Part 3 (1/2)
The Puritan loomy supernaturalism of the Old Testa resenificance And Cecil Grey, though liberal beyond ymen, was liable by the keenness of his susceptibilities and the extreanization to be influenced by such delusions,--if delusions they be So he stood awed and tre within himself, like some seer to whom a dark and uncertain revelation has been made
Suddenly the answer came
”The Lord hath revealed his will unto me and shown me the path wherein I am to walk,” he murmured in a hushed and stricken tone ”Ruth was taken froo where he should send e which faded into the west, and the strange desire that was given me to follow it, show that the Lord has another work for e and of the wild people I saw upon it, then will I find the iven me to do 'Lord God of Israel, I thank Thee Thou hast shown h all its stones be fire and its end be death'”
He stood awith his God Then he returned to his lonely hoht thee, the rapt, exalted manner of the man His face was pale, almost as pale as that within the darkened room; but his eyes shone, and his lips were closely, resolutely set
A little while, and that deterain, as he bent over the still, cold body of his dead
CHAPTER IV
THE COUNCIL OF ORDINATION
Friends were asseistrate also Graced the scene with their presence, and stood like the Law and the Gospel
After the Puritan way and the laudable custom of Holland
_The Courtshi+p of Miles Standish_
A few days after the funeral, letters hboring churches, calling a council to ordain the Reverend Cecil Grey a , in spite of the noble exaer Williaeneral response
All the churches, far and near, sent delegates If one could only have taken a peep, the day before the council, into the households of that part of New England, what a gliotten of Puritan do up there was of black coats, what a careful starching and ironing of bands; and above all, in Cecil's own neighborhood, what a hty cookery for the ordination dinner the next day! For verily the capacity of the clerical stoy that does not change New departures alter doctrines, creeds are y is not subject to such uests Thehouse was crowded There were ates in the council In the chair sat a venerable preacher, not unknown in the records of those days,--a portly man, with a shrewd and kindly face
Sterner faces were there also The council wore a grave aspect, es before whoymen about to ordain a missionary
After soive a stateelist to the Indians He rose before theht forriraceful presence of the nity that commanded the respect of all
In obedience to the coht of the unknown tribes beyond the Alleghanies, living in the glooible sympathy inclined hireat desire for light had entered into and possessed hi him toward them by a mysterious and irresistible attraction He felt called of God to go and minister to their spiritual needs, and that it was his duty to leave everything and obey the call
”Is this all?” he was asked
He hesitated aof his wife's death It made a deep impression on his hearers
There was scarcely a ed with the superstition of the age; and all listened, not lightly or sceptically, but in awe, as if it brought them to the threshold of the supernatural
When the narration was ended, the chair the decision of the council; but first he was asked,--
”Are you willing to abide by the decision of this council, whatever it may be?”
He raised his head confidently, and his reply came frank and fearless
”I shall respect the opinions of my brethren, no matter how they may decide; but I shall abide by the will of God and rave Puritan bent his head, half in acknowledgment of the reply, half in involuntary admiration of its brave manhood; then Cecil left the roo respectfully to let him pass