and explaining
portion after portion. Nor did he omit to pray that God, through the
Holy Spirit, would enlighten the minds of his hearers, and enable them
to comprehend what he was reading and what he was saying. Hour after
hour thus passed by. Several times did Meta rise and trim the lamp.

"Must you hasten on your journey? or can you not rest here another day,
and tell us more of those glorious things?" said the old man, placing
his hand on Spena's shoulder, and gazing earnestly into his face.

"Yes, I will stay, friend," answered the book-hawker, "if by so doing I
can place more clearly before you the way of salvation."

At length the inmates of the cottage and their guest lay down to rest on
their rough couches, and angels looked down from heaven, rejoicing at
what they there saw and heard.

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Note: Colporteurs, literally "neck-carriers;" because their packs were
strung round their necks, or, rather, the strap went round their chests.

CHAPTER THREE.

Gottlieb Spena was much the better for his day's rest, and the following
morning set out with old Moretz and his grandson on their weekly
journey, when they went into the neighbouring town to dispose of their
fagots.

"And how came you to undertake this good work, friend?" asked the old
man, as they journeyed.

"In a few words I can answer you," said the book-hawker. "I was once a
monk, a lazy drone. Our convent was rich, and we had nothing to do
except to appear for so many hours every day in church, and repeat or
chant words, of the sense of which we did not for a moment trouble
ourselves. Copies of the blessed gospel, however, were brought among
us, and certain works by Dr Martin Luther, and friends of his, which
stirred us up to read that gospel, and to see whether we held the faith
it teaches, or were leading the lives it requires. First one and then
another, and finally almost all of us came to the conclusion that we
were not in any way living according to God's law, and that the whole
system we supported was evil and wrong; and we all agreed to go forth
into the world, and to become useful members of society. Some, who had
the gift of speaking, after a time became preachers of the gospel. As I
had not that gift, and had but a small amount of learning, I resolved,
by the advice of Dr Martin Luther, to put a pack upon my shoulders, and
to go forth and to distribute the