Thesewild，independentmenoftheWestwerenotatalllikethedegradedmenoftheward，fawningorsullen，whohadbeenhisformerandonlyparishioners。Ahorriblefearhadbeengrowinguponhimeversincehisfailure，asheconsideredit，withtheConvener’scongregationthenightbefore。IthelpedhimnotatalltorememberthekindlywordsofencouragementspokenbytheConvener，northesympathythatshowedinhiswife’svoiceandmanner。\"Theyfeltsorryforme，\"hegroanedaloud。Hesethisjawshard，asmenhadseenhimwhengoingintoascrimonthefootballfield。\"I’lldomybestwhatever，\"hesaidaloud，lookingbeforehimatthewavinghorizon;\"amancanonlyfail。ButsurelyIcanhelpsomepoorchapoutyonder。\"Hiseyesfollowedthewavingfoot—hilllinetilltheyrestedonthemightymassesoftheRockies。\"Ay，\"hesaidwithastart，droppingintohismother’sspeech，\"theretheyare，’thehillsfromwhencecomethmyhelp。’Surely，IdonotthinkHewouldsendmeoutheretofail。\"
Theretheylay，thatmightywrinklingofMotherEarth’soldface，huge，jaggedmassesofbaregreyrock，patchedhereandthere，andfinallycappedwithwhitewheretheypiercedtheblue。Uptotheirbaseranthelumberingfoot—hills，andstillfurtherupthegreysides，likeattackingcolumns，thedarkdaringpinesswarmedinmassedbattalions;then，whereravinesgavethemfooting，inregiments，theninoutpostpickets，andlastofallinlonelyrigidsentinels。Butfarabovetheloneliestsentinelpine，cold，white，serene，shonethepeaks。TheHighlandbloodinShock’sveinsstirredtothecallofthehills。Glancingaroundtomakesurehewasquitealone——hehadalmostneverbeenwherehecouldbequitesurethathewouldnotbeheard——Shockraisedhisvoiceinashout，again，and，expandinghislungstothefull，onceagain。Howsmallhisvoiceseemed，howpunyhisstrength，howbriefhislife，inthepresenceofthosesilent，mighty，ancientrangeswiththeirhoaryfacesandsnowyheads。Awedbytheirsolemnsilence，andbythethoughtoftheirancient，eternal，unchangingendurance，herepeatedtohimselfinalowtonethewordsoftheancientPsalm:
\"Lord，Thouhastbeenourdwelling—place，Ingenerationsall，BeforeThoueverhadstbroughtforthThemountains，greatorsmall！\"
Howexaltingarethemountainsandhowhumbling！Howlonelyandhowcomforting！Howawesomeandhowkindly！Howrelentlessandhowsympathetic！Reflectingeverymoodofman，theyaddsomewhattohisnoblerstatureanddiminishsomewhathisignoblerself。Toalltrueappealtheygivebackanswer，buttotheheartregardinginiquity，likeGod，theymakenoresponse。Theyneverobtrudethemselves，buttheysmileuponhisjoys，andinhissorrowoffersilentsympathy，andeverasGod’smessengerstheybidhimrememberthatwithalltheirmassmanismightierthanthey，thatwhentheslowmarchofthepinesshallhavetroddowntheirmight’sdust，stillwiththedewofeternalyouthfreshuponhisbrowwillhebewithGod。
ThenandthereinShock’shearttheresprangupakindlyfeelingforthemountainsthatthroughallhisvaryingexperiencesneverlefthim。Theywerealwaysthere，steadfastlywatchfulbydayliketheeyeofGod，andatnightwhilehesleptkeepingunslumberingguardlikeJehovahhimself。Alldayashedroveuptheinterminableslopesanddownagain，themountainskeptcompanywithhim，asfriendsmight。Somuchsothathecaughthimself，morethanonceaftermomentsofabsorption，glancingupatthemwithhastypenitence。Hehadforgottenthem，butunoffendedtheyhadbeenwatchingandwaitingforhim。