’Ihavenodoubt,myyoungfriend,thatyouarewillingtoadmitthatthemostimportantthingwhichahumanbeingpossessesishissoul;itisofinfinitelymoreimportancethanthebody,whichisafrailsubstance,andcannotlastformanyyears;butnotsothesoul,which,byitsnature,isimperishable。Tooneoftwomansionsthesoulisdestinedtodepart,afteritsseparationfromthebody,toheavenorhell;tothehallsofeternalbliss,whereGodandHisholyangelsdwell,ortotheplaceofendlessmisery,inhabitedbySatanandhisgrislycompanions。Myfriend,ifthejoysofheavenaregreat,unutterablygreat,soarethetormentsofhellunutterablyso。Iwishnottospeakofthem,Iwishnottoterrifyyourimaginationwiththetormentsofhell:indeed,Ilikenottothinkofthem;butitisnecessarytospeakofthemsometimes,andtothinkofthemsometimes,lestyoushouldsinkintoastateofcarnalsecurity。Authors,friend,andlearnedmen,arenotaltogetheragreedastotheparticularsofhell。Theyallagree,however,inconsideringitaplaceofexceedinghorror。
MasterEllisWyn,whobythebyewasachurchman,callsit,amongstotherthings,aplaceofstrongsighs,andofflamingsparks。
MasterReesPritchard,whowasnotonlyachurchman,butVicarofLlandovery,andflourishedabouttwohundredyearsago-Iwishmanylikehimflourishednow-speakingofhell,inhiscollectionofsweethymnscalledthe“Welshman’sCandle,“observes,’“Thepooliscontinuallyblazing;itisverydeep,withoutanyknownbottom,andthewallsaresohigh,thatthereisneitherhopenorpossibilityofescapingoverthem。“
’But,asItoldyoujustnow,Ihavenogreatpleasureintalkingofhell。No,friend,no;Iwouldsoonertalkoftheotherplace,andofthegoodnessandhospitalityofGodamongstHissaintsabove。’
Andthentheexcellentmanbegantodilateuponthejoysofheaven,andthegoodnessandhospitalityofGodinthemansionsabove;
explainingtome,intheclearestway,howImightgetthere。
Andwhenhehadfinishedwhathehadtosay,heleftme,whereuponWinifreddrewnigh,andsittingdownbymebegantoaddressme。’I
donotthink,’saidshe,’fromwhatIhaveobservedofthee,thatthouwouldstwishtobeungrateful,andyet,isnotthywholelifeaseriesofingratitude,andtowhom?-tothyMaker。HasHenotendowedtheewithagoodlyandhealthyform;andsenseswhichenabletheetoenjoythedelightsofHisbeautifuluniverse-theworkofHishands?Canstthounotenjoy,eventorapture,thebrightnessofthesun,theperfumeofthemeads,andthesongofthedearbirdswhichinhabitamongthetrees?Yes,thoucanst;forIhaveseenthee,andobservedtheedoingso。Yet,duringthewholetimethatIhaveknownthee,Ihavenotheardproceedfromthylipsonesinglewordofpraiseorthanksgivingto……’
Andinthismannertheadmirablewomanproceededforaconsiderabletime,andtoallherdiscourseIlistenedwithattention;andwhenshehadconcluded,Itookherhandandsaid,’Ithankyou,’andthatwasall。
Onthenextdayeverythingwasreadyforourdeparture。Thegoodfamilyofthehousecametobidusfarewell。Therewereshakingofhands,andkisses,asonthenightofourarrival。
AndasIstoodsomewhatapart,theyounggirlofwhomIhavespokensooftencameuptome,andholdingoutherhand,said,’Farewell,youngman,whereverthougoest。’Then,afterlookingaroundher,shesaid,’Itwasalltrueyoutoldme。YesterdayIreceivedaletterfromhimthouwottestof;heiscomingsoon。Godblessyou,youngman;whowouldhavethoughtthouknewestsomuch!’
So,afterwehadtakenourfarewellofthegoodfamily,wedeparted,proceedinginthedirectionofWales。Peterwasverycheerful,andenlivenedthewaywithgodlydiscourseandspiritualhymns,someofwhichwereintheWelshlanguage。AtlengthIsaid,’ItisapitythatyoudidnotcontinueintheChurch;youhaveaturnforPsalmody,andIhaveheardofamanbecomingabishopbymeansofalessqualification。’
’Veryprobably,’saidPeter;’morethepity。ButIhavetoldyouthereasonofmyforsakingit。Frequently,whenIwenttothechurchdoor,Ifounditbarred,andthepriestabsent;whatwasI
todo?Myheartwasburstingforwantofsomereligioushelpandcomfort;whatcouldIdo?asgoodMasterReesPritchardobservesinhis“CandleforWelshmen“:-
’“Itisadolefulthingtoseelittlechildrenburningonthehotcoalsforwantofhelp;butyetmoredolefultoseeaflockofsoulsfallingintotheburninglakeforwantofapriest。“’
’TheChurchofEnglandisafinechurch,’saidI;’IwouldnotadviseanyonetospeakilloftheChurchofEnglandbeforeme。’
’Ihavenothingtosayagainstthechurch,’saidPeter;’allIwishisthatitwouldflingitselfalittlemoreopen,andthatitspriestswouldalittlemorebestirthemselves;inaword,thatitwouldshoulderthecrossandbecomeamissionarychurch。’
’Itistooproudforthat,’saidWinifred。
’YouaremuchmoreofaMethodist,’saidI,’thanyourhusband。
Buttellme,’saidI,addressingmyselftoPeter,’doyounotdifferfromthechurchinsomepointsofdoctrine?I,ofcourse,asatruememberofthechurch,amquiteignorantofthepeculiaropinionsofwanderingsectaries。’
’Ohtheprideofthatchurch!’saidWinifred,halftoherself;
’wanderingsectaries!’
’Wedifferinnopointsofdoctrine,’saidPeter;’webelieveallthechurchbelieves,thoughwearenotsofondofvainandsuperfluousceremonies,snow-whiteneckclothsandsurplices,asthechurchis。Welikewisethinkthatthereisnoharminasermonbytheroad-side,orinholdingfreediscoursewithabeggarbeneathahedge,oratinker,’headded,smiling;’itwasthosesuperfluousceremonies,thosesurplicesandwhiteneckcloths,and,aboveall,thenecessityofstrictlyregulatinghiswordsandconversation,whichdroveJohnWesleyoutofthechurch,andsenthimwanderingupanddownasyouseeme,poorWelshPeter,do。’
Nothingfartherpassedforsometime;wewerenowdrawingnearthehills:atlastIsaid,’Youmusthavemetwithagreatmanystrangeadventuressinceyoutookupthiscourseoflife?’
’Many,’saidPeter,’ithasbeenmylottomeetwith;butnonemorestrangethanonewhichoccurredtomeonlyafewweeksago。Youwereaskingme,notlongsince,whetherIbelievedindevils?Ay,truly,youngman;andIbelievethattheabyssandtheyetdeeperunknowndonotcontainthemall;somewalkaboutuponthegreenearth。Soithappened,someweeksago,thatIwasexercisingmyministryaboutfortymilesfromhere。Iwasalone,Winifredbeingslightlyindisposed,stayingforafewdaysatthehouseofanacquaintance;Ihadfinishedafternoon’sworship-thepeoplehaddispersed,andIwassittingsolitarybymycartundersomegreentreesinaquietretiredplace;suddenlyavoicesaidtome,“Good-
evening,Pastor“;Ilookedup,andbeforemestoodaman,atleasttheappearanceofaman,dressedinablacksuitofratherasingularfashion。Hewasaboutmyownage,orsomewhatolder。AsIlookeduponhim,itappearedtomethatIhadseenhimtwicebeforewhilstpreaching。Irepliedtohissalutation,andperceivingthathelookedsomewhatfatigued,Itookoutastoolfromthecart,andaskedhimtositdown。Webegantodiscourse;I
atfirstsupposedthathemightbeoneofourselves,somewanderingminister;butIwassoonundeceived。Neitherhislanguagenorhisideaswerethoseofanyoneofourbody。Hespokeonallkindsofmatterswithmuchfluency;tillatlasthementionedmypreaching,complimentingmeonmypowers。Ireplied,aswellImight,thatI
couldclaimnomeritofmyown,andthatifIspokewithanyeffect,itwasonlybythegraceofGod。AsIutteredtheselastwords,ahorriblekindofsneercameoverhiscountenance,whichmademeshudder,fortherewassomethingdiabolicalinit。Isaidlittlemore,butlistenedattentivelytohisdiscourse。AtlasthesaidthatIwasengagedinapaltrycause,quiteunworthyofoneofmypowers。“Howcanthatbe,“saidI,“evenifIpossessedallthepowersintheworld,seeingthatIamengagedinthecauseofourLordJesus?“
’Thesamekindofsneeragaincameonhiscountenance,buthealmostinstantlyobserved,thatifIchosetoforsakethissamemiserablecause,fromwhichnothingbutcontemptandprivationwastobeexpected,hewouldenlistmeintoanother,fromwhichImightexpectbothprofitandrenown。Anideanowcameintomyhead,andItoldhimfirmlythatifhewishedmetoforsakemypresentprofessionandbecomeamemberoftheChurchofEngland,Imustabsolutelydecline;thatIhadnoill-willagainstthatchurch,butIthoughtIcoulddomostgoodinmypresentposition,whichI
wouldnotforsaketobeArchbishopofCanterbury。Thereuponheburstintoastrangelaughter,andwentaway,repeatingtohimself,“ChurchofEngland!ArchbishopofCanterbury!“Afewdaysafter,whenIwasoncemoreinasolitaryplace,heagainappearedbeforeme,andaskedmewhetherIhadthoughtoverhiswords,andwhetherIwaswillingtoenlistunderthebannersofhismaster,addingthathewaseagertosecureme,asheconceivedthatImightbehighlyusefultothecause。Ithenaskedhimwhohismasterwas;
hehesitatedforamoment,andthenanswered,“TheRomanPontiff。“
“Ifitbehe,“saidI,“Icanhavenothingtodowithhim;IwillservenoonewhoisanenemyofChrist。“Thereuponhedrewneartome,andtoldmenottotalksomuchlikeasimpleton;thatasforChrist,itwasprobablethatnosuchpersoneverexisted,butthatifHeeverdid,Hewasthegreatestimpostortheworldeversaw。
HowlonghecontinuedinthiswayIknownot,forInowconsideredthatanevilspiritwasbeforeme,andshrankwithinmyself,shiveringineverylimb;whenIrecoveredmyselfandlookedaboutme,hewasgone。Twodaysafter,heagainstoodbeforeme,inthesameplace,andaboutthesamehour,renewinghispropositions,andspeakingmorehorriblythanbefore。Imadehimnoanswer;
whereuponhecontinued;butsuddenlyhearinganoisebehindhim,helookedroundandbeheldWinifred,whohadreturnedtomeonthemorningofthatday。“Whoareyou?“saidhe,fiercely。“Thisman’swife,“saidshe,calmlyfixinghereyesuponhim。“Begonefromhim,unhappyone,thoutemptesthiminvain。“Hemadenoanswer,butstoodasiftransfixed:atlength,recoveringhimself,hedeparted,muttering“Wife!wife!Ifthefoolhasawife,hewillneverdoforus。“’
CHAPTERLXXX
Theborder-Thankyouboth-Pipeandfiddle-Taliesin。
WEwerenowdrawingverynearthehills,andPetersaid,’IfyouaretogointoWales,youmustpresentlydecide,forwearecloseupontheborder。’
’Whichistheborder?’saidI。
’Yonsmallbrook,’saidPeter,’intowhichthemanonhorsebackwhoiscomingtowardsusisnowentering。’
’Iseeit,’saidI,’andtheman;hestopsinthemiddleofit,asiftowaterhissteed。’
Weproceededtillwehadnearlyreachedthebrook。’Well,’saidPeter,’willyougointoWales?’
’WhatshouldIdoinWales?’Idemanded。
’Do!’saidPeter,smiling,’learnWelsh。’
Istoppedmylittlepony。’ThenIneednotgointoWales;I
alreadyknowWelsh。’
’KnowWelsh!’saidPeter,staringatme。
’KnowWelsh!’saidWinifred,stoppinghercart。
’Howandwhendidyoulearnit?’saidPeter。
’Frombooks,inmyboyhood。’
’ReadWelsh!’saidPeter;’isitpossible?’
’ReadWelsh!’saidWinifred;’isitpossible?’