Page:My people stories of the peasantry of West Wales.djvu/16



congregation, he often prefaced his remarks with, “Dear people, on my way to Sion I asked God what He meant” This episode in the life of Sadrach Danyrefail covers a long period; it has its beginning on a March night with Sadrach closing the Bible and giving utterance to these words: “May the blessing of the Big Man be upon the reading of His Word.” Then, “Let us pray.” Sadrach fell on his knees, the open palms of his hands together, his elbows resting on the table; his eight childrenSadrach the Small, Esau, Simon, Rachel, Sarah, Daniel, Samuel, and Miriamfollowed his example.

Usually Sadrach prayed fluently, in phrases not unworthy of the minister, so universal, so intimate his pleading: tonight he stumbled and halted, and the working of his spiritful mind lacked the heavenly symmetry of the mind of the 4