with surprise, 'You preach the Gospel! God help you!' 'Amen,' said Coslett, His help and your good wish, Sir, will do.' He had the license without delay.

"I remember hearing of him once on a visit to Pembrokeshire. In one place he was asked to conduct a service throughout in English. The old, unassuming blacksmith did not much relish the request. At length, however, he consented in part. I am willing,' he said, 'to preach in English, but I will not pray in English. I'll speak in English to you, but I never in my life said a word in that language to my heavenly Father.""

"That's very good," said Shadrach. "He was a quaint old man.-I suppose, Caleb, that during your travels through Glamorganshire you often heard Mr. David Stephens, one of 'The Three Brothers,'* who were brought up at Capel Isaac. I liked to hear him. He had always a good story to illustrate his point; one never forgot what he said."

"I knew him well, Shadrach," replied Caleb. "I heard him soon after his settlement at Glantaff. Mr. Oliver,† of Pontypridd, received from his friends a large presentation of books. A meeting was held on the night of presentation. Mr. Stephens was one of the speakers. He said :'There was an old man who lived in the neighbourhood of Capel Isaac who used to haul coal. He and his wife had lived very comfortably together for many years. But one day, as he was hauling coal, he saw Lady Dynevor driving by in her carriage. He was greatly impressed by her exceptional beauty. When he returned home his wife was delighted to see him, but he appeared very disconsolate and would not speak a word. Jack, dear,' said she,

The late Revs. D. Stephens, of Glantaff; J. Stephens, of Brychgoed; and N. Stephens, of Liverpool; all Congregational ministers. + Rev. H. Oliver, B.A., Congregational minister, now of Newport, Mon.

6

'why don't you say a word to your wife?' Wife, indeed! It's Lord Dynevor that has a wife,' said Jack, at the same time lifting up his walking-stick. I shall do the same thing,' said Mr. Stephen, with my library when I go home. I shall lift up my stick before my own books and say, Library, indeed! It's Mr. Oliver, of Pontypridd, that has a library!"

"On another occasion he was speaking of those who will never give up their plans, and upon whom all persuasion and warning are lost, but who at length, when all else has failed, have their plans upset, and their selfish persistency frustrated by Providence. By way of illustration he described a scene he had witnessed at Llandilo fair when he was a boy. Some old woman from Carmarthen bolder than the others placed her table further out in the road than the rest. They complained, and requested her not to go beyond the proper bound, as it placed them at a disadvantage. The policemen warned her, but she still persisted. At length the mail coach came-the wheel struck against the table, upset it, and smashed everything that was on it. Because she would not listen to anyone she had to suffer for it; she came in the way of the mail coach of the Government. So,' he said, 'the people who consult only their own interests and try to occupy more than the place allotted to them by Providence sooner or later get into difficulties. The mail coach of the Divine Government topples their little tables over, and they have to bear humiliation as the reward of their folly.'

"I heard him also preach from the text, 'Give me neither poverty nor riches.' He said :-'If you offer this prayer be sure that you offer it all. Don't take a part of it and forget the other. Be honest. Don't be like the hearers of Mr. Jonathan Jones, of Rhyd-y-bont. When the old man quoted the words, 'Give me neither poverty,"

all the farmers responded vigorously, Amen, Amen,' but when he went on to repeat the words nor riches,' their voices subsided into a moan-' H'm! H'm!' They lost the hwyl and collapsed all at once.'"

"Ah, they have had some quaint preachers in Glamorganshire, Caleb," said John, "such men, for instance, as Mr. Evan Harris, of Merthyr, and Mr. Powell, of Cardiff." "That's true," replied Caleb. "Have you ever heard the story of Mr. Harris and Mr. Powell travelling together one Saturday on their way to the places where they were to preach on the following day? Just as they were parting Mr. Powell said to Mr. Harris, Good-bye, my friend; I hope we shall have the Master's face to-morrow.' 'I hope so,' replied Mr. Harris, but if not we must do our best to speak well of Him behind His back.””

"Those preachers visited different parts of the country years ago, far more than they do now," exclaimed Shadrach. "They used to send their 'publications' to preach here on week-nights on their journey, but now we seldom hear them except at Anniversary or some big meetings. There's one comfort, we shall hear some of our very best preachers at the Association this year. It will soon be here-only six weeks before it comes. Ah, it's twenty-five years since our last Association was held here, but I shall never forget it, not if I live to be as old as Methuselah."

"I hope we shan't be able to forget this one," added John; "I'm expecting a good time of it, Shadrach.”

"If we expect it, John, in right earnest we shall have it," said Shadrach, as he laid aside the tongs for the night and leaned for a moment against the anvil.

In a few seconds the conversation was brought to a close, and the smithy was left to darkness and to silence until the dawn of another day.

CHAPTER XV

The Association.

NLY six weeks before it comes," said Shadrach when speaking of the Association at the last meeting in the smithy. Since then the friends had been very busy. The days were rapidly lengthening, and the evenings were so short that the smithy was all but deserted by the company who had met there so often during the winter nights.

On a few occasions a friend or two had exchanged words with Shadrach in passing, but with that exception the smithy was for the time being forsaken.

Of course, Shadrach and his cousin John had many conversations on the way to and from the services at "Horeb," especially during the week preceding the Association, when special prayer-meetings were held to ask the Lord's blessing upon the services.

The meetings were conducted on the Sunday by ministers from a distance, and were continued on the following morning, but the Association proper began with a conference, which was held in the chapel in the afternoon, and a public service at night.

On "the second day of the Feast" the meetings were held on "the field," with the exception of the first, which was held in the chapel at seven o'clock before the dew had evaporated from the grass. On that morning the sun shone in a clear, cloudless sky, and poured down his gladdening beams into the hollow among the hills where the little village lay. It was a very beautiful day in spring; life quivered in every leaf, and glistened in every dewdrop; each blade of grass nodded to its fellow, and every flower waved its censer of rich perfume as its morning sacrifice. Everything seemed to burst into an intense and powerful life. The pale green corn started from the soil, the violets and primroses adorned the hedge-rows, the birds sang their songs, and the air was pregnant with the sweetest scents and the most harmonious sounds of gladsome spring.

The village had for some weeks shown signs of preparation for the Association. One or two of the houses had been newly thatched, and every cottage had been whitewashed, so that the whole village on that spring morning appeared as "white as snow in Salmon." There had also been extensive preparations in every household for receiving guests during the meetings. The humblest host had provided a joint of fresh meat for the occasion; there