I. The Coming of the Minister

           TheReverendDavidSempillbeganhisministryinWoodileeonthefifteenthdayofAugustintheyearofgracesixteenhundredandforty-four.Hewasnostrangertotheglen,forasaboyhehadspenthisholidayswithhisgrandfather,whowasthemillerofRoodfoot.InthatyearwhenthehornoftheKirkwasexaltedthevoiceofapatronmatteredless;Mr.Sempillhadbeen,astheysaid,"popularlycalled,"andsoentereduponhisofficewiththeeagerinterestoftheparishwhichhadchosenhim.AyearbeforehehadbeenlicensedbythepresbyteryofEdinburgh;hewasordainedinWoodileeinthepresentyearonthelastSabbathofJune,and"preachedin"onthefirstSabbathofAugustbytheweightyvoiceofMungoMuirhead,theministerofKirkAller.Hisplenishing--chieflybooks--hadcomefromEdinburghoneightpack-horses,and,havingescapedtheperilsofCarnwathMoss,wasnowsetoutinanupperchamberofthelittledampmanse,whichstoodbetweenthekirkandWoodileeburn.Adecentwidowwoman,IsobelVeitchbyname,hadbeenfoundtokeephishouse,andDavidhimself,nowthatallwasready,hadriddenoveronhisgreycobfromhiscousin’satNewbigginandtakenseisinofhisnewhome.HehadsungashecameinsightofWoodilee;hehadprayedwithbowedheadashecrossedthemansethreshold;butashesatintheclosetwhichhenamedhis"study,"andsawhispreciousbooksontheshelf,andthetablebeforehimonwhichgreatworkswouldbewritten,andoutsidethehalf-glazedwindowthegooseberrybushesofthegardenandthesilverlinksoftheburn,hehadalmostweptwithpuregratitudeandcontent.