to her
house to preach, and there, beside all the people who had assembled to
hear him, many other much grander listeners were also present although
unseen, 'lords, ladies, officers, and ministers.'

These great people, not wishing it to be known that they came to
listen to the Quaker preacher, were hidden away behind a ceiling.
Nayler himself must have known of their presence, since he mentions
it in a letter, though he does not explain how a ceiling could be a
hiding-place. He spoke to them afterwards of the Voice that had called
him as he was ploughing in the fields at home. These fine lords and
ladies could not understand what he meant. 'A Voice, a Voice?' they
asked him, 'but did you really hear it?' 'Aye, verily, I did hear it,'
he replied in such solemn tones that they wondered more than ever what
he meant; and perhaps they began to listen too for the Inner Voice.

The discovery that he, a humble Quaker preacher, could attract all
this attention did James Nayler harm. Instead of remembering only the
thankfulness and joy of being entrusted with his Master's message, he
allowed small, lower feelings to creep into his heart: 'What a good
messenger I am! Don't I preach well? Far grander people throng to hear
me than to any other Quaker minister's sermons!'

Another temptation came to him through his good looks. He was
evidently getting to think altogether too much about himself. It was
James Nayler this and James Nayler that, far too much about James
Nayler. Also, some of his friends were foolish, and did not help him.
The interesting thing about James Nayler is that his chief temptations
always came to him through his good qualities. If he had been a little
duller, or a little uglier, or a little stupider, if he had even made
fewer friends, he might have walked safely all his life. As it was,
instead of listening only to the Voice of God, he allowed himself to
listen to one of the most dangerous suggestions of the Tempter. Nayler
began to think that he might imitate Jesus Christ not only in inner
ways, not only by trying to be meek and loving and gentle and
self-sacrificing, as He was to all the people around Him. That is the
way we may all try to be like Him. Nayler also tried to imitate Him in
outer ways. He found a portrait of the Saviour and noticed how He was
supposed to have worn His hair and beard; and then he arranged his own
hair and beard in the same way. He even attempted to work miracles
like those i