itnesses, of such men formerly having been converted by the imprisoned
saints; so I set myself, with all my heart, to bring about this man's
repentance and reformation.

"Fat the deil are ye yoolling an' praying that gate for, man?" said he,
coming angrily in. "I thought the days o' praying prisoners had been a'
ower. We hath rowth o' them aince; an' they were the poorest an' the
blackest bargains that ever poor jailers saw. Gie up your crooning, or
I'll pit you to an in-by place, where ye sall get plenty o't."

"Friend," said I, "I am making my appeal at the bar where all human
actions are seen and judged, and where you shall not be forgot, sinful
as you are. Go in peace, and let me be."

"Hae ye naebody nearer-hand hame to mak your appeal to, man?" said he.
"Because an ye hae-na, I dread you an' me may be unco weel acquaintit
by an' by."

I then opened up the mysteries of religion to him in a clear and
perspicuous manner, but particularly the great doctrine of the election
of grace; and then I added: "Now, friend, you must tell me if you
pertain to this chosen number. It is in every man's power to ascertain
this, and it is every man's duty to do it."

"An' fat the better wad you be for the kenning o' this, man?" said he.

"Because, if you are one of my brethren, I will take you into sweet
communion and fellowship," returned I. "But, if you belong to the
unregenerate, I have a commission to slay you."

"The deil you hae, callant!" said he, gaping and laughing. "An', pray
now, fa was it, that gae you siccan a braw commission?"

"My commission is sealed by the signet above," said I, "and that I will
let you and all sinners know. I am dedicated to it by the most solemn
vows and engagements. I am the sword of the Lord, and Famine and
Pestilence are my sisters. Woe then to the wicked of this land, for
they must fall down dead together, that the Church may be purified!"

"Oo, foo, foo! I see how it is," said he. "Yours is a very braw
commission, but you will have the small opportunity of carrying it
through here. Take my advising, and write a bit of a letter to your
friends, and I will send it, for this is no place for such a great man.
If you cannot steady your hand to write, as I see you have been at your
great work, a word of a mouth may do; for I do assure you this is not
the place at all, of any in the world, for your operations."

The man apparently thought I was deranged in my intellect. He could not
swallo