he lamp of life deny?
Salvation, oh, salvation,
The joyful sound proclaim,
Till earth's remotest nation
Has learnt Messiah's name."

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Runaway horses.--Two frightened little girls.--A
terrible moment.--Safe.--Psalm xci. 11, 12.--Mr.
Wesley has a birthday.--A funny receipt for
keeping young.

ONE more story of how the angel that shut the lions' mouths for Daniel
took care of God's dear servant, John Wesley. He was staying at
Newcastle with a Methodist named Mr. Smith, who had married his
step-daughter. One day a party of them drove to a village a few miles
off. In the carriage there was Mr. Wesley and a friend, Mr. and Mrs.
Smith and their two little girls. When they had driven about two miles
and were just at the top of a hill, suddenly the horses took fright, and
dashed down the steep road. The poor coachman was thrown off the box,
and the horses tore away at full speed, sometimes swerving to the edge
of a ditch on one side of the road, then back again to a ditch on the
other, but never once going over. When a cart came along, instead of
running into it, the carriage passed as if the driver had been on the
box.

At the bottom of the hill was a narrow bridge, which it seemed
impossible the panting horses could cross safely. But exactly down the
middle they went, swerving neither to the right or left. Then up the
hill on the other side they dashed, passing many people on the road, but
every one afraid to stop their mad career. Near the top of this hill was
a gate, which led into a farmer's yard. The gate stood open, and turning
sharp, the horses ran through without even touching gate or post. The
gate on the other side of the yard was shut, and the terrified people in
the carriage thought the horses would now be checked. Instead of that,
they rushed through, breaking it up as if it had only been a spider's
web, and galloped on through the corn-field.

The two little girls had been almost too frightened to speak, now they
clung to Mr. Wesley, crying out: "Oh grandpapa, save us! save us!" Mr.
Wesley, who says he felt no more afraid than if he had been sitting in
his study, just calmly said to them: "Nothing will hurt you, dears;
don't be afraid." The horses galloped madly on, till they came to the
edge of a steep precipice. Would they go over? What would they do? Oh