18.03.2019 Views

Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

whispers were beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g to be heard, "The<br />

morn<strong>in</strong>g cometh."<br />

Turn<strong>in</strong>g to the other extremity of Europe, the<br />

prospect was not less gladden<strong>in</strong>g. In Denmark the<br />

mass had fallen, and the vernacular Scriptures were<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g circulated through the nation. In Sweden a<br />

Protestant k<strong>in</strong>g filled the throne, and a Protestant<br />

clergy m<strong>in</strong>istered to the people. In Norway the<br />

Protestant faith had taken root, and was flourish<strong>in</strong>g<br />

amid its fjords and p<strong>in</strong>e-covered mounta<strong>in</strong>s. Nay,<br />

to the shores of Iceland had that blessed day-spr<strong>in</strong>g<br />

traveled. It could not be that the day should break<br />

on every land between Italy's "snowy ridge" and<br />

Iceland's frozen shore, and the night cont<strong>in</strong>ue to<br />

cover <strong>Scotland</strong>. It could not be that the sunrise<br />

should k<strong>in</strong>dle <strong>in</strong>to glory the Swiss mounta<strong>in</strong>s, the<br />

German pla<strong>in</strong>s, and the Norwegian p<strong>in</strong>e-forests,<br />

and no dawn light up the straths of Caledonia.<br />

No! the hour would strike: the nation would<br />

shake off its cha<strong>in</strong>s, and a still brighter lamp than<br />

that which Columba had k<strong>in</strong>dled at Iona would<br />

shed its radiance on hill and valley, on hamlet and<br />

32

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!