darkness, making the church full of shadows; and I saw the sky through
the windows of a strange greenish and coppery colour.

We were singing the hymn before the sermon, when I was aware of a tall
man in a whitish garment standing directly below the pulpit, still as a
stone; it seemed to me I had seen him once before. When the singing was
done, and we were all in readiness to hear the sermon, this man suddenly
stood up on the bench, so that even in the dusky light every one could
see his tall white figure, and, looking up to Mr. Truelocke in the
pulpit, he said,--

'May I have liberty to speak a few words to this people?'

'You have liberty,' said Mr. Truelocke; then, folding his arms on the
desk, he leaned forward and looked very intently on the man, who had
turned himself to face the people. They were all rustling and stirring
in their places, very uneasy at the interruption. He stretched out his
arms in the form of a cross, and began to speak in a full and rich
voice, very musical, with strange changes in it; and always the sky grew
darker in the great window behind him while he spoke.

'Friends,' said he, 'I have listened earnestly to your singing; and now
I am constrained to speak to you and tell you the words you sang were
very unsuitable to your state. For the words were those of holy, humble
souls, who are athirst after God; and how many of you be there that
could truly answer Yea, if one should ask whether you are come here
because you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Is it not true that
the best of you only take delight in the preaching of the man who stands
in yon pulpit, because it is to you as a very lovely song of one that
can play on a pleasant instrument? but you hear his words, and do them