ng into the grave--murdered by his
persecutors. Still he would not deny his faith or perform ceremonies
which he knew to be superstitious and idolatrous. With a refinement of
cruelty worthy of demons, they told him that one child was dead. `It is
well,' he replied; `of such is the kingdom of heaven.' A second died, a
bright little cherub; it had been the joy of his life. `God be praised!
He is in Abraham's bosom,' he answered. Soon a third sank under his
treatment. `You have released him from prison to praise God with the
angels in heaven!' he remarked.

"His wife, a believer with him, mild, pious, and good, became a victim
to their barbarity. They told him abruptly, to shock his feelings the
more. A serene smile illuminated his countenance, `She has entered into
her rest, where neither grief, nor pain, nor sickness can come. She is
with the spirits of the just made perfect.'

"Still he had more children. It was known how he had loved them. One
after the other died, till one alone remained. They brought it to him.
They told him that if he would conform to the rules of the Established
Church he should be released from prison, his property should be
restored, and that this child--this darling child--should be sent to a
place where fresh, pure air and the care of a good physician would
quickly restore it to health. `Life and death are in the hands of the
Almighty; to Him I commit the life of my child. I have but in faith
humbly to obey His laws, and to follow the course He has marked out for
me.'

"One, two, three, four years passed away, and he and his child remained
in prison. The little boy grew thin and pale, and pined and pined away.
They took him occasionally to be seen by his father--not to bring any
joy to that father's heart, but to tempt his constancy. The attempt
availed them not. The child died; the father shed not a tear, uttered
not a complaint, but remained firm as ever to the faith. Another year
he was kept in prison, and then stripped of his property. He was
dismissed from prison, and a certain locality fixed for his abode. Why
he was not sent to Siberia was not known. It was the will of the
Emperor, it was supposed, who had heard his story.

"While I have been narrating Captain Martineff's history, I have
neglected to speak of the condition of the poorer brethren. Numbers
were seized, knouted, and sent off to labour in the mines of Siberia.
They little thought that by that means