My friend, I shall think of your words when Gabrielle is
I see she likes you rarely."

with me.

"Because I am your honoured friend. Now counsel me about my future."

"You will find the Duke, to whom you have commendations, very like his friend and pattern, Gustavus Adolphus. Perhaps he is not so openly religious, but he and his officers in the main are right loyal, thorough soldiers. With the Duke, never hesitate to speak your opinion, though it contradict what he has just said. He values nothing more than frank speech, when it has some sense to back it. If there are French generals there, go on the other tack: offend not their amour propre,—that is the Achilles' heel of Frenchmen."

So George pursued his way, his troop being now well armed, as well as himself, by the Countess's liberality, who gave them also a flag with the inscription "Face the Foe." On reaching the Swedish outposts, their martial appearance obtained a cordial welcome as they rode to head-quarters.

Arrived at the tent of the Duke, they dismounted, and George delivered his letters. An audience was fixed in a few hours, and meantime quarters were assigned, and George was invited to the officers' mess, where, as an Englishman with men under arms, he attracted considerable notice. He found a few English already there, with similar views to his own. The Duke received him with polite thanks. "Have you the scent of the eagle or the vulture, Sir Englishman? for you come just as battle impends ;—all the more welcome. Your London and Flemish letters are most satisfactory. I can offer you a cavalry command at once. The hostile army of relief is at hand, and Savelli and John de Vert will give us trouble, so that probably you will see hard fighting in a day or two."

George expressed his readiness, only wishing "the rest of his men, about a hundred in number, whom he expected, had arrived already."

“They have seen no service yet?"

"No, your Excellency."

"Fresh troops must not be relied on at once. They shall be put in the reserve for the present.'

"Forgive me, Duke,-I will answer for them," said George, remembering the Fleming's counsels. "English life is at present a daily strife, and they have often fought along with our trainband.”

"Ah, you will have bloody work soon at home! You know one Cromwell ?”

"Intimately, Duke; he sent me here."

"Yes, he is sending us a host of scholars for the struggle he foresees. Who is he?"

Do not be open on English Spies and assassins abound, tree if I could catch them.

"A plain member of our Parliament, and a Christian patriot, your Grace; but a man who sees far ahead of most." "So I think, from what I hear. affairs, young man; it is not safe. whom I would hang on the next My adjutant, Von Raumer, shall give you further instructions. Come to our war-council, which is to-morrow. Speak out plainly there, if you have anything to say. Farewell."

So George found himself on very pleasant terms in his new service; but when alone, going to rest, with nerves strained by the perils he had already encountered, he thought of his first approach to that stirring field where a man takes his life in his hand, and may all at once be stretched there a lifeless corpse. He thought of England, home, and duty; but also of Alice, and the visions of future advancement and prosperity; and then lifted his heart above all, saying, "My times are in Thy hands, O God of mercy!"

CHAPTER XXV.

THE ENGLISH SISTER.

"Donnez, riches, l'aumone est sœur de la prière.
Helas! quand un viellard sur votre seuil de pierre,
Tout roidi par hiver, en vain tombe à genoux,
Quand les petits enfants, les mains de froid rougies
Ramassent sous vos pieds les miettes des orgies,
La face du Seigneur se detourne de vous.

B

แ

VICTOR HUGO.

EFORE the first Sabbath after the fresh arrivals at Rotterdam, Bridge's house was thronged with his old parishioners to enquire how the holy day was to be spent.

"There is no Church of England here," said the Rector. "Surely we can form one,” replied Dame Norris; "none of us have left our Prayer Books behind."

Bridge then gave the history of his own first Sunday; and added, "I have promised to preach to-morrow, and hope you will also join the service of this simple exile Church." Harriet and Jane Allen, with Charlotte Ridgeley, were in favour of preserving the cherished forms of the old English Church; while John Allen said, "How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?' I would rather have something new and fresh here. To use the old service would be melancholy, and would remind us always of our banishment."

"Oh, we must have our sacred collects and sweet psalms,"

cried Grace Friend. "I should almost die of grief if we worshipped differently."

"I was warned," exclaimed good Hannah Vores, "that we should find in Holland no Prayer Books or surplices; and yet, new countries, new fashions. I came with mind and eyes open. Dear Rector, you seem to have been led on in advance-almost out of sight, I may say. But we love and trust you, and we shall open our ears to all you have to teach us; only we can't make you our priest— private judgment, you know. Yet forgive us, but we must 'judge what you say' as 'wise men,' though no doubt some of us are only 'weaker vessels.' Love will make us all agree." This speech touched all hearts, and drew all nearer in esteem to this large-hearted lady.

"Dear Hannah Vores and friends, I must not expect you to realize at once the consequences, which I have gradually arrived at. To me the Bible seems a new, fresh book; and the Church, as organized by it, a new institution. We will study it together as time allows; but to-morrow I pray you come and worship with me, and with the Christians who have been so good to me."

"Indeed we will," was the general reply; but some few declared they could not become Separatists, Brownists, or the like.

Then Mister Allen proposed that in the morning they should for once follow their pastor's example, and in the afternoon meet at his house for a service according to the forms of the English Church. By degrees nearly all came into this compromise, which Bridge called "one of Solomon's judgments." On the morrow, therefore, the Haringvleet sanctuary was unusually full. Allen was at once received to the elders' seat. Hugh Peters was unusually warm, racy, and tender in his prayer and Bible comments. All were melted to tears by the pathos and familiar tones of Bridge's The prayer of Allen seemed to bind all up together in a generous union of heart "as strangers in a strange land."

sermon.

In the afternoon the newer comers met by themselves, with the historic associations grouped about the Prayer Book, and the sermons of their own beloved Rector. Yet somehow they missed the kind strangers who had been with them in the morning, and they lacked something of the breadth and liberty of the morning worship.

Bridge lost no time in calling them together frequently for Scripture enquiry and prayer on questions they had previously taken for granted. To these conferences Hugh Peters was soon invited, on account of his longer and maturer experience. By these careful discussions the people were convinced that the things which were being revived by Laud really had their roots in their own Prayer Book. They discovered with surprise that their Church was but partially reformed. They began to see that baptized parishes were not New Testament Churches. They saw that the early Churches received their members and excluded them by the free vote of the members, and that they selected their own officers, bishops, or deacons, in the same way. They found no warrant in the New Testament for bishops ruling over pastors of whole districts, much less Archbishops, Patriarchs, or Popes ruling over the clergy of races and nations. No authority seemed to be allowed by Holy Scripture to civil magistrates for interference with their subjects' freedom of conscience, or with worship in the Church. In these and other respects the exiles began to be more Puritan than the Puritans, and to see the faults of their Mother-Church with growing clearness. If ever they returned, they would have to purge the English Church thoroughly, till it purely reflected New Testament order. By degrees they began to worship twice on the Sunday, and once in the week, in the church of the Haringvleet. Hugh Peters presently went away to America, afterwards to return to England, for that career of notoriety

and of suffering which history records.

Bridge and Allen

were regularly chosen as elder and teacher of the Congre