ngle word of praise or thanksgiving to . . .'
And in this manner the admirable woman proceeded for a considerable time,
and to all her discourse I listened with attention; and when she had
concluded, I took her hand and said, 'I thank you,' and that was all.
On the next day everything was ready for our departure. The good family
of the house came to bid us farewell. There were shaking of hands, and
kisses, as on the night of our arrival.
And as I stood somewhat apart, the young girl of whom I have spoken so
often came up to me, and holding out her hand, said, 'Farewell, young
man, wherever thou goest.' Then, after looking around her, she said, 'It
was all true you told me. Yesterday I received a letter from him thou
wottest of; he is coming soon. God bless you, young man; who would have
thought thou knewest so much!'
So, after we had taken our farewell of the good family, we departed,
proceeding in the direction of Wales. Peter was very cheerful, and
enlivened the way with godly discourse and spiritual hymns, some of which
were in the Welsh language. At length I said, 'It is a pity that you did
not continue in the Church; you have a turn for Psalmody, and I have
heard of a man becoming a bishop by means of a less qualification.'
'Very probably,' said Peter; 'more the pity. But I have told you the
reason of my forsaking it. Frequently, when I went to the church door, I
found it barred, and the priest absent; what was I to do? My heart was
bursting for want of some religious help and comfort; what could I do? as
good Master Rees Pritchard observes in his "Candle for Welshmen":--
'"It is a doleful thing to see little children burning on the hot coals
for want of help; but yet more doleful to see a flock of souls falling
into the burning lake for want of a priest."'
'The Church of England is a fine church,' said I; 'I would not advise any
one to speak ill of the Church of England before me.'
'I have nothing to say against the church,' said Peter; 'all I wish is
that it would fling itself a little more open, and that its priests would
a little more bestir themselves; in a word, that it would shoulder the
cross and become a missionary church.'
'It is too proud for that,' said Winifred.
'You are much more of a Methodist,' said I, 'than your husband. But tell
me,' said I, addressing myself to Peter, 'do you not differ from the
church in some points of doctrine? I, of course, as a true member of th
|