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On the following Sunday evening a special Sciet was held in the gaunt grey chapel in the valley; an event of small importance to the outside world, but to Ebben Owens and every member of his family one of momentous interest.
He falls into the way, moreover, of lamenting, as people obstinately continue to do, the "good old times," when men were better than "now," and when the reasonable delights of the garden and the fields engrossed them to the neglect of the circus and the theatres. Or, as Tremellius says, "That man will master the business, qui et colere sciet, et poterit, et volet."
"Yes, they will turn you out of the 'Sciet, because when the calf won't go through the scibor door he has to be pushed out!" And with a toss of her head she carried the tray away. It was a miserable day for Valmai, and not even after events of more bitterness were able to efface it from her memory.
Ann tried to let no difference be seen in her manner to her father, unless indeed she was a little more tender and loving. The farm servants, who, if they had not been at the Sciet, had yet heard the tale of disgrace, were unanimous in their endeavours to comfort the old mishteer whom they loved with so much loyalty.
He had sat there lost in thought ever since he had pushed away his almost untasted dinner. "Yes," said Morva, "I am going; but mother is not coming to-night; she doesn't like the Sciet, you know." "She is an odd woman," said Ann. "Not like the Sciet indeed! If I didn't love her so much I would be very angry with her." Morva flushed.
Sorrow and bitter repentance have been his companions by day, and have sat by his pillow at night, ever since he was tempted to commit that sin. He has become thin, and haggard, and old. He confessed it all at the Sciet. And think how hard it must have been for him to bring himself to tell it all before the men who had thought so highly of him.
A formal admission of sin is of frequent occurrence at an "experience meeting," but the real confession of a sinful action is very rare. Therefore the Garthowen family required strong moral courage to enable them to pass through the trying ordeal of the Sciet, and its fiat of excommunication, with dignified firmness.
I said to myself: 'When I see my boy Gethin at home again, then will I believe that God has forgiven me. Now I will be happy though I'm turned out of the Sciet. God will not turn me out of heaven, now that Gethin my son has forgiven me. Hast heard all my bad ways, lad?" "Yes," said Gethin, "and I will confess, father, it nearly broke my heart.
"She is very different to other people, I know; but she is a good woman whatever." "Yes, yes, yes," said Ebben Owens emphatically; "but why doesn't she like the Sciet?" "Oh! that's what she is saying," answered the girl, "that she doesn't see the use of people standing up to confess half their sins and keeping back the other and the worst half.
"There's the sun going, mother, 'tis seven o'clock, the Sciet is over. Will I go and meet them? Oh! mother, I long to comfort 'n'wncwl Ebben." "No, child, leave him alone to-night; he has better help than thou canst give him. To-night he will feel God's presence as he has never felt it before, and what else will he want, Morva? Come and read our chapter, 'merch i."
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