gods, since they
had never done him any good, and if the new religion was likely to be
any more beneficial, he would be glad to know something about it. The
next to speak was one of the nobles, and the Dean of Westminster, in an
interesting and instructive lecture, thus beautifully gives the counsel
of this layman:--"You know, O king, how, when you sit at supper in your
great hall in the winter, with your commanders and ministers around
you, and a good fire blazing in the midst, whilst the storms of rain
and snow prevail outside, and the two doors are open at each end,
sometimes it happens that a poor little sparrow flies in at one door,
and immediately out at the other; but for the short space during which
he is in the hall, he enjoys the light and warmth, and is safe from the
wintry storms. The swift flight of the sparrow from one darkness to
another darkness, but with this brief intervening space during which we
see him, is like to the life of a man. What the life of man was,
before he came upon this earth, and what it is to be afterwards, we
know not. All that we know is, what we see of him during the time that
he is here. If, then, this new doctrine can tell us something more of
whence and whither man comes and goes, it is worth while to listen to
it." Paulinus was then called in, to answer these men, and we are sure
that he was able to say how the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ does
throw light on the dark before and behind of our sojourn in the world.

Not only did King Edwin become a loyal and devoted Christian, but
Coifi, the priest, at once went forth and began to demolish the idols
and their temples, which formerly he had worshipped. Edwin was
baptised, and so eagerly did the people embrace Christianity, that
crowds of them followed the example of their king. Paulinus is said to
have baptised many thousands in the river glen; and at another place,
Holy Stone, he baptised three thousand more. Nor was this mere
profession. The Northumbrians became mild instead of warlike; and the
terrible scenes of violence and cruelty with which the country had
abounded, gave place to far other and fairer experiences.

One chronicler, Fabyan, thus describes the change:--"So great peace
there came upon this kingdom, that a woman might have gone from one
town to another without grief or noyance." Edwin, too, seems, under
the influence of Christianity, to have established drinking fountains;
for we also read--"And f