XX. The Judgment

           DavidrodetoKirkAllertofacethePresbyteryinablusteringdayofAprilrains.Thewindblewhighfromthesouth-westintheleaflessbranches,andtossedtherottingleaveswhichshouldlongagohavebeenpowderedbyfrostsandsnows.Allerwasredwithspate,andinthehaughstheflood-waterlayinleadenshallows.Thebirds,whoshouldhavebeenriotousinthebent,werefewandsilent;scarcelyaploveroracurlewpiped;onlyfromthegnarledfirsoftheWoodcamethecroakofanestingraven.Itwasadaytodeadenaman’sspirits,butDavidregardeditnot.Hewasstillinhissecludedworld,achamberbarredtoallmemoriesbutone.Hehadnoclearvisionofthehomeoftheblesseddead,andwhathehadwouldhavebeenheldunorthodoxbytheKirk.NowhethoughtofherinaPlatonicmoodasinhabitingallthingslovelyandpure,aspiritasrareasthelingeringlightofsunset.ButmoreoftenhepicturedherasanembodiedsaintadmittedintothefellowshipofChrist,wrappedroundwitharicherlovethanmortalsknew,butreachingoutwarmhandstohisloneliness.AndthewordsthatcametohistonguewerethelinesofPeterAbelard:

           "Oquantaqualiasuntillasabbata

           QuæsempercelebratsupernaCuria;"

           butthesabbathshedreamedofwerenotthesabbathsoftheKirk.

           Theworld,thetangibleworld,wasbrokenforhiminfragments.Hischamberwasnotonlyshuttoitswinds,butitseemedsetinahightowerfromwhichcommonrealitiesshowedinfinitelysmallanddistant.ThePresbytery--theGeneralAssembly--theKirk--seemedtinythingsvanishingdowntheperspectiveofaninvertedspy-glass.