By What Authority?

et arrival at Maxwell Hall, the Rector was walking

minded himself; it was only the incrustations of error that had been removed. Of course the transition was difficult and hearts were sore; but the Eternal God can be patient. But then, if the discontent of the Papists smouldered on one side, the fanatical and irresponsible zeal of the Puritans flared on the other. How difficult, he thought, to steer the safe middle co

itan partisan? The Rector would have been content to bear the troubles of his own flock and household if he had been confident of the larger cause; but the vagaries of the Puritans threatened all with ruin.

as he names it. Or if he has the bishop and the deacon they are to be the Episcopos and the Diaconos of the Scripture, and not the Papish counterfeits! Then it seems that the minister is to be made not by God but by man-that the people are to make him, not the bishop (as if the

like myself! Another day he will have no distinction of apparel; and the young sparks straight dress like ministers, and the ministers like young sparks. On another he likes not Saint Peter his day, and none will go to church. He would have us all to be little Master Calvins, if he could have his way with us. But

they remained in the Church of England and drew her pay while they scouted her orders and derided her claims. Further, they cried out as persecuted martyrs whenever it was proposed to insist that they should observe their obligations. But worse than all, for such conscientious clergymen as Mr. Dent, was the fact that bishops preferred such men to livings, and at the same time were energetic against the Papist party. It was not that there was not an abundance of disciplinary machinery ready at the bish

husband's prelatical leanings; the Maxwells themselves disregarded his priestly claims, and the villagers thought of him as an official paid to promulgate the new State religion. The only house where he

held himself in readiness to be called into the house, but after a minute or two he heard the man ride off again down the drive into the village. At dinner he mentioned it to his wife, who answe

ould step on down to Comber's, where was a sick body or two, and that she might expect him back not earlier than five o'clock. She nodded without

out when he had heard his errand, and the two began to walk up and down together

nt, but he had not come for anything less than spiritual help, and that he found. He told him all his heart, and then waited, while the other, with

y say so to a minister, it is just what you regard as your shame that I regard as your glory. It is the mark of the cross that is on your life. When our Saviour went to his passion, he went in the same plight as that in which you go; both Jew and Gentile were against him on this side and that; his claims were disallowed, his royalty denied; he was despised and rejected of men. He did not go to his passion as to a splendid triumph, bearing his pain like some solemn and mysterious dignity at which the world wondered and was silent; but he went battered and spat upon, with the sweat and the blood and the spittle running down his face, contemned by the contemptible, hated by the hateful, rejected by the outca

. The Rector could not help half envying his friend, living, as it seemed, in this still retreat, apart from wr

s from the German mystics that he thought bore upon his case. Finally, to put him at his ease again, for it seemed an odd reversal t

Mistress Corbet has a good heart and means no harm to him. But about my daughter I am less satisfied, for I have been watching her closely. She is quiet and good, and, above all, she loves the Saviour; but ho

so too, probably, under God, that was what was needed. The fact that Hubert was expected home soon was an additional reason; and he had friends in Northampton, he said, to

inister was taken aback, and repeated a collect or two from the Prayer-book; then they said the Lord's Prayer together, and then Mr. Norris without any affectation engaged in a short extempore prayer, asking for light in these dark times and peace in the storm; and begging the blessing of God upon the village and "upon their shepherd to whom Thou hast given to drink of t

ur blessi

ok his friend's hand, and rustled out from the cool house into the sunlit garden, greeting Isabel who was walking up and d

ur's lips had rested and that was joy to him. And again, his true pastor's heart had been gladdened by the way his ministrations had been received that afternoon. A sour old man who had always scowled at him for an upstart, in his foolish old desire to be loyal to the priest who had held the benefice before him, had melted a

th a strange look, breathing quick and short; she closed t

arply and nervously, "you mus

warmth died out of his heart. He

strove in her eyes as she looked at him. "You must show yourself a man; it is not fittin

ou have done, w

to hold him still, and he

t I have done it. But you are a Gospel-minister, and m

nkly; but his heart was be

ursuivants and a company of servants. There is a popi

nd then tried to speak, but she went on. "And I have

not!"

ain for silence, and gl

n him the ke

umbent for generations past, and Sir Nicholas

d. "Oh! George, be a man!" Th

ed. Then he realised what it meant, and his soul rose in blind furious resentment. This was the last straw; it was the woman's devilish jealousy. But what could he do? Th

ng-dress came in, followed by Mrs. Dent. The Rector rose confusedly, but could not speak, and his eyes wandered ro

poke a truer word; an ornament to her husband, he said, I think; but you as a mi

Rector. If only he would not talk so loud! H

ing down, and the Rector followed his example, sitting

ful. Because-ah!-What was that about Sir Nicholas? Yes, yes, indeed he was a good landlord, and very popular in the village.-Ah! just so; it had better be done quietly, at the side door. Yes, that was the one which the key fitted. But, but, he thought perhaps, he had better not come in, because Sir Nicholas was his friend, and there was no use in making bad blood.-Oh! not to the house; very well, then, he would come as far as the yew hedge at-at what time did the magistrate say? At half-past eight; yes, that would be best as Mr. Frankland said, because Sir Nicholas had ordered the horses for nine o'clock; so they would come upon them just at the right time.-How many men, did Mr. Frankland say? Eight? Oh yes, eight and himself, and-he did not quite follow the plan. Ah! through the yew hedge on to the terrace and through the south door into the hall; then if they bolted-they? Surely he had understood the magistrate to say there was only one? Oh! he had not understood that. Sir Nicholas too? But why, why? Good God, as a harbourer of priests?-No, but this fellow was an agent, surely. Well, if the magistrate said so, of course he was right; but he would have thought himself that Sir Nicholas might have been left-ah! Well, he would say no more. He quite saw the magistrate's point now.-No, no, he was no favourer; God forbid! his wife would speak for him as to that; Marion would bear witness.-Well, well, he thanked the magistrate for his compliments, and would he proceed with the plan? By the south door, he w

eft alone, flung himself down in his cha

e Hall, his neighbours and friends. The kind old Catholic and his ladies! How

r needlework before the fire.-How peaceful and harmless and sweet it all is! And down there, not fifty yards away, is the village; every light out by now; and the children and parents, too, asleep.-Ah! what will the news be when they wake to-morr

t tears of misery and self-reproach and impotence began to run. There was no h

e lifted his hot f

, "Thou knowest all things; T

on the door; and th

whispered hi