he lake is much larger than I had
imagined. It is hemmed in by mountains on every side, sleeping as
calmly and softly as if it had been the sea of glass which John saw in
heaven. We tried in vain to follow the course of the Jordan running
through it. True, there were clear lines, such as you see in the wake
of a vessel, but then these did not go straight through the lake. The
hills of Bashan are very high and steep, where they run into the lake.
At one point, a man pointed out to us where the tombs in the rocks
are, where the demoniacs used to live: and near it the hills were
exactly what the Scriptures describe, 'a steep place,' where the swine
ran down into the sea. On the north-east of the sea, Hermon rises very
grand, intersected with many ravines full of snow."

The day we spent at the lake--at the very water-side--was ever
memorable, it was so peculiarly sweet! We left an indescribable
interest even in lifting a shell from the shore of a sea where Jesus
had so often walked. It was here that two of the beautiful hymns in
_The Songs of Zion_ were suggested to him. The one was, _How pleasant
to me_, etc.; the other, _To yonder side_; but the latter lay beside
him unfinished till a later period.

His complaint was now considerably abated; his strength seemed
returning: and often did he long to be among his people again, though
quieting his soul upon the Lord. Not a few pastors of another church
have from time to time come forth to this land, compelled by disease
to seek for health in foreign regions; but how rarely do we find the
pastor's heart retained,--how rarely do we discover that the shepherd
yearns still over the flock he left! But so deep was Mr. M'Cheyne's
feelings toward the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made him
overseer, that his concern for them became a temptation to his soul.
It was not in the mere desire to preach again that he manifested this
concern; for this desire might have been selfish, as he said: "No
doubt there is pride in this anxiety to preach; a submissive soul
would rejoice only in doing the present will of God." But his prayers
for them went up daily to the throne. We had precious seasons of
united prayer also for that same end,--especially one morning at
sunrise in Gethsemane, and another morning at Carmel, where we joined
in supplication on the silent shore at the foot of the hill as soon as
day dawned, and then again, at evening, on the top, where Elijah
prayed.

Distance of