In perplexity, the congregation looked from the speaker to Dominie Kraalboom. The precentor, also, directed his frightened eyes to the chancel up behind him, as if expecting from that quarter deliverance from this extraordinary difficulty. Dominie Kraalboom grew very red, and, speaking in his most impressive tones--rolling his r's, for he was really angry--he said: "I beseech you not to disturb the order of this church." Markus, however, paid not the slightest attention to these words. His voice rang clearer than ever through the chill, lofty spaces. The people listened, and the dominie had no alternative but to be silent or to shout the louder, which latter expedient he renounced from a sense of dignity. "My poor friends," said Markus, "does it not alarm you that there are wrong-doings of which you are not conscious? Is it not sad to be guilty and not to know it?" "If we, poor souls, forgive those who unconsciously wrong us, will not our Father forgive us? "But to wander is to wander, and not to follow the straight course: and he who errs, though he may know it not, does not do right, although he may intend a thousand times to do the right. "And he who continues to wander gets lost; for the Father's justice is inalterable and unfailing. "And yet, my poor friends, the Father's forgiveness is for every one, even the poorest wanderer. His mercy is for all. "And His forgiveness is called knowledge, and the name of His mercy is insight. "These are bestowed upon every one who does not reject them; and no one will be lost who makes use of them. "Therefore, the Psalmist begged to be cleansed from secret faults. He knew that we know not ourselves how very guilty we are. And He knew that the enlightening and purifying fire of confession is of the Father's mercy. "Has ever a thirsty one continued to wander away from the water, after recognizing his mistake? "Who of us does not long for forgiveness and blessedness? Or who would continue to err after confession? "Confess, then, and will to look within. It is never too late to do so. "We are guilty, my poor friends: confess it and there will be forgiveness, but not without knowledge thereof. The least among you can understand this, if only he will. "It was not the Father who willed that you should be poor, and rich--the poor laboring, the rich idling. It would be abominable blasphemy to say that. Believe it not. Shun as defiling those who would thus delude you. "Not by divine ordering, but through human mismanagement, wickedness, and foolishness, and the wandering away from the Father's will, have poverty and riches come into this human world. "Acknowledge it; for, truly, there will be no forgiveness for those who reject the Father's mercy."