about them, nor, indeed, to his great harm, did he at any period of his life seem to wish to know. It does not appear that he had ever heard of John Bunyan at this time; as to Luther, he may have heard the name, but that was all. Doubtless in his trampings over the metropolitan counties he had met with Methodist preachers; but it does not seem that he had ever listened to any. Besides, he was born in a locality and amongst a people over whom Methodism never has been able to obtain much influence, and with tendencies which made him one of its greatest opponents to the end of his days. And it so happens that at this very time he regarded them with horror, as deceivers who came to draw ignorant people from the Church, wolves in sheeps' clothing, wretches that would hasten the end of the world. He was loth to meet them, and wondered King George suffered them to preach.
So far from listening to such unauthorised preachers, he was most devout in going to church, waiting with hungry soul and open ears for the least scrap of information which should relieve his burdened spirit. He went from church to church "to find a minister who could point out the way to him wherein God, in His justice, could save a sinner;" but not a word did he hear that could help him. He had so deep a reverence for the clergy, that it never entered into his mind that perhaps, after all, it was "like people, like priest; "but he came instead to a curious conclusion, worthy of note as suggestive of the extraordinary ideas ignorant people may be entertaining. He says, "As I went mourning home from one of these church-goings, it came into my mind that the clergy knew which way God could save sinners, but that they would not tell us, lest we should get as wise as themselves; that they had learned the path, but their keeping us ignorant of it was on purpose to keep us close to the Church."
At last he thought it would do him good if he received the Sacrament. So he set off to speak to his clergyman, but not finding him at home he went to the clerk. This worthy proposed adjournment to the public-house, where they might arrange the matter over a glass of rum and water. As the old clerk staggered out of the beer-shop into the dark night, he gave the poor man this advice: "Don't," said he, "go to my master, or to any other
