ular
preacher; it was long since they had heard him, for of late he had
not been much inclined to speak in public.

But their joy was not unmixed when Hans Nilsen began:

"Beloved brothers and sisters, I stand here in order to bid you
farewell."

Still they were pleased to hear him, the elders nodding their heads
approvingly, and smiling at one another.

It was the old sound, the well-known weighty words as of Hauge's own
time, before much and many things had weakened and corrupted the pure
wine.

Hans Nilsen differed in manner from those who generally conducted the
meetings. His voice was not forced, nor his head bowed down, and a
smile never rested on his features. Tall and grand, he stood among
them with few and simple gestures; and as he turned his head, the
light of his clear, grey eyes lit up the distant corners of the room.

First, he exhorted them earnestly, and as one in authority; then he
thanked them warmly for their kind and faithful brotherly feeling,
turning himself as he said it, in such a way that all noticed it,
towards Sivert Jespersen; and, again, he especially thanked those who
had held out a helping hand when he was almost stumbling and going
astray.

Lastly, he offered up a prayer, which was long remembered among them.
It was one of those moments when his words were winged, and his whole
being glowed with love and fire.

They afterwards flocked round him, in order to press his hand, or to
get just one word from him; for no one knew how long he would be
absent. When a lay-preacher so valued as Fennefos began such a
journey, he might be led from district to district round the whole
country; for all were desirous to hear him, and there would be many
who would urge him to come to them, when it was known that he was on
his travels.

There was, therefore, sorrow and tears among them; for Fennefos was,
in truth, one of the strongest supports of the community. With
respect to many others, Endre Egeland or Sivert Jespersen, for
example, there was some drawback; at least, people had always
something to say against them, and they were environed by slander and
ridicule.

But on Hans Nilsen, not the smallest stain had ever appeared. The new
clergyman in the town, who seemed to have some sympathy with the
Haugians, spoke of him with the utmost respect; and of this the
Brethren were not a little proud, for it did not happen every day
that a lay-preacher was praised by a regular pastor.

Hans Nils