n to come and ask that my preaching be stopped.
Then he went on to say that I was nothing less than a Jesuit in
disguise; and turning; to me, he said, "Sir, you know you are!" I
replied, begging his pardon, "I can assure you I am not. You must be
altogether misinformed." But he said, again turning round, and sternly
looking at me, "You know I am not mistaken or misinformed; your
countenance betrays you!" I smiled at this, not knowing how my
countenance looked. He was quite satisfied with himself, and rather more
so because he thought he had succeeded in extracting a promise from the
vicar that the services in question should be stopped.

__________________________

* A clergyman who had associated himself with H. J. Prince and some
others, and founded the "Agapemone" at Spaxton, near Bridgewater.
_________________________

This officer-clergyman then went away, saying that he was quite
convinced in his mind that I was a Jesuit, and nothing should ever
dissuade him; this interview had confirmed his thoughts on the subject.
My dear good friend was so afraid of that loud, overbearing man, that he
consented to give up the services after that night.

Presently another clergyman, evidently in concert with the former,
called on the same errand. His more gentle manner and plausible words
had greater effect, so that the vicar more than half decided to have no
service, even on that evening.

Before he had fully made up his mind, it so happened that there came on
a tremendous thunderstorm, accompanied with hail and vivid flashes of
lightning. This was considered by him quite providential, and an
indication that God wished the services stopped. When the sexton came
over to the vicarage, a little before the service time, the vicar said,
"Don't ring the bell for church tonight; it is of no use: no one can
possibly come out this weather!"

"Why, sir," said the sexton, "the church have been crammed full this
half-hour. It's no use ringing the bell, sure, for we ain't got no room
for no more people."

"Now, that is remarkable," said the vicar. "I do think, after all, the
Lord would have us go on. What do you think?" he said, turning to me.

I replied, "Without doubt I think so. I cannot suppose that the Lord
would send such men, in such a tone, to stop His work."

"Well, then," said the vicar, "we will go on till the end of the week."

But this could not be; for in the morning, as soon as he had decided to
stop the services,