have had a soul. George by this time had learned to know his
Bible so well in the long quiet hours out of doors, when it had been
his only companion, that it was easy to him to find the exact
quotation he wanted in an argument. It was said of him, later on, by
wise and learned men, that if the Bible itself were ever to be lost it
might almost be found again in the mouth of George Fox, so well did he
know it.

The next set of people he came to were great dreamers. They guided
their lives in the daytime according to the dreams they had happened
to dream during the night. And I should think a fine mess they must
have made of things! George helped these dreamers to know more of
realities, till, later on, many of them came out of their dream-world
and became Friends.

After this at last he came upon a set of people who really did seem to
understand him and to care for the same things that he did. They were
called 'Shattered Baptists,' because they had broken off from the
other Baptists in the neighbourhood who 'did the Lord's work
negligently' and did not act up to what they professed. This was the
very same fault that had driven George forth from among the professors
at the beginning of his long quest. It is easy to imagine that he and
these people were happy together. 'With these,' he says, 'I had some
meetings and discourses, but my troubles continued and I was often
under great temptations. I fasted much, walked abroad in solitary
places many days, and often took my Bible and sat in hollow trees and
lonesome places till night came on, and frequently in the night walked
about by myself.... O the everlasting love of God to my soul, when I
was in great distress! when my troubles and torments were great, then
was His love exceeding great.... When all my hopes in all men were
gone so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could I tell what
to do, then, O then, I heard a Voice which said, "There is one, even
Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition." When I heard it, my
heart did leap for joy.'

This message was like the rising of the sun to George Fox. The long
night of darkness was over now, the sun had risen, and though there
might be clouds and storms ahead of him still he had come out into the
full clear light of day.

'My desires after the Lord grew stronger,' he writes, 'and zeal in the
pure knowledge of God and of Christ alone, without the help of any
man, book, or writing.... Then the Lord gently led m