and having dwelt on this subject till the tears had gushed from his eyes, he suddenly as it were changed his strain, and spoke of that which was his hope and consolation, viz. the return of the blessed Lord in the latter days; and these' continued he, are the latter days which are come upon us; and these are the signs which are given to the faithful by which they may know them; for, whereas in old age, the natural body gives evidence of speedy dissolution, the various members refusing to perform their office; so in the old age of the body politic, the signs of dissolution are equally apparent, and the members no longer holding to the head, the whole body begins to fall to pieces, and to dissolve into distinct and separate atoms; then is corruption engendered, and the political death is completed: and see we not all these things at hand, men begin with denying the Lord that bought them, and next they rebel against delegated authorities, and these things being come, we see the signs of the end of the present dispensation.''

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Then,' replied I, it is to be understood, that the Lord has in some sort resigned his authority in this place to his enemy for a while, in order that his own servants may learn to know the he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John i. 10, 11, 12.

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." 1 Tim. iv. 1.

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difference between his dominion, which is that of love and kindness; and that of the enemy, which is the reverse.'

Understand,' replied my uncle, that it was the deliberate act and deed of the vassals to sell themselves to another Master; and that it was also by the free-will and pleasure of the Lord that the means were provided for their salvation from the final and terrible consequences of their rebellion; but, inasmuch as if he that is the Lord, had chosen immediately to have removed every inconvenience consequent upon our rebellion, for we have all been partakers therein, we should not only not have known by experience the nature of the slavery from which we have been rescued, but should also have wanted that exercise of faith and patience, which is one means used by superior wisdom to prepare us for the glory and happiness which is to come.'

'But,' said I, 'I do not understand wherefore I, who have been called to the service of the Master in these latter days, am to suffer for offences committed before I was born.'

'Because,' replied my uncle, you are a descendant of those who rejected the Lord; you are of that rebellious race, and when you know yourself, you will understand, that if it depended on you only, you would be as forgetful of the Lord and as prone to all evil from henceforward even unto the end, as you have been from the period

of your birth until the moment in which you received the call to his service.'

'This is what I cannot understand,' I replied. 'Which proves,' returned my uncle, that those exercises of faith and patience to which you will be called in this house are necessary, in order to bring you to a knowledge of yourself, and to a proper sense of what the Lord has done for you. Moreover, I tell you that the Lord will not return to take things into his own hands, until every individual who shall be called into his service has endured such exercise under the present state of things, as shall be thought right by the Master; and until then, that is, until the last of these is brought into a state of preparation for the glorious appearance which we are admonished to expect, we must remain in a sort of bondage under our present rulers; and then, and not till then, will the Master come. Though the day and the hour is not known to any one, yet we are assured, that whenever it does come, it will be a day of rejoicing to all those amongst us who have been brought to place our trust in him, and in him only. We know that we are his, and that our redemption has been paid, and that we shall be accepted through him; and therefore we wait in hope, and trouble ourselves no farther with the

"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." Romans viii. 22.

2" Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Matt. xxv. 13.

concerns of this household, than as they retard or promote as far as we can see the advancement of his kingdom in the hearts of the servants.'1

I was not in a state of mind to receive all these

things at that time. I was chafed and angry, because I was not to have my good things immediately, and I replied with irritation; and so, whilst the Lord delayeth his coming, we are to submit to those who are his enemies, who have usurped an authority not their own, and whom we cannot respect because they are usurpers.' 'Those,' replied my uncle, viz. the intendant and the housekeeper, with others whom you will know by and by, originally ruled with an authority usurp

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast-plate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." 1 Thess. v. 1-11.

2 "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." John xviii. 36.

ed; but inasmuch as the master does not choose to exercise his power to displace them, but permits them to keep their seats of authority, we may understand that those amongst us who really love our Lord and look for his coming 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 of life; every word included in the volume being perfectly true, and more precious than much fine gold: and turning over the leaves, he shewed 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 pre

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1 "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.

2 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the King. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear;