Part 2

In due time, however, the coffin was brought to the door, and there deposited; and of the few clansmen who attended to bear their kinsman to the grave, not one would enter the dwelling to assist in moving the remains of him to whom living or dying, under any other circumstances, they would have refused nothing. Poor Margaret! that _was_ a trial! but not greater than the promise,—“_As_ thy day, so shall thy strength be.” It was indeed a dark, dark day; but the promise _could_ not be hidden, even though it was a darkness to be _felt_. _How_ it was accomplished, the poor widow knew not. The first-born had helped, and fallen panting at the threshold, fainting with exertion and with horror; and when the door was opened, those without drew back, and bade her, though in tones of solemn pity, lay her burden in its narrow bed herself; and then they signed to her to retire. She closed the door behind her, and in a few minutes they drew round the coffin, closed, and bore it to the boat, and rowed in silence to the island resting-place of the M’Kenzies, in the middle of the lake.

There is something peculiarly solemn in standing on an island of graves. The very dust that the summer breeze wafts over us, may indeed remind us of our mortality,—suggest a thought that it, perhaps, was once animated: but the complete isolation of such a spot as this, fixes the mind to the contemplation, as though thought for once were fettered, and the subject of her meditations were bound upon her, like the wave upon that sepulchral shore,—and so it was felt by all now, and not a word was spoken as they laid M’Kenzie in his long home.

But we must return to the cabin where the roof-tree had thus fallen in its prime, and where yet, through faith and hope that is in Christ Jesus, the widow was enabled, amid the desolation of all things earthly, still to bear up, and amid her first tears, to thank God that her husband had departed in peace. The delirium had ceased about an hour before his death, and he had bade his Margaret remember that, though while spared to his family they had a right to look to him for support, yet he had been but the instrument, in God’s hands, for providing it; and that now he was taken from them, God would be sure to supply their necessities through some other channel, rather than be wanting to his promise of being a “husband to the widow, and a father to the fatherless.” He bade her read him the eighth chapter of Romans, “that blessed chapter,” he said, “which begins with no condemnation and ends with no separation.” When she came to the words “killed all the day long—accounted as sheep for the slaughter,” he fixed his eyes upon her; and as she read on, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us,” he repeated after her “more than conquerors through Him,” “_more_ than conquerors.” And as she read further, “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus,” he bowed his head as if in experimental assent, and his spirit departed to God who gave it.

Such had been M’Kenzie’s end; and his widow as she thought of his freed spirit rejoicing before the Throne and with the Lamb, was comforted, and found peace in the expectation of the time when she and his little ones should also be summoned to that land where “they neither hunger nor thirst any more.”

That night she read the latter part of the seventh chapter of the Revelation with her children; and as she told how their father was now among this “great multitude,” little Moggie cried, and asked as she shivered with the cold, why they might not go to him; for “O mither, though ye hae read that there’s nae heat there, onie mair than here, yet gin there’s nae hunger, it wadna be sae sair to bear.”

The tears fell fast from Margaret’s eyes, the first tears she had shed, as she took the child upon her knee, and told her that none could enter that land, but those whom God was pleased to call there, and that till he gave the summons we must patiently abide here, suffering his will, and enduring unto the end whatever he sees fit. “And oh, Moggie, lass,” she added, “ye ken I bless God ye hae aye kennit, since ye were auld enoo’ to understand, ‘that our Heavenly Father so loved the world that he gave his only Son to die for us;’ ‘and now shall he not with him also freely give us _all_ things?’ And as he gives hunger and cold to us now, it’s because they’re best for us, for he _could_ give food and firing just as easily. And oh, my dear bairns, doesna’ it soften your pangs to think that your Father in Heaven sends them?”

Moggie put her arm round her mother’s neck and nodded assent and tried to smile, but the shivering that had seized her was the beginning of the fever, and she too drooped and died. Margaret told her that the summons _had_ now come for her, and she asked her if she would like to go to the Lord Jesus, the good shepherd who had said, “Suffer the little children to come to me?” The child could not speak, but she stretched her arms upward, and ere they fell again at her side, she knew what it was to be gathered among the lambs of the heavenly pasture; she knew (oh, may we all one day know too), _what it is_ to “be with Jesus.”

The little stock of meal that the clansmen had brought with them on the day of M’Kenzie’s funeral, was now exhausted; the cow had ceased to yield any milk, and would have been killed for food, but none had strength to deal the fatal blow. The extremity of destitution had now come upon the bereaved family. The poor infant sought in vain for the nourishment that was no longer supplied, and cried and mourned upon its mother’s knees. The two elder boys were down with the fever, but they struggled hard with it, _their_ summons was not sounded yet.

And do you ask _how_ Margaret and her children were supported? She shall answer for herself. “We lived upon the promises of God’s Word, and when they seemed to tarry, we just read the fourth of Philippians, and so were enabled to wait, though they tarry, through Christ that strengtheneth us in the spirit.”

Oh, the blessings of a _Bible_ education; if those who undervalue, or would substitute something else in its stead, could just contrast the peace of a Highland family, with the despair of an Irish cabin, where the Scriptures are unknown, and the way of salvation is hidden from their eyes; they would surely be content to give the Scriptures, at all events, to those to whom they can secure no earthly good beside. And may those who _have_ the Scriptures and have _with_ them the good things of this life, learn to prize them the more highly, when they see those who have received them into their hearts and minds, “thankful and contented amid the horrors of starvation.”[5]

But we digress,—two days had come and gone without food of any kind, and as she had no breakfast to give them, Margaret had let her children sleep late in the morning; and when, ere she lay down at night by their side, she had looked on their pale wan faces, the skin prematurely shrivelled and wrinkled, the bones projecting in place of the dimpled roundness of childhood, she felt that their hours must be numbered, and often instead of sleeping, she rose and put her ear close to each, that she might be sure they still breathed. And she shrunk overpowered from the thought of passing another night thus; and then the weary day that followed—deserted by all, not a living thing came near the dwelling. Still strong in faith, Margaret cheered her remaining little ones till evening came, and they asked her to pray that they might go to their father and Moggie. She asked if they would leave her then alone? they said she should ask to go too. And then the second girl Jeanie asked why, if God heard prayer, he had not heard theirs and given them bread? It is written, “He giveth not account of any of his matters,” said the mother solemnly. “It is written, too, ‘He doth not _willingly_ afflict the children of men,’ and (in pity to the weakness of our faith, and as if to meet the very cravings of our questioning), it is most graciously written also, ‘What I do thou knowest not now, but thou _shalt_ know hereafter.’” This was said, as is generally the case with the Scotch in speaking directly of Scripture, in the pure English of the authorized version; it was also said, in a tone of rebuke, for perhaps nothing could have excited her feelings so deeply as the idea of unbelief of God’s Word, or distrust of God’s love in any of her children. It was as though the enemy had found entrance; as though the wolf, seeking whom he might devour, had got into her little fold. She took the child on her knee, “Jeanie, lass,” she said, “It is nae sae lang syne that you should forget the day your father corrected ye and kept you withouten yer parritch for dinner or supper, because ye’d displeased and disobeyed him; and did ye think _then_ either that he _could na’_ have bidden me gie ye the parritch; or that he had nae gude reason for not bidding me. Ye thinkit nae siccan a thing, Jeanie, and ye maun ken that your Heavenly Father has a right to chasten ye, as well as your earthly, and ye maun _feel_ as well as _ken_ that he does it for your profit.” The little girl leant her head against her mother’s shoulder and wept; and Margaret kissed her, and continued soothingly,—“I dinna expect ye to find it pleasant, lass, ‘for no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous.’ And this is grievous above measure, in especial for weans like ye; but remember we ‘do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.’ And pray, pray to him to forgive you the thought of your heart, and to make you ‘trust him, though you canna trace him;’ he says, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’ You saw that he was with your father and Moggie, yet they died, but He was with them as the life of their spirit, and now they are with Him for ever.” The child, soothed by her voice and warmed by her embrace, ere long fell asleep in her arms; and thus Margaret passed the dreaded night. She would not move for fear of breaking the deep, sound sleep; but the presence of her God was with her, and none of the terrors of darkness were suffered to approach her.

The morning dawn showed Margaret her other children stretched on their mattress as usual; but the grey cat, their constant companion had disappeared. Stiff and weary, the mother laid herself down by them and fell asleep; and the day was far advanced when she again opened her eyes on the scene of so much suffering. The fever had not attacked the others; and the boys who had had it, were recovering, though so weak that without nourishment as they were, it was plain they could not long survive. The baby seldom unclosed its eyes, it lay and slumbered either on its mother’s lap, or on a bundle of rags in a corner of the room. The rest had become too weak to cry, too faint to talk, and except when the chapter was read, and the prayer arose, or when Margaret repeated aloud some promise from God’s Word to support the hearts of her little ones, silence reigned in the cottage. Exhaustion produced drowsiness, and quieted the pangs of hunger. The hope of procuring food had almost deserted her; the only dwelling within two miles, was a solitary cabin, whose tenants were little likely to be better provided than herself; and Margaret felt that she had now only to wait in patience, till He who hath the keys of death, should open the portals of the shadowy valley and lead them all through it, to the mansions prepared for them above. Her own strength was wonderful; it could not be natural strength, for that had been drained by her infant, and by long abstinence and painful watching; it was the strength of woman’s devotedness, upheld by faith in the Word of God.

She led the morning worship as usual, and she prayed in calm resignation that she might be enabled to submit her will with cheerfulness to the will of God; and she praised the loving Saviour for his gracious assurance, in his invitation to the little children, that he would receive them. To Him in death, as she believed, she now committed them; but the thought, that she had not yet fully done _her_ part, sunk upon her conscience; and giving the baby into the charge of the elder ones, she bade them pray that God would guide her way while she went in search of food to keep them all alive. But she had overtasked her powers, and as she met the current of fresh, cold air, her head swam, her steps tottered, and she fell as she crossed the threshold. And it was a shriek of ecstasy such as she little thought her famishing bairns could have raised, such as for many a day, many a week had never fallen on her ears that roused her again to consciousness. She rose, and supporting herself by the wall, re-entered the room. And oh, what a sight met her eyes, there was the grey cat with a large fish in its mouth upon the children’s bed. He who had formerly fed his prophet by the ravens, had now in this affecting providence shown his care of them.[6] The fish was brought as one of the boys suggested, from an old _yare_, or fish trap at the head of the lake. Hunger had overcome the instinctive dislike of the cat to water, and the instinct which leads the species to play with its prey before despatching it, had thus been overruled for the sustenance of his people, by him “who ordereth _all_ things.”

The cat dropped the fish between the children, and purring and rubbing herself against them, jumped down, and made her way through the opened door. She returned with a second supply, and for three days the family were kept alive in this manner. If Margaret’s faith had been firm and unwavering before, we need not wonder that now all care for the future seemed taken from her heart. God had begun to restore, he would not mock her hopes; and the desire of life and the thought of better, no not better (for never had she lived so near her God), but brighter days revived. It was at this time that the deputation from the Destitution Committee arrived in Argyleshire. They visited the glen, and awarded to Margaret, in common with about 120 of the most destitute families, an allowance of meal, sufficient for the support of herself and her family for six weeks.

And now we would, ere we part, say a few last words to the reader. Have you as you read felt moved by the tale of suffering, such as perhaps you never even imagined before? Then if you have, let the feeling _work_; for it has been well said, “When such relations in real life are listened to, without any efforts for the relief of the sufferer, the emotion is gradually weakened;” and that moral condition, “so abhorrent to our fellow creatures, so alien from the Divine Nature, is produced, which we call selfishness and hardness of heart.” And we might appeal even to this very selfishness; for that which is the case of our brethren now, may ere long be our own. We trust that through the sparing mercy of our God, and his blessing on our harvests, sought by our humiliation through the merits of the Redeemer, it may be averted from us. But “_as_” in such a case, _should_ it ever be your own, “ye would that men should do unto you, _even so_ do unto them.” “To-day harden not your hearts.”

The Highlander too has a peculiar claim on our bounty, for he has ever been ready to minister to the wants of the stranger and the traveller. During a tour of some weeks among the mountains and the glens, we very frequently closed an evening ramble by a visit to their cottages. And never in one single instance, though we were a party of five, were we allowed to depart without partaking of their hospitality; nor would they receive remuneration in return. Their hospitality they can no longer offer, their meal chest is empty, their cow has long been gone, and is it not the time for us to render back what we so freely received? But they have a _higher_ claim. It is written,—“Do good unto all men, _specially unto them that are of the household of faith_,” and such are they.

“And oh, may we all have grace so to deny ourselves that we may be enabled to follow the example of His compassion, Who, ‘though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor.’ And Who, though content for our sakes to endure himself the pinching pains of hunger and want, yet suffered not the multitudes to go hungry away.”

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Caillian, the gude wife.

[2] Second Statement of the Destitution Committee.

[3] “In many of the islands the pigs, being left without food, have literally disappeared, and the fowls, no longer fed at home, have wandered, and eagles, ravens, and carrion crows have fallen on them and devoured them.”—Second Report.

[4] “Cast thy burden upon the Lord;” and it may be some man shall say, How? Roll it on him with the two hands of faith and prayer.—_Leighton._

[5] From a letter by the wife of a Clergyman in Argyleshire, dated March 25, 1847.

[6] Letter from Dr. Aldcorn.

BOOKS

PUBLISHED BY B. WERTHEIM,

ALDINE CHAMBERS, PATERNOSTER ROW.

_By the late Right Rev. M. S. ALEXANDER, D.D., Bishop of the United Church of England and Ireland in Jerusalem._

FAREWELL SERMON, preached at the Episcopal Jews’ Chapel, Bethnal-green. Published by request. Third Edition, price 1_s._

The GLORY of MOUNT ZION. A Sermon preached at the Hebrew Service in the Episcopal Jews’ Chapel. Price 1_s._

The FLOWER FADETH (Isa. xl. 7); Memoir of SARAH ALEXANDER. 18mo., cloth, Second Edition, 2_s._ 6_d._

_By the Rev. A. M’CAUL, D.D., Rector of St. James’s Church, Dyke’s Place, and Prebendary of St. Paul’s._

The OLD PATHS. 10_s._

A SERMON preached in St. Paul’s Cathedral, Monday, October 19, 1846, on the occasion of the VISITATION of the Right Honourable and Right Reverend the Lord BISHOP of LONDON. Published at the request of his Lordship. 1_s._

The CHRISTIAN SANCTUARY CONTRASTED with the LEVITICAL TEMPLE. A Sermon preached before the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, on the Occasion of the Re-opening of the Church of St. James, Duke’s-place. 1_s._

An APOLOGY for the STUDY of HEBREW and RABBINICAL LITERATURE. 1_s._

PLAIN SERMONS, on Subjects Practical and Prophetic. 12mo., cloth lettered, price 6_s._ 6_d._

The CONVERSION and RESTORATION of the JEWS; Two Sermons preached before the University of Dublin. 8vo., Second Edition, _2s._

ISRAEL AVENGED. BY Don ISAAC OROBIO. Translated and Answered. Parts I., II., III., 1_s._ 6_d._ each.

The ETERNAL SONSHIP of the MESSIAH. A Sermon preached in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, on the Feast of the Annunciation; and in the Chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, April 29th, 1838. With Notes and an Appendix. 8vo., 2_s._

The PERSONALITY and WORK of the HOLY SPIRIT, as revealed in the Old Testament; a Tract for the House of Israel. 6_d._

NEW TESTAMENT EVIDENCES, to prove that the Jews are to be Restored to the LAND of ISRAEL. Second Edition, 4_d._

“INQUISITION FOR BLOOD;” or, the Eternal Obligation on States and Governments to inflict the PENALTY of DEATH for WILFUL MURDER. Respectfully addressed to Her Majesty’s Prime Minister, and to all whom it may concern. By A Witness for “Judgment, Mercy, and Faith.” Price 6_d._

Second Edition, with New and Original Details,

The APOSTOLICAL CHRISTIANS, and Catholics of Germany: A Narrative of the present Movement in the Roman Catholic Church. Edited by H. SMITH, Esq. With a Recommendatory Preface, by the Rev. W. GOODE, M.A., F.S.A., Rector of St. Antholin. Fcp., 8vo. cloth, 3_s._ 6_d._

“Is decidedly the best collected narrative which has hitherto appeared on the subject.”—_Continental Echo._

JOURNAL of MISSIONARY LABOURS in JERUSALEM. By the Rev. F.C. EWALD. Second Edition, Fcp. 8vo., 4_s._ 6_d._

“This work, dedicated to the Chevalier Bunsen, cannot fail to be read with great interest, and more especially at a time when many eyes are directed to ‘the holy city,’ when, it is to be hoped, a growing anxiety is felt for the spiritual welfare of Israel. We have laid before our readers the commencement of a series of letters from our excellent friend Mr. Veitch, for a season the fellow-labourer with Mr. Ewald in the East; and we think that correspondence will fully bear out the accuracy of Mr. Ewald’s statements, and bear full testimony to his zeal, devotedness, and energy to the work of his Divine Master. The mission of Bishop Alexander has, in some quarters, been viewed with an approach to jealousy; let those who thus view it read the volume from which the above is extracted.”—_Church of England Magazine._

The CHURCH of ST. JAMES; the Primitive Hebrew Christian Church at Jerusalem; its History, Character, and Constitution. By the Rev. J. B. CARTWRIGHT, A.M., Minister of the Episcopal Jews’ Chapel. 12mo., cloth, price 6_s._

The TWO SERMONS preached at the EPISCOPAL JEWS’ CHAPEL, Palestine-place, Bethnal-green, on Sunday, December 28, 1845, on occasion of the Death of the Right Rev. Michael Solomon Alexander, D.D., late Bishop of the United Church of England and Ireland at Jerusalem. With an Appendix. By the Rev. J. B. CARTWRIGHT, A.M., Minister of the Chapel. Price 2_s._

The RETURN of JESUS CHRIST to our EARTH, with its attendant Events; Five Lectures preached at Trinity Episcopal Chapel, Cannon-street-road, during the Season of Advent, A.D. 1813, by the Rev. A. B. EVANS, Minister, Price 1_s._

Lately published, foolscap 8vo., stitched.

TRACTS FOR CHURCHMEN.

No.1. The ENGLISH REFORMATION NEITHER UNNECESSARY NOR SCHISMATICAL. By the late Rev. W. NICHOLSON, M.A., Second Edition, price 2_d._

No. 2. The RIGHT of PRIVATE JUDGMENT INSEPARABLE from PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. By the Rev. W. WILLIAMS, M.A. Second Edition, price 2_d._

No. 3. The SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE of JUSTIFICATION BRIEFLY STATED. By the Rev. W. MARSH, D.D. Second Edition, price 1½_d._

No. 4. A BULL for the DEPOSITION of QUEEN ELIZABETH, issued by Pope Pius V., A.D. 1570, with other interesting information respecting the event. Price 2_d._

No. 5. The CHURCH. By the Rev. H. RAIKES, M.A. Second Edition, price 3_d._

No. 6. BAPTISM as TAUGHT in the BIBLE and PRAYER-BOOK. By the Rev. E. HOARE, M.A. Second Edition, price 2½_d._

No. 7. CHURCH GOVERNMENT and NATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS. By the Rev. T. GISBORNE, M.A., Price 1½_d._

No. 8. CHRISTIAN INTEGRITY. By the Rev. G. RENAUD, M.A. Price 1½_d._

No. 9. A DEFENCE of LUTHER against the CALUMNY contained in a TRACT called “MARTIN LUTHER’S CONFERENCE with the DEVIL.” By the Rev. C. S. BIRD, M.A., F.L.S. Price 3_d._

No. 10. The APOSTOLICAL INSTITUTION of EPISCOPACY DEMONSTRATED. By the Rev. W. CHILLINGWORTH, M.A. Price ½_d._

No. 11. A POPULAR ADDRESS on the CLAIMS of the CHURCH of ENGLAND upon the AFFECTION and VENERATION of the PEOPLE. By the Rev. W. MARSH, D.D. Price 1_d._

No. 12. The SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE of ORIGINAL SIN BRIEFLY CONSIDERED. By the Rev. F. O. SMITH, B.A. Price 2_d._

No. 13. TRADITION as a RULE of FAITH shown to have NO AUTHORITY. By HERBERT MARSH, D.D., F.R.S., late Lord Bishop of Peterborough, and Margaret Professor of Divinity of the University of Cambridge. A reprint. 2½_d._

Also, just published, Vol. I, comprising Nos. 1—12, cloth lettered, 2_s._ 6_d._

Succeeding Numbers are in preparation.

“They have our hearty commendation. The principles advocated are excellent, the doctrines scriptural.”—_Church of England Mag._

“They are admirable in design, and all of them respectable in execution; and we warmly recommend them to the attention of our readers, as fitted, by their extensive circulation, to be highly useful in these critical times.”—_Record._

“A very valuable series of tracts.”—_Christian’s Monthly Mag._