her, the two companies were not really separated;
for both were listening to the same Shepherd's voice. Until, at last,
the happy day came when the gaol-doors were opened and the prisoners
released. Then, oh the kissing and the hugging! the crying and the
blessing! as the parents heard of all the children had undergone in
order to keep faithful and true! That was indeed the most joyful
meeting of all!

Thankfulness and joy last freshly through the centuries, as an old
letter, written at that time by one of the fathers to George Fox still
proves to us to-day: 'Our little children kept the meetings up, when
we were all in prison, notwithstanding that wicked Justice when he
came and found them there, with a staff that had a spear in it would
pull them out of the Meeting, and punch them in the back till some of
them were black in the face ... his fellow is not, I believe, to be
found in all England a Justice of the Peace.'

* * * * *

'For they might as well think to hinder the Sun from shining, or the
tide from flowing, as to think to hinder the Lord's people from
meeting to wait upon Him.'

XX. THE SADDEST STORY OF ALL

_'Take heed of forward minds, and
of running out before your guide,
for that leads out into looseness;
and such plead for liberty, and
run out in their wills and bring
dishonour to the Lord.'..._

_'And take heed if under a pretence
of Liberty you do not ... set up
that both in yourselves and on
others that will be hard to get
down again.'--G. FOX._

_'The Truth in this city spreads
and flourisheth; many large
meetings we have, and great ones
of the world come to them, and are
much tendered. James is fitted for
this great place, and a great love
is begotten towards him'--A.
PARKER to M. Fell, 1655 (from
London, before Nayler's fall)._

_'His forebearing in due time to
testify against the folly of those
his followers (who magnified him)
was his great weakness and loss of
judgment, and brought the greatest
suffering upon him, Poor Man!
Though when