Sometimes his voice rose in indignant protest, and sometimes
fell in tender appeal, and when at last the sermon was over and the
last hymn had been sung, there was an evident feeling of regret and a
furtive drying of eyes.

In curious almost ludicrous contrast to the preacher's mellow tones,
Jos Hughes's cracked voice broke the solemn silence, with the
information that there would be an "experience" meeting after the
service. One third of the congregation therefore, remained seated
while the rest poured out through the narrow doorways into the stony
road, up which the sea wind was blowing. Then the doors were closed
and the preacher came down and sat among the deacons in the "big seat."
Ebben Owens was asked for his usual opening prayer, but he declined the
request with a shake of his head. Jos Hughes gladly took his place,
and after a long-winded prayer from him, a hymn was sung again, and
then the business of the meeting commenced.

From a dark corner pew a weak voice broke the silence, and every eye
turned to the speaker, a little shrivelled woman who was a frequent
confessor of sins, and was correspondingly respected.

"I wish to say," said the quavering voice, "that I am daily and hourly
becoming less sure of my salvation, my past sins weigh heavily upon me,
and neither prayer nor reading bring a gleam of comfort into my heart.
I should be glad to see the preacher or one of the deacons if they will
trouble to come to Ffoshelig."

"I will certainly," said the preacher; and again there was a pause,
till Jos Hughes stood up, and with great unction delivered his soul of
its burden.

"My dear brethren," he said, with eyes upturned to the ceiling, his
stubby fingers interlaced over his waistcoat of fawn kerseymere, "I am
much perplexed and disheartened! I have been deacon of this chapel for
thirty years, and I am not aware that I have ever failed in my duty as
a member of this 'body.' I neglect no opportunity of prayer, or hymn
singing, or warning my neighbour. I teach in the Sunday School, and I
fulfil every duty as far as I am able--and yet, my friends, for two
whole days in the week that is past, I was as dry as--a paper bag! I
felt no fervour of spirit, no uplifting of soul; in fact, dear people,
it was low tide with me, the rocks were bare, the sands were dry, and I
was almost despairing. But thank the Lord! the tide turned, grace and
praise and joy flowed in upon me once more; I have received the
'I