these lies,' says Fox, 'he fed his people, to make them think
evil of the truth which I had declared amongst them. But by those lies
he preached many of his hearers away from him, for I was travelling on
foot and had no horse; which the people generally knew.'

James Nayler at any rate decided to become one of Fox's followers, and
let the priest do his worst. It may have been at his house that
George Fox lodged that night, thankful for its shelter, having slept
under a hedge the night before. When Fox left, Nayler did not go with
him, but remained quietly at home. Having been a farmer's son before
he became a soldier, he quietly returned to his farming when he left
the army. One day in early spring, a few months after Fox's visit, as
James Nayler was driving the plough and thinking of the things of God,
he heard a Voice calling to him through the silence, telling him to
leave his home and his relations, for God would be with him. At first
James Nayler rejoiced exceedingly because he had heard the Voice of
God, but when he considered how much he would have to give up if he
left home, he tried to put the command aside. Nothing that he
undertook prospered with him after this; he fell ill and nearly died,
till at last he was made willing to surrender his own will utterly and
go out, ready to do God's will, day by day and hour by hour, as it
should be revealed to him. 'And so he continued, not knowing one day
what he was to do the next; and the promise of God that He would be
with him, he found made good to him every day.' These are his own
words. His inward guidance led him into the west of England, and there
he found George Fox.

After this Nayler and Fox were often together. Sometimes Nayler would
take a long journey to see Fox when he was staying with his dear
friends at Swarthmoor. Sometimes they wrote beautiful letters to each
other. Here is one from Nayler to Fox that might have been written to
us to-day:

'Dear hearts, you make your own troubles by being unwilling and
disobedient to that which would lead you safe. There is no way but to
go hand in hand with Him in all things, running after Him without fear
or considering, leaving the whole work only to Him. If He seem to
smile, follow Him in fear and love, and if He seem to frown, follow
Him and fall into His will, and you shall see He is yours still,--for
He will prove His own.'

[Illustration: 'THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE']

Nayler's adventurous journey with Fox