r in another. He often, however, works out His plans for
our good by what appear to us such small means that we fail to perceive
them. I have read in the Greek Testament that `Not a sparrow falls to
the ground but that He knows it; and that even the very hairs of our
head are all numbered.' Is it likely, therefore, that He would employ
any intermediate agents between Himself and man, except the one great,
well-beloved intercessor, His only Son. Would He even allow them to
interfere if they were to offer their services? Our Lord Himself, when,
on one occasion, His mother ventured to interfere in a work He was
about, rebuked her, though with perfect respect, with these remarkable
words, `Woman, what have I to do with thee?' Again, when on the cross,
He recommended her to the care of His well-beloved disciple, Saint John;
he said, `Behold thy mother!' `Woman, behold thy Son!' O Hans, I wish
that you and all the people of our fatherland, could read the Bible
itself in our own tongue, you would than see how different is the
religion we have been taught by the `pfaffs' to that which Jesus Christ
came on earth to announce to sinful man. It will be happy for our
country should that day ever come, because then the people will be able
to understand on what their religion is grounded, and be able to refute
the false arguments of those who oppose it. There is a certain young
professor at Wittemburg whose works I have read with peculiar delight,
as he seems, even more than Dr Martin impressed by a sense of the love
God has for man, and His willingness to hear all who go to Him in the
name of His dear Son."

Old Hans was silent for some time. At last he looked up, and said,
"There seems to me a good deal of truth in what you have remarked, my
young lord. I always used to think that God is too great to trouble
himself with the affairs of us poor people, whatever He may do with
kings and princes, and so He employs the saints to look after us, and
the saints, not wishing to come out of heaven on all occasions, employ
the `pfaffs' (priests) to do their works, only it has struck me now and
then that they have made great mistakes in their agents, at all events
they have got hold of very bad ones."

This conversation took place after Eric and his attendant had been three
or four days prisoners in the Castle. They had had a sufficiency of
food brought to them, and had altogether been treated better than they
had expected. They