sented 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 changes. Neither has the building ever been completed according to the Lord's plan; but some have 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

not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thank-worthy, 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.

mortar, 1 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,2 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 spoilt. 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. 5 Now it seems that it was quite contrary to all expectations that Mr. Fitz-Adam should have seized on the

1 "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.

2 "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.

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

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

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.

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. Fitz-Adam 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 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

1 "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. 2 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 arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible." Isaiah xiii. 6—11.

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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 these letters has for some months past risen amongst 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, whilst 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 have been rendered very useful to many of the servants in leading them to the knowledge of the true Master, and in thus being an instrument 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 all 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 leant, I must confess, till convinced of the gross arrogancy thereof by the Lord -the Interpreter,) she attacked him in that 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 away with: and