’Ihavenodoubt，myyoungfriend，thatyouarewillingtoadmitthatthemostimportantthingwhichahumanbeingpossessesishissoul；itisofinfinitelymoreimportancethanthebody，whichisafrailsubstance，andcannotlastformanyyears；butnotsothesoul，which，byitsnature，isimperishable。Tooneoftwomansionsthesoulisdestinedtodepart，afteritsseparationfromthebody，toheavenorhell；tothehallsofeternalbliss，whereGodandHisholyangelsdwell，ortotheplaceofendlessmisery，inhabitedbySatanandhisgrislycompanions。Myfriend，ifthejoysofheavenaregreat，unutterablygreat，soarethetormentsofhellunutterablyso。Iwishnottospeakofthem，Iwishnottoterrifyyourimaginationwiththetormentsofhell：indeed，Ilikenottothinkofthem；butitisnecessarytospeakofthemsometimes，andtothinkofthemsometimes，lestyoushouldsinkintoastateofcarnalsecurity。Authors，friend，andlearnedmen，arenotaltogetheragreedastotheparticularsofhell。Theyallagree，however，inconsideringitaplaceofexceedinghorror。
MasterEllisWyn，whobythebyewasachurchman，callsit，amongstotherthings，aplaceofstrongsighs，andofflamingsparks。
MasterReesPritchard，whowasnotonlyachurchman，butVicarofLlandovery，andflourishedabouttwohundredyearsago-Iwishmanylikehimflourishednow-speakingofhell，inhiscollectionofsweethymnscalledthe“Welshman’sCandle，“observes，’“Thepooliscontinuallyblazing；itisverydeep，withoutanyknownbottom，andthewallsaresohigh，thatthereisneitherhopenorpossibilityofescapingoverthem。“
’But，asItoldyoujustnow，Ihavenogreatpleasureintalkingofhell。No，friend，no；Iwouldsoonertalkoftheotherplace，andofthegoodnessandhospitalityofGodamongstHissaintsabove。’
Andthentheexcellentmanbegantodilateuponthejoysofheaven，andthegoodnessandhospitalityofGodinthemansionsabove；
explainingtome，intheclearestway，howImightgetthere。
Andwhenhehadfinishedwhathehadtosay，heleftme，whereuponWinifreddrewnigh，andsittingdownbymebegantoaddressme。’I
donotthink，’saidshe，’fromwhatIhaveobservedofthee，thatthouwouldstwishtobeungrateful，andyet，isnotthywholelifeaseriesofingratitude，andtowhom？-tothyMaker。HasHenotendowedtheewithagoodlyandhealthyform；andsenseswhichenabletheetoenjoythedelightsofHisbeautifuluniverse-theworkofHishands？Canstthounotenjoy，eventorapture，thebrightnessofthesun，theperfumeofthemeads，andthesongofthedearbirdswhichinhabitamongthetrees？Yes，thoucanst；forIhaveseenthee，andobservedtheedoingso。Yet，duringthewholetimethatIhaveknownthee，Ihavenotheardproceedfromthylipsonesinglewordofpraiseorthanksgivingto……’
Andinthismannertheadmirablewomanproceededforaconsiderabletime，andtoallherdiscourseIlistenedwithattention；andwhenshehadconcluded，Itookherhandandsaid，’Ithankyou，’andthatwasall。
Onthenextdayeverythingwasreadyforourdeparture。Thegoodfamilyofthehousecametobidusfarewell。Therewereshakingofhands，andkisses，asonthenightofourarrival。
AndasIstoodsomewhatapart，theyounggirlofwhomIhavespokensooftencameuptome，andholdingoutherhand，said，’Farewell，youngman，whereverthougoest。’Then，afterlookingaroundher，shesaid，’Itwasalltrueyoutoldme。YesterdayIreceivedaletterfromhimthouwottestof；heiscomingsoon。Godblessyou，youngman；whowouldhavethoughtthouknewestsomuch!’
So，afterwehadtakenourfarewellofthegoodfamily，wedeparted，proceedinginthedirectionofWales。Peterwasverycheerful，andenlivenedthewaywithgodlydiscourseandspiritualhymns，someofwhichwereintheWelshlanguage。AtlengthIsaid，’ItisapitythatyoudidnotcontinueintheChurch；youhaveaturnforPsalmody，andIhaveheardofamanbecomingabishopbymeansofalessqualification。’
’Veryprobably，’saidPeter；’morethepity。ButIhavetoldyouthereasonofmyforsakingit。Frequently，whenIwenttothechurchdoor，Ifounditbarred，andthepriestabsent；whatwasI
todo？Myheartwasburstingforwantofsomereligioushelpandcomfort；whatcouldIdo？asgoodMasterReesPritchardobservesinhis“CandleforWelshmen“：-
’“Itisadolefulthingtoseelittlechildrenburningonthehotcoalsforwantofhelp；butyetmoredolefultoseeaflockofsoulsfallingintotheburninglakeforwantofapriest。“’
’TheChurchofEnglandisafinechurch，’saidI；’IwouldnotadviseanyonetospeakilloftheChurchofEnglandbeforeme。’
’Ihavenothingtosayagainstthechurch，’saidPeter；’allIwishisthatitwouldflingitselfalittlemoreopen，andthatitspriestswouldalittlemorebestirthemselves；inaword，thatitwouldshoulderthecrossandbecomeamissionarychurch。’
’Itistooproudforthat，’saidWinifred。
’YouaremuchmoreofaMethodist，’saidI，’thanyourhusband。
Buttellme，’saidI，addressingmyselftoPeter，’doyounotdifferfromthechurchinsomepointsofdoctrine？I，ofcourse，asatruememberofthechurch，amquiteignorantofthepeculiaropinionsofwanderingsectaries。’
’Ohtheprideofthatchurch!’saidWinifred，halftoherself；
’wanderingsectaries!’
’Wedifferinnopointsofdoctrine，’saidPeter；’webelieveallthechurchbelieves，thoughwearenotsofondofvainandsuperfluousceremonies，snow-whiteneckclothsandsurplices，asthechurchis。Welikewisethinkthatthereisnoharminasermonbytheroad-side，orinholdingfreediscoursewithabeggarbeneathahedge，oratinker，’headded，smiling；’itwasthosesuperfluousceremonies，thosesurplicesandwhiteneckcloths，and，aboveall，thenecessityofstrictlyregulatinghiswordsandconversation，whichdroveJohnWesleyoutofthechurch，andsenthimwanderingupanddownasyouseeme，poorWelshPeter，do。’
Nothingfartherpassedforsometime；wewerenowdrawingnearthehills：atlastIsaid，’Youmusthavemetwithagreatmanystrangeadventuressinceyoutookupthiscourseoflife？’
’Many，’saidPeter，’ithasbeenmylottomeetwith；butnonemorestrangethanonewhichoccurredtomeonlyafewweeksago。Youwereaskingme，notlongsince，whetherIbelievedindevils？Ay，truly，youngman；andIbelievethattheabyssandtheyetdeeperunknowndonotcontainthemall；somewalkaboutuponthegreenearth。Soithappened，someweeksago，thatIwasexercisingmyministryaboutfortymilesfromhere。Iwasalone，Winifredbeingslightlyindisposed，stayingforafewdaysatthehouseofanacquaintance；Ihadfinishedafternoon’sworship-thepeoplehaddispersed，andIwassittingsolitarybymycartundersomegreentreesinaquietretiredplace；suddenlyavoicesaidtome，“Good-
evening，Pastor“；Ilookedup，andbeforemestoodaman，atleasttheappearanceofaman，dressedinablacksuitofratherasingularfashion。Hewasaboutmyownage，orsomewhatolder。AsIlookeduponhim，itappearedtomethatIhadseenhimtwicebeforewhilstpreaching。Irepliedtohissalutation，andperceivingthathelookedsomewhatfatigued，Itookoutastoolfromthecart，andaskedhimtositdown。Webegantodiscourse；I
atfirstsupposedthathemightbeoneofourselves，somewanderingminister；butIwassoonundeceived。Neitherhislanguagenorhisideaswerethoseofanyoneofourbody。Hespokeonallkindsofmatterswithmuchfluency；tillatlasthementionedmypreaching，complimentingmeonmypowers。Ireplied，aswellImight，thatI
couldclaimnomeritofmyown，andthatifIspokewithanyeffect，itwasonlybythegraceofGod。AsIutteredtheselastwords，ahorriblekindofsneercameoverhiscountenance，whichmademeshudder，fortherewassomethingdiabolicalinit。Isaidlittlemore，butlistenedattentivelytohisdiscourse。AtlasthesaidthatIwasengagedinapaltrycause，quiteunworthyofoneofmypowers。“Howcanthatbe，“saidI，“evenifIpossessedallthepowersintheworld，seeingthatIamengagedinthecauseofourLordJesus？“
’Thesamekindofsneeragaincameonhiscountenance，buthealmostinstantlyobserved，thatifIchosetoforsakethissamemiserablecause，fromwhichnothingbutcontemptandprivationwastobeexpected，hewouldenlistmeintoanother，fromwhichImightexpectbothprofitandrenown。Anideanowcameintomyhead，andItoldhimfirmlythatifhewishedmetoforsakemypresentprofessionandbecomeamemberoftheChurchofEngland，Imustabsolutelydecline；thatIhadnoill-willagainstthatchurch，butIthoughtIcoulddomostgoodinmypresentposition，whichI
wouldnotforsaketobeArchbishopofCanterbury。Thereuponheburstintoastrangelaughter，andwentaway，repeatingtohimself，“ChurchofEngland!ArchbishopofCanterbury!“Afewdaysafter，whenIwasoncemoreinasolitaryplace，heagainappearedbeforeme，andaskedmewhetherIhadthoughtoverhiswords，andwhetherIwaswillingtoenlistunderthebannersofhismaster，addingthathewaseagertosecureme，asheconceivedthatImightbehighlyusefultothecause。Ithenaskedhimwhohismasterwas；
hehesitatedforamoment，andthenanswered，“TheRomanPontiff。“
“Ifitbehe，“saidI，“Icanhavenothingtodowithhim；IwillservenoonewhoisanenemyofChrist。“Thereuponhedrewneartome，andtoldmenottotalksomuchlikeasimpleton；thatasforChrist，itwasprobablethatnosuchpersoneverexisted，butthatifHeeverdid，Hewasthegreatestimpostortheworldeversaw。
HowlonghecontinuedinthiswayIknownot，forInowconsideredthatanevilspiritwasbeforeme，andshrankwithinmyself，shiveringineverylimb；whenIrecoveredmyselfandlookedaboutme，hewasgone。Twodaysafter，heagainstoodbeforeme，inthesameplace，andaboutthesamehour，renewinghispropositions，andspeakingmorehorriblythanbefore。Imadehimnoanswer；
whereuponhecontinued；butsuddenlyhearinganoisebehindhim，helookedroundandbeheldWinifred，whohadreturnedtomeonthemorningofthatday。“Whoareyou？“saidhe，fiercely。“Thisman’swife，“saidshe，calmlyfixinghereyesuponhim。“Begonefromhim，unhappyone，thoutemptesthiminvain。“Hemadenoanswer，butstoodasiftransfixed：atlength，recoveringhimself，hedeparted，muttering“Wife!wife!Ifthefoolhasawife，hewillneverdoforus。“’
CHAPTERLXXX
Theborder-Thankyouboth-Pipeandfiddle-Taliesin。
WEwerenowdrawingverynearthehills，andPetersaid，’IfyouaretogointoWales，youmustpresentlydecide，forwearecloseupontheborder。’
’Whichistheborder？’saidI。
’Yonsmallbrook，’saidPeter，’intowhichthemanonhorsebackwhoiscomingtowardsusisnowentering。’
’Iseeit，’saidI，’andtheman；hestopsinthemiddleofit，asiftowaterhissteed。’
Weproceededtillwehadnearlyreachedthebrook。’Well，’saidPeter，’willyougointoWales？’
’WhatshouldIdoinWales？’Idemanded。
’Do!’saidPeter，smiling，’learnWelsh。’
Istoppedmylittlepony。’ThenIneednotgointoWales；I
alreadyknowWelsh。’
’KnowWelsh!’saidPeter，staringatme。
’KnowWelsh!’saidWinifred，stoppinghercart。
’Howandwhendidyoulearnit？’saidPeter。
’Frombooks，inmyboyhood。’
’ReadWelsh!’saidPeter；’isitpossible？’
’ReadWelsh!’saidWinifred；’isitpossible？’