John opened the folded paper, and held it up to one of the tall lamps beside his desk, for the writing was dim and crabbed, and the light poor, and then read a call that the Session should meet immediately after the prayer-meeting.

No object for consideration was named, and the paper was signed by Mr.Dean and another elder.

John put it down, and, noticing that his four elders sat together on one of the bare settees, omitted the usual request that they should all remain.
The little congregation gradually dispersed.

Then Elder Dean arose, and, creaking heavily down the aisle, closed and locked the front door, and put out four of the lamps in the back of the room for economy's sake.
After that he sat down again on the settee beside the three other elders, and the lecture-room was silent.
John looked up, and waited for some one to speak, then, suddenly recalling his duty of moderator, he called the Session to order, and asked the reason for meeting.
Mr.Johnson, who was the youngest elder in the church, shuffled his feet under the bench, coughed slightly, and looked at his colleagues.

Mr.Bent and Mr.Smith kept their eyes upon the ground, and Mr.Dean folded and unfolded his arms several times.
"Brethren," said the preacher, "we have asked the blessing of God upon the deliberations of this Session; it now remains to bring the business before it." Mr.Dean poked Mr.Smith furtively, who replied in a loud whisper, "It is your place, Brother Dean." The elder's face turned a dull mottled red; he felt John's surprised eyes upon him.