselves, and we clutch again our passing friends and comforts. Poor
Jeannie! More thorns than roses seemed to grow along her pathway. And
now the saddest trial of all was before her. But she had promised in her
heart that, if God would save her husband eternally, she would not
murmur at the dispensation that was to separate him from her in this
life. For this reason she strove to control her feelings; and the
quivering of the face was often stayed before the tear-drop started.
Once, when her husband noticed these outward signs of inward grief, he
called her to him. She drew her chair to the bedside, and laid her head
on the pillow. "My puir wife," said he, while he pressed her pale cheek
with his thin hand, "I hae never been as gude to you as I s'ould hae
been, and noo I am gaen frae you. I ask your forgiveness. I leave you in
the hands o' God, and under him to the care o' Wullie. I couldna leave
you in better hands. And, Jeannie, if Wullie would ever wish to mak you
his wife, hear till him."
She raised her eyes with a look of surprise and reproof.
He understood her, and continued, "Weel, never mind noo what I hae said.
Some time ye may remember it withoot sae muckle pain, and be glad ye
kenned my mind aboot it."
The winter passed slowly away. Rab's death was expected from week to
week. The neighbors were untiring in their kindness and sympathy. Farmer
Lindsay called often, and many a kind word he spoke to the afflicted
family. Mrs. Lindsay sent many a dainty to tempt the sick man's
appetite. The pastor, too, called, and was satisfied with the dying
man's profession of faith.
"I am so thankful," said Rab, "that I had time gien me for repentance.
If I had been cut off suddenly I s'ould hae gane to eternal death."
Donald McPherson fulfilled his promise and came often. "I hae seen
eneuch o' the evils o' strang drink," he said to Rab, "and I want ye to
carry wi' you to heaven my promise that, wi' God's help, I will never
taste anither drap."
When the milder days of spring succeeded the rigors of winter, Robert
Murdoch's lamp of life flickered and went out. He met death with a calm
resignation and a happy trust.
Mrs. Murdoch yielded to sorrow after her husband was dead. No one
interfered with her grief until Wullie thought she had wept "o'er lang."
"Compose yoursel, sister Jeannie," he said, speaking in a persuasive
manner. "I ken it is hard to bear; but neither yoursel nor the bairns
will want for a freend while it is in the power o' Wullie Murdoch to
help you. He wha has gaen frae us can never return to us, but we can
gang to him in the Lord's ain gude time."
A simple funeral service was held at the church, and the body was
committed to the earth whence it came.