410 ROBERT DICK'S DEA TH. CHAP. xxm. 



days of miracles are past." His mind occasionally wan- 

 dered. Once, in his agony, he exclaimed, " Oh mother ! 

 mother !" He thought he was grasping her hand. 



One night he thought that a batch was in the oven. 

 He was convinced that it was there, and that the bread 

 must be taken out. He insisted on being carried into 

 the bakehouse to see it. He was taken to the front of 

 the oven. The door was opened, and it was all black 

 inside. The bread was not there. The oven was never 

 more to be lighted. He looked round the walls, and 

 recognised his old drawings. He was now ready to 

 faint, and was taken back to his bed. 



Amongst those who visited Dick towards the end of 

 his illness were his excellent friends Mr. John Miller, 

 Sir George Sinclair, Mr. Wallace the coast missionary, 

 Mr. Brims, procurator-fiscal, and Mr. Miller the respected 

 minister of the parish. Mr. Miller prayed with him, and 

 read to him the fourteenth chapter of St. John. Christ's 

 words were a great consolation to Dick on his bed of 

 death. Mr. Miller says of him that " he was the most 

 humble believer that he ever met." 



Dick was ready to depart. He was wearied of life. 

 It was better that he should die. He had been oppressed 

 with poverty, and now he was oppressed with agony. 

 Why should he remain a little longer ? He had done 

 his appointed work, and was now more than resigned to 

 leave it. He longed to be at rest. 



In the morning of the 24th of December, Robert 

 Dick's spirit returned to Him who gave it. Towards 

 the end, his sufferings left him, and he died quietly and 



