a few minutes, and then resumed. "I shall never
forget our meeting. I was passing through one of the towns on the
Rhine, when I saw a notice that George Schmidt would deliver a discourse
about South African Missions, and endeavour to raise funds for carrying
them on. I determined to go to the meeting, expose the falsehood and
calumnies which I should be sure to hear, and raise such a tumult as
would put a stop to him and his doings. I went and I heard him. What
we read in the Bible of men forsaking all and following Christ--which
had always seemed so difficult to be believed--came home to me in all
its vividness. I was carried away by his simple eloquence. I was
humbled, conscience-stricken, filled suddenly and for ever with a new
purpose in life. I went to him as soon as the meeting was over, told
him who I was, and asked his forgiveness for what I and mine had done to
thwart and grieve him."

"And he welcomed you kindly, doubtless?" said Lavie.

"Yes, like himself I remained in Holland, and used every means in my
power to obtain the leave to renew his mission, which he was seeking
from the Government. My family remonstrated against the course I was
pursuing, and finding that I was not to be moved, renounced all
connection with me. I cared little for that; but the failure of my
applications to the authorities distressed me much more than it did
Schmidt; who closed his eyes, in extreme old age, fully assured that the
prayer of his life would soon be granted."

"And it was, was it not?" asked Warley.

"Yes. In 1792 we obtained the long-desired permission. I was one of
those who accompanied Marsveld and his colleagues to South Africa. I
well remember the day when we visited Bavian's kloof, which had been the
scene of George Schmidt's labours, broken off nearly fifty years before.
There were the remains of the school he had built, and the cottage in
which he had dwelt--all in ruins, but sacred in our eyes as the homes in
which we had been born. There was the pear tree which he had planted,
now a strong and lofty tree. Above all, there were the remains of the
flock he brought into the Redeemer's fold--one or two aged servants of
Christ whom he had instructed in the faith, and who had retained the
memory of his lessons through fifty years of darkness!"

"The Dutch did not interfere with you any further, did they, sir?" asked
Ernest.

"Not as they had done before, but they discouraged us indirectly in
ev