the bitter mockery of degradation. Every
vestment of the priesthood was put upon the martyr; one by one they were
torn from him with curses. The crown of his head, where the tonsure had
been cut, was defaced; the anointed head and hands were roughly scraped,
to deprive them of the sacred unction. But the unction from the Holy
One was beyond their reach.

Then came the journey to Colchester, and, lastly, the _auto da fe_.
"Not able to go, his legs sore worn with heavy irons, as also his body
weakened by evil keeping," John Laurence was borne in a chair to his
chariot of fire. We are told that at this martyrdom there were seen
little children running round the stake, crying, "Lord, strengthen Thy
servant, and keep Thy promise!" God did keep His promise, and
strengthened His servant.

It was soon over; and they had no more that they could do.

There were martyr-crowns for such men as John Laurence. But were there
none for women such as Agnes Stone, whose martyrdom lasted, not an hour,
but a lifetime,--who laid on the Lord's altar, not their lives, but all
that made life precious?

We are not told what became of her. Nor does it much matter. Rather
than sketch a fancy future for such a life as hers, let us remember the
true end, when that life was over. For three hundred years, more or
less, these two, who gave each other up for Christ, have been given back
by Christ to each other: together they have followed the Lamb
whithersoever He goeth; the Lord has been their everlasting light, and
the days of their mourning have been ended.

End of Project Gutenberg's For the Master's Sake, by Emily Sarah Holt

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