have a church in the country
where they assemble many times in a year, I believe once a month; and
at other times they meet for prayer at their own houses." "Oh! then
they have a church near Libos? I should very much like to know," said
I, "how they conduct their worship, and what they do at their church?"

"I can tell you perfectly," replied your mother, "for I was present at
one of their assemblies. There is nothing grand or striking in their
churches; they contain neither altar, chapel, images, nor any ornament
whatever, but consist simply of four whitewashed walls. At the lower
end is a pulpit, like that used by our priest, in front of which is a
table, and around it are seats occupied by the elders. The rest of
the church is fitted up with benches, placed in order, on which the
congregation seat themselves as they enter.

"I observed that most of them, before they sat down, leaned upon the
back of the seat before them, and seemed to be in the act of prayer.
Their service was as simple as the building, devoid of ceremony. When
the congregation had assembled, one of the elders ascended the pulpit
and prayed aloud in French; then he gave notice that he was about to
read the word of God; and having requested their attention, he did
read, for some time, from a great book, which they told me was the
Holy Bible. He then offered prayers, and preached a sermon, which gave
me great pleasure at the time, but which I now forget. I well remember
that throughout the service there was no noise nor disturbance of any
kind in the church, and one feeling seemed to pervade the whole: this
struck me forcibly."

In this description of the protestant worship, imperfect as it was,
I thought I could recognise those traits of simplicity that
characterized the worship of the primitive christians: and when your
mother had finished, I said to myself, "This is indeed like the
worship recorded in the Acts of the Apostles." But I added, without
allowing her to perceive the extreme satisfaction that this
information afforded me, "Is this all you know of the protestant
worship? Did you never see them receive the sacrament?"

"Yes, I have," she replied, "on that same day, which was the only time
I ever entered their church."

"Do tell me, then, how was it conducted?"

"I told you, if you remember, that there was a table in front of the
pulpit: this table was their altar; it was covered with a very white
cloth: in the middle of it were a pla