THE PURPLE CROCUS. 179 



Christ, was soon afterwards called away to ' see 

 whom unseen he adored.' It was quite a relief to 

 my full heart to descry old B. feebly advancing 

 along my road : I flew to him, and told him the 

 glad tidings, that the poor man had died most hap- 

 py in his Saviour. He lifted his hands and eyes, 

 in solemn fervour, ejaculating, ' How gracious He 

 is ! a soul is precious :' and went on his way re- 

 joicing, in broken phrases, with a joy so calm and 

 beautiful that it redoubled the gladness of my 

 heart. 



But a trial was in store for old B. which had 

 this alleviation, that every Christian in the place 

 largely participated in his sorrow. The Pastor so 

 dear to him and to us was about to leave a sphere 

 of labour where God had most signally blessed his 

 work : and I never, during the sad weeks that in- 

 tervened between the announcement of this event 

 and its occurrence, met old B. that he did not lay 

 hold on my wrist to support him, under excessive 

 tremor, and weep, while he uttered his lamenta- 

 tions. The flock over whom our pastor had pre- 

 sided, presented him with an elegant and costly 

 token of their grateful affections: it was altogether 

 spontaneous ; and meant to be confined to the 

 more affluent : but there was no resisting the tears 

 of the poor, as they proffered their shillings or six- 

 pences ; and old B. was among the first to lay 

 down his offering. It was beautiful to witness the 



