A Sovereign Remedy

o the very heart of calm creation, it held an extraordinary capability for fuss. The hot Celtic blood would get into the hot Celtic brain at the slightest provocation, an

those whose salvation was doubtful. The whole Calvinistic body, forgetful of election and pr

the little telegraph station in the village breathed freely by reason of the wires that were

service to the Church. And so, with a curious falter at its innermost heart because of the absence of the rector's familiar surplice and

f wrath, that dreadful day," sung by the rector at his usual evening service, floated out from the church to join Mo

his right as rector. Indeed, but for the necessity for reprobating the scandalous withholding of one of the Church's sacraments from an innocent soul because its parents were blameworthy, there is small doubt that he would have asked no questions, and buried the small

dent. His bishop had not upheld the authority of the Church; he had--in all reverence be it spoken

uits whose history he was studying. He had a reluctant admiration for their determination to force means to an end, and he saw plainly how much capital they would make out of his refusal to bury the body. Elections to the parish council were coming on, and he had already made himself unpopular by que

been sent to him for revision, and he had returned them without a

s of his party, who seized so quickly on every poi

the village, had been inexorable, and so Gwen, once the pride of the choir, despite her being "light in the weighing," had been practically excommunicated. Not that there had ever been any

the only cause for Mo

the very idea. The constant conflict, however, had forced him into clearer thought, and he had shrunk back in horror from much that he saw in himself and others. The greed of gold! How it riddled all human life; it even touched the next, for it was the mai

om Christ died were b

ng of the Great Spirit, to s

prayer, and he had grown haggard a

t, clever lad who for years had been the pride of the village, the joy of his mother's and of his brother's heart. No doubt his failure to pass the examination had discouraged him; but

e it had come, there was no stability in his thoughts. They wandered on dreamily until, suddenly as a flash, came the certain

od there silen

n was no wanderer; her own peopl

mble over his brother who stood behind him. His face was haggard als

hing wrong is there--

hat's all," he answered, bending low to brush off the dust

as pastor here as elsewhere made him add, "I was so overcome by the horrible th

p again; he looked his b

ave as he spoke, and looked back at his brother almost impatiently. "Oh! for God's sake, Morris, let h

; "how can it be done

ived it might have been worth while; but now--" he smiled suddenly. "Don't worry any more about it, there's

ehold of the faith must be provided with an envelope addressed to it in which the offerin

st when the Elect would need no such precautions ag

n this world and the next. And yet a good collection was the vivifier of spiritual life. Without

the Reverend Hwfa Morgan, who was to conduct the morning service, were over; but even then Morris Pugh had

ed in their appointed courses to meet the dawn,

look at Mervyn, and having in mind various penny novelettes in which jealousy played the principal part, she had ordered from another shop in Blackborough. For she was becoming reckless. At heart she was an excellent creature, but her education had been against her. She had learnt so much that was absolutely unnecessary for what she wanted to make out of life. What did it matter to her whether she could reel off the names of the claimants to the crown of Spain during the War of Succession? All she really desired was lov

lip: Not that she was really in love with him. Any other of the stalwart young men, who cultivated the same forehead curl, would have done as well, if

tucked away in the Bibles they clutched so confidently. For, realising that this might be their last donation, they had given their ransom for the skies. Isaac Edwards fussed round, keeping a watchful eye

n the brief period between the services, for the evening hour had been put forward to the afternoon

when Morris Pugh, as a preliminary to his final appeal, stepped

rris gave out a well-known Welsh hymn, a little sudden thrill see

was

de compass, now high, now low. Would the S

he had listened of late to the oft-told tale--which grew in the t

its Amen, and there was no s

by the door, a figure in black, close ve

ght in prayer; he had eaten nothing; the whol

or not, that in itself has to be reckoned w

ith almost sightless eyes for some glimpse which might make the young, flexible, lamenting voice more earthly, less heavenly, followed suit. Then the golden haze which fill

d to its high protesting pitch of passionate

at was

door a sound--the mer

am withou

llective, ran through the chapel as, turning, every one in it saw Gwen, her whole fac

hy Blood was

etness of the woman's, but only for a moment. A voice less strenuo

e message of certain salvation grew

of God,

th

ng, almost appalled, the Reverend Hwfa Morga

. With cries and groans the congregation

you," urged the Reverend Hwfa Morgan, as Morris Pugh

, or even the earnest confession of sin from some sinner, and always with the same result, a victory for the service of song. Against that soothing background even Time itself seemed lost. The evening drew in wet and stormy. The necessity for closing the chapel doors burdened the pent air st

ds, Morris Pugh turned the key in the chapel door with a trembling hand. The Rever

" he muttered

ll spread a wave of revival. You and those sweet singers--!" His excitement was too

his thigh with an in

ng with regret, "we have forgotten it. Go