may consider it our duty (being admonished to that effect) to behave ourselves quietly, and to submit in all things lawful to the powers that be,* having a better hope for the future, and knowing that all will be set right when our Master comes:" and thus speaking, he took from a shelf which was near at hand a curious old volume, fastened with silver clasps, and he informed me that this volume included his Master's letters, and communications to his servants, sent from time to time by different hands, which letters, as he said, contained every thing that was necessary for the comfort and admonition of his servants under every possible circumstance f life; every word included in the volume being perfectly true, and more precious than much fine gold: and turning over the leaves, he showed me certain passages in which the Master directed his servants to submit to all such as were actually at the head of affairs, in all things not contrary to his commands.† He then presented me with a small copy of this volume, bidding me to carry it with me, and make it the rule of my life; after which he proceeded to let me into something of the private history of the household.

"This place," said he, " has been set apart as it were for the especial residence of the Master's people from time immemorial, although it has undergone many

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." Rom. xiii. 1, 2.

+"Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." Pet. ii. 17-25.

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto, according to thy word." Psalm cxix. 9.

changes. Neither has the building ever been completed according to the Lord's plan; but some added to it, and some have pulled down; and some have defaced it, and some have new painted and varnished it, and so changed and altered it that scarcely any of the original building is now visible, being as it were entirely encircled by the additions which have been made to it; but inasmuch as these additions are chiefly of dried lath and untempered mortar,* they require constant repair, and are liable to fail continually, and more so especially because they do not stand upon the foundation which is of rock, but rather on the sand,† which is on the side of the rock."

The gardens too which surround the house were laid out by the Lord, and were exceedingly beautiful at the first, till the other party cut down to the root many of the trees of the Lord's planting, and introduced others of a different nature, and thus the heritage of the Lord was spoiled. Moreover, Madame le Monde caused the fountain which watered the garden to be directed otherwise than the Lord had ordered, and so mismanaged matters that it is now muddy and foul, and of little benefit to the plants. Now it seems that it was quite contrary to all expectations that Mr. Fitz-Adam should seize on the castle after it had been erected in its original form, by the Master's orders, to be a strong-hold for his peculiar servants at the time he last left them; but Mr. FitzAdam spoke the servants fair, when they alone had possession of the castle, and they let him in, and from that time he has ruled within its walls, hitherto making use of the Master's name, whenever his authority has been disputed. And with him came Madame le Monde, and

"Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace, and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar." Ezekiel xiii. 10.

"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand." Matt. vii. 26.

"Trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." Isaiah lxi. 3.

"They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage." Psalm xciv. 5.

"Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but you must foul the residue with your feet?" Ezekiel xxxiv. 18.

"That ye put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts." Ephes. iv. 22.

her three daughters,* and Father Peter was also in their train, and so they got the dominion within the walls, and we, that is, those who hold to the true Master, were driven into the corners, which we have occupied ever since, and which we shall continue to occupy till the Master comes, at which time all will be set right." "But," added my uncle, "you will know more of these things hereafter, though I advise you, as you value your peace, not to make any acquaintance with the rulers of the house and their people, beyond what is absolutely necessary, as with persons living under the same roof:-but," continued he, "we have on our side, though not altogether holding with me in all points, a worthy man, who occupies the reading-desk in the old chapel, and who at this time has great weight in the family. The time was indeed when this old chapel was nearly deserted for the newer chapel which Father Peter occupied ; but because Father Peter refused to read the Master's letters to the people, and because a spirit of inquiry respecting those letters has for some months past risen among us, Father Peter has been deserted, and is losing ground, and the old chaplain gaining ground, in proportion: so that the one is left comparatively to himself, while the other is followed by crowds. I had a little time since," continued my uncle, "very great hopes that the doctor, by whom I mean our rightful chaplain, would be rendered very useful to many of the servants in leading them to the knowledge of the true Master, and in thus being an in

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." 1 John ii. 16, 17.

"Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: and they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrow shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven, and the constellations thereof, shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and I will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. Isaiah xiii. 6-11.

VOL. II.-0

strument for preparing them for a joyful reception of the Lord at his appearing; but Madame le Monde, with whom no good ever commences, fearing no doubt the same result of his faithful services-for what is a cause of hope to me is that of fear to her,-took it into her head to tamper with him, and thus to mar his usefulness, as she has done that of many other of the most hopeful servants of the Lord: and the way she took was as I shall tell you."

"Calculating his character, and judging him as she had judged too many others of the weak and feeble servants of our Master (for we are like silly sheep, and when we have gone astray know not how to return), she immediately set to work to assail him where she thought she had found a weak side; and because he had filled himself up with the notion, that the blessed change to ensue in this place in the latter times was to be effected, not by the Master in person, but by the servants under the guide and direction of the Master (an error into which too many of the true servants have fallen, and to which at one time my own mind somewhat leaned, I must confess, till convinced of the gross arrogancy thereof by the Lord—the Interpreter), she attacked him in tha quarter; and affecting to be herself one of those whom he had in some measure convinced by his eloquence, she so puffed him up, and won him over, that now he scarcely ever addresses the people without consulting her upon the fit, and the suitable, and the convenient time, and the proper measure, &c. &c.; in consequence of which his discourses have dwindled down to a mere nothing, having in them just so much of the truth as Madame le Monde can put up with; and when you know her, you will have some idea how little that is. And yet I do believe with all this the doctor has the root of the matter in him, though I much doubt whether his ministry will produce any fruit till it has been cut and lopped to the very stump. Thus you see, my nephew, that this man, who was enabled to bear a faithful witness to the truth, in times when, through the influence of Father Peter, it was as much as his life was worth to proclaim his Lord's will, has been unable to withstand the blandishments of Madame le Monde; and now that the rough wind has ceased to blow upon his person, is ready to part with his garments,

and walk naked* in the sunshine of worldly favour. Truly we have need to pray that we may not be led into temptation."

My uncle then finished this long discourse, pointing out to me that whereas the rulers of the house had formerly persecuted the Lord's people under various pretexts, even unto depriving them of all they held precious on earth, they had of late taken up a new system, which in many instances seems to work more effectually to the destruction of the party, than any hitherto had recourse to, and this was the cant or affectation of general philanthropy; by which right and wrong, good and evil, were utterly confounded, and any thing like firmness, branded with the name of superstition, obstinacy, and narrow-mindedness. "Such is the present order of things," continued my uncle, "as you will see by-and-by. And now, my nephew, I think that I have given you as much insight into the state of affairs in the castle as can be done by word of mouth; and nothing farther remains to be said but what relates to my position in the family, who am one of the least worthy of my Lord's servants, having made less than many another would have done in my situation, of the peculiar favours and benefits bestowed upon me.

My place and my business have been appointed to me by my Lord. I am the keeper of my Lord's letters: it is my service to transcribe them, and disperse the copies, and it is more than I am sufficient for, and therefore I rejoice in the hope of your assistance; this is the service which is required of me, and my charge is this,† that I should neither take from nor add one word to that

"And unto the angels of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked : I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." Rev. iii. 14-18.

"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." Deut. iv. 2.