Friend Olivia.

Southland Times, Issue 11593, 27 November 1890, Page 4

Friend Olivia.

By Axxll- E. Bd-fcR ia Century. — — _ 1

Chapter 111.

(Oontbroed.) 1 THB WAY TO BEST.' Tb* wonderful o_agn«tism of Fox's Toic% okarged with iaith, thrilling with lovt, bfdke into the stiUncM of Olivia's aouL 81m moved like* spirit, and lay ing one hand 09 Un> barfs o( Fpx'a chair •aid with an invincible conviction : ' Wp ' kttvw Utfct" fchhi testimony is truQ. Too have. hwu4, Friends* how the hot haloyoa has ordaicedfor it a week of, woiulte_» oahn when the year ia at' its wildest and roughest. Then upon the wares sh# builds her nest. Christ within us ! In this hope the tool ' bu&hr for hertetf a marvellous i covert, which not only floats upon the waves tof time, but charms them into stillness ; so thai in the very heart of storms our souls enjoy the halcyon days.' She Bpoke in a rapture of peace. Her voice was low and even, and bad the softness and remoteness of dreams. Her face was illumined from the light within. Nathaniel's heart trembled with joy that was as pure «9 it was indefinable. At that moment he thought nothing of the girl's personal loveliness * it was her pure soul that charmed his soul, and he longed to hold communion with it. After a moment's pauw Duttred said querulously, ' This is going too far. It gives to our vile bodies too much honour/ ' John Duttred,' JFox answered, ' who gave thee permission to speak spitefully of the body ? It is easy to call the body 'vile, and then use it vilely. But we, have this treasure in earthen vessels, and ou* bodies (are the temples of the Holy Ghost, And he that hath this hope purifieth himself, and feareth to defile the sacred place. We must go into the depths of our nature, John, for our repugiance to give the body its doe. Is it not sensuality ? Men who would not wrong their souls by stealing, or by listening, to a Pelagian tenet, eat and drink and riot like pagans. But Christ redeemed the body with his own body. •Can the Spirit of God dwell with the spirit of man V Duttred spoke with a scornful incredulity ; for though religions and faithful to his convictions, he was full cf personal jealousy, and therefore unsympathetic, ' This is a strange doctrine, Mr Fox.' ' It would be a stranger one, John Duttred, if the Creator, in whom ' we live, and move, and have our being,' should not have direct access to the spirit of his own creatures.' ' There are no faculties of our mortal nature adapted for such intercourse. The Church has no service or provision for it.' ' Such secret favours dispense with, rather than demand, mortal aid or service. 0 John ! tbee hast not known the prayer of union, when the soul enters into the sweet, solemn solitudes of the Divinity, and sees and hears and feels unutterable things. In these preludiums of heareD, tbese ueigtibourijoode ot eternity, a mortal man may have such glimpses of God that whether he be in the body or out of the body he cannot tell.' ' I enter into no controversy touching things too high for me. No creed has taken knowledge of such a condition, no church provided for it. Even the Fifth Monarchy Men, who pretend to under stand Daniel and the Revelation as well as the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer, fly not so high as this. The Church around ns is our best hope and protection.' 1 The Church around us ! Very well, John ; but also Christ within us I' 'If this doctrine be true, it is too much truth. Men who hold it are selfhurters if they speak of it. And, trnly, I blame not the civil power for its controversy with them. When men say that Christ is in them, it is all one with saying that they themselves are Christ.' ' Oh, no ! We are nothing ; Christ is all. And what kind of controversy is martyrdom 1 Doing men to death is not arguing with them. Moreover, I deny the civil power the right to touch a man's conscience. Conscience i placed out of sight ; it is neither visible nor tangible. It is inaccessible to stripes. It cannot be bound in prison. While wicked magistrates are making the body suffer, conscience enjoys the Divinity. How then, John, can conscience be acconntable to the civil government ? Men who try to control it are usurpers of God's own right.' ' Well, I know not what Quakers would have ; and I wish they knew themselves. As for me, the old religion is good enough.' The old religion ! John, that in what Quakers want — the religion of Christ, and of the apostles, and cf the primitive church ' • The church of Christ, which is the kingdom of Christ — * 'Is within us. Its real enemies are within. They are spiritual, and must be fought with spiritual weapons.' 'In a word, then, how does a man attain to this condition of union with the Unseen ?' *By faith ; for faith is the victory over whatever separates from God, Ihou knowest what men have done through faith — how they have subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the a'iens.' If faith can do these things, and j more also, can it not open the door of the eoul when he knocks, and say, 'Come in and dwell with me ?' Can it not give him the whole heart,and enter into covenant wUh him 1 I can tell, for I have felt him nearer to me than breathing. He has beset me behind and before, and laid his hand upon me.' Fox rose as he spoke, and an indescribable majesty and authority c'othed him as with a garment, His face shooe, bis clear, sweet voice penetrated into the secret places of every heart. The atmosphere of the room tiembled to spiritual influence, and a feeling of infinite tenderness brooded over the small assembly. Duttred stood silent, tears were in his downcast eyes, and when George Fox stepped forward and offered bis hand he took it with a troubled, questioning look. 'We are made poor by what we miss, as well as by what we lose, John. Go into thy room and enter into that

spiritual communion which is beyond all visiblee. Open the door of thy heart and ask Christ to come in and dwell with thee. Verily he will keep hiß promise.' And as Fox stood surety for his Maker he lifted up his face and it grew like an angel's, and an old man on the outskirt of the little assembly oried out: 'It is true ! It is true!' But Duttred said coldly : ' My desire is to stand still at present, bo that the voice of the stranger be not taken for the voice of the shepherd; Yet I will not flatly contradict or condemn the ■words spoken, lest I come within the apostle's reproof for speaking evil of things I understand not.' Then look, ing steadily at Fox, he said, ' Pray for me — peradventure I am wrong —that I may be led right.' 'John, why ask any man to pray for thee ? Abide in thyself and take hold j on thy own possession.' Then Duttred explained at some length his views of the Atonement, and the necessity for a formulated creed and a regularly trained ministry. But after Fox's burning utterances his words were cold, for he spoke of Christ in a distant way, as of one holding the central place in a theological system, but far off from daily love and life. 'Ohno !' answered Fox. ' There is no such thing, John, as a system of divinity in the Bible. Nothing there but a living record of personal relations between the Creator and the souls he has made. No dogma in all the Book, Only human life touched by the Spirit of God. And as for trained ministers, when God says to a man, ' Preach the Gospel,' he needs no other preparation or authority. Schools cannot make minißtere,and God dwells not in temples made with hands. ' I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was . . . a gatherer of sycamore fruit ;' but the Lord raiseth the poor oul of the dust.' Then the conversation turned upon Cromwell and his government, and Fox vindicated Cromwell in many things, and set lucidly before the assembly the difficult part the Protector had to play between all the sects that were then claiming recognition for themselves and persecution for all others. ' Iu the high noon of these dog-days of our religious discords,' he said, 'things are done and spoken which will hardly bear reviewing when the cool of the evening shall come. Between Thomas Edwards writing furiously against liberty of conscience and toleration, and the Presbyterian clergy complaining that men of civil employment usurp the right of preaching, to the great scandal of the kirks,' and the Church of England men, and thft Fifth Monarchy Men with Rogers at their head, and the Independents, and other sects too numerous to mention, what is the Protecior to do ? -And I think well of him for the plain words be gave the Presbyterians concerning preaching.' •Doubtless they deserved them, whatever they were,' said Duttred; ' but I know them not.' ' Truly he answered their complaint with some eearcbing questions ; ' Are you troubled that Chrisr is preached ? I thought the Covenant and the profegsors of it could have been willing that any should speak good of the name of Christ. If not, I say plainly that it is no covenant of God's approving, nor are these kirks so much the spouse of Christ. I hope, 1 he further said, • that He that ascended up on high m»y give His gifts to whom He pleases ; and if those gifts be the peal of mission be not envious though Eldad and Medad prophesy.' Are not these worlds like himself — strong, stiff, and unbendable V 'Yes; and John Milton likewise flays that 'presbyter' is only 'priest' writ large. And Duttred spoke with a bitterness that made Fox look steadily at him. A good man is known by the company he keeps,' saM ftojer Prideanx ; 'and what say you to Cromwell's ? His two secretaries aw John Milton and Andrew Marvell. The seraphic John Howe is his chaplain. He has put Dr. Owen over the University of Oxford. And thou knowest, George, that he listened gladlv to thee, and brought thee into his house, and desired to talk with \ thee again. And thou wilt allow that Friends have been a little demanding with him ?' •Not too much so, Roger. "When Friends are everywhere robbed and beaten to the death they have just cause to go to the Protector for protection. However, whether he speak for us or whether he forbear to speak, we are saved by divine alliance from any danger of defeat.' (To be Continued.)