midnight
At first he made no reply , but remained looking over the still heads of his elders into that low red sunset sky . How often had he beheld it , when feeding the stock at frozen twilights . One vision rose before him now of his boyhood life at home -- his hopes of the ministry -- the hemp fields where he had toiled -- his father and mother waiting before the embers this moment , mindful of him . He recalled how often , in the last year , he had sat upon his bedside at midnight when all were asleep , asking himself that question : -- `` Do I believe in God ? '' And now he was required to lay bare what his young soul had been able to do with that eternal mystery . He thrust his big coarse hand into his breast-pocket and drew out a little red morocco Testament which had been given him when he was received into the congregation . He opened it at a place where it seemed used to lie apart .