ith became mine at Amsterdam,' answered Alf, but I have
postponed being baptised until I could receive that holy ordinance
here, in my native city.'

'Our orator, brother Rothman, will prepare you for it,' said
Knipperdolling.

'I hope this brother has already laid a good ground,' said a man in a
black ministerial robe, with a cunning, bold, peaked face. 'I shall
hold a great baptizing one of these days at the river Aa, and shall
expect to see the catechumen previously at my house.'

'We will be his witnesses on that holy occasion,' said Knipperdolling,
with a gracious nod of his head, 'I and my colleague Kippenbrock.'

The candidate for baptism stammered his thanks for the unexpected
honor, when the door of the room was thrown open with violence, and a
young man of Alf's age strode fiercely in. His countenance might have
been considered handsome, had it not been for the deathlike paleness
and distortion which disfigured it. His large and restlessly rolling
eyes--his dishevelled, bristling hair--his loose coarse garments, which
scarcely covered the nakedness of his body--all these gave to his
figure a frightful appearance; and Alf was thereby reminded, with a
secret shudder, of the altar-piece of a church, where he had seen the
adversary represented as tempting our Savior in the wilderness. All
present rose reverently at his entrance, and, with their hands crossed
upon their breasts, bowed low before the youth.

'Thus speaks the spirit by the mouth of your prophets,' cried he with
singular gestures. 'Make outcry in all the streets of Zion, that every
one bring all his wealth in gold, silver and jewels, and lay it at the
feet of the great prophet, Matthias. There must no longer be rich or
poor in the community which the Lord has chosen for himself. Let all
belong to all!'

'So mote it be,' cried the hearers, and a gentle sigh from the rich
butcher accompanied the response.

'A true christian needs no erudition,' continued he prophet. 'The
internal word is of more value than the outward. All books written with
the insolent wisdom of men are fruitless and unprofitable, if the
doctrines they contain are already proved in the holy scriptures,--
ungodly, if they are opposed to them. Wherefore you must bring all
books, except the bible, out of Zion, and collect them at the market
before St. Lambert's church, and cause them to be consumed by fire, a
burnt offering to the Lord.'

'So mote it be!' again submissively rep