forget.  Many of his brethren were present to welcome him, and to hear the first words of his opened lips.  There was not a seat in the church unoccupied, the passages were completely filled, and the stairs up to the pulpit were crowded, on the one side with the aged, on the other with eagerly-listening children.  Many a face was seen anxiously gazing on their restored pastor; many were weeping under the unhealed wounds of conviction; all were still and calm, intensely earnest to hear.  He gave out Psalm 66; and the manner of singing, which had been remarked since the Revival began, appeared to him peculiarly sweet,—­“so tender and affecting, as if the people felt that they were praising a present God.”  After solemn prayer with them, he was able to preach for above an hour.  Not knowing how long he might be permitted to proclaim the glad tidings, he seized that opportunity, not to tell of his journeyings, but to show the way of life to sinners.  His subject was I Cor. 2. 1-4,—­the matter, the manner, and the accompaniments of Paul’s preaching.  It was a night to be remembered.

On coming out of the church, he found the road to his house crowded with old and young, who were waiting to welcome him back.  He had to shake hands with many at the same time; and before this happy multitude would disperse, had to speak some words of life to them again, and pray with them where they stood.  “To thy name.  O Lord,” said he that night, when he returned to his home, “To thy name, O Lord, be all the glory!” A month afterwards, he was visited by one who had hitherto stood out against all the singular influence of the Revival, but who that night was deeply awakened under his words, so that the arrow festered in her soul, till she came crying, “Oh my hard, hard heart!”

On the Sabbath he preached to his flock in the afternoon.  He chose II Chron. 5:13, 14, as his subject; and in the close, his hearers remember well how affectionately and solemnly he said:  “Dearly beloved and longed for, I now begin another year of my ministry among you; and I am resolved, if God give me health and strength, that I will not let a man, woman, or child among you alone, until you have at least heard the testimony of God concerning his Son, either to your condemnation or salvation.  And I will pray, as I have done before, that if the Lord will indeed give us a great outpouring of his Spirit, He will do it in such a way that it will be evident to the weakest child among you that it is the Lord’s work, and not man’s.  I think I may say to you, as Rutherford said to his people, ’Your heaven would be two heavens to me.’  And if the Lord be pleased to give me a crown from among you, I do here promise in his sight, that I will cast it at his feet, saying, ’Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!  Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever.’”