he rabbins identify Beeri, the prophet, with Beerah of Reuben, who, 1 Chron. arried captive by Tiglath this can be considered rerophet belonged to a tribe of the Dead Sea and of the e Jordan, a region often by predatory tribes and before those west of the carried captive. If the ok their home or were It and took refuge west of Gilgal was just at hand. ent figures in the book, bears, leopards, and other y, suggest the banks of the hose rank vegetation, formungle, they found shelter.

And the mention made of pillage and desolation may have had their occasion in the proximity of Gilgal to the scene of such ravages. And if he were born in the vicinity of Gilgal, or near the old crossing of the Jordan, his name may have been imposed with allusion to that of Joshua, whose original name Hosea actually was. Num. xiii: 8-16. He may have been called salvation with specific reference to the ancient deliverances wrought under that distinguished leader, and with the hope and prayer that these deliverances might be in him renewed; that he might be a fresh Joshua in the spiritual sense, and that through him God might revive his work and lead his people out of the wilderness into their promised rest.

THE

the

HE annals are brief concerning John Edmunds, yet they give us warp and woof of our story, while we do the weaving. His was a sad heart when the good king, Edward VI, was buried, and the hope of reform seemed to be laid in the grave, for John was one of the early Protestants of England. As honest yeomen, he and his best Cheshire neighbors had come to think for themselves, and they liked the plain talk of a preacher with the gospel on his lips, rather than the bad Latin of a priest with the missal in his hands.

"Why shouldn't we?" said John, one November day, when battening his cottage, to keep his tenderlings from the cold, and certain trusty neighbors were looking on to see how he did it. "A man can work more cheerily when big thoughts are thumping in his brain. Many a day's hard earnings have we paid to the priest, just for that we did not think the wiser thing. And I wot that the best bargain ever I made was when I gave a week's savings for that gospel book of Tyndale's, which saith: Search the Scriptures.' It maketh the way to heaven for us laboring men quite different from what the priest

doth."

wit enough to find the mass in the gospels?"

John drove no nail while it was told how these good men were arrested and thrown into the old London tower. The men talked in a low voice, with eyes glancing about them, as if a sheriff might be coming.

66

They will go soon, I reckon," said John; "and when they fall such oaks as the great preachers, they'll clear off a thicket of such bushes as we are. The fire kindleth in the forest, and the twigs must burn as well as the trees."

"Would we were twigs," said Abel Ellis, "and then it were easy to be martyrs. But for one who can think, and feel, and dread the flames, and love his wife and children, it is not so easy to be burned as it is glorious. John, how would you like to beg for life with a halter about your neck?"

John was on the ladder, looking at the wall, trying to beat down his emotions by using his hammer. His eye was moist. There seemed to be a mist about the nail that he wished to drive. He pressed hard together those lips which had quivered that morning, when he was reading, by his hearthstone, the Lord's words, "When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another." He seemed again to hear the question of his little Alice, "Will they hurt you, papa?" He could not then answer her; he could not now answer the man at his ladder's foot. His friends left him in a deep study.

In those times a line of human tongues was a telegraph, and the news

wont un quickly from London to Chea

tention to marry the bigot, Spain, to overthrow all Protpes and plans, to restore the worship, to put the Bible unin, and to punish all opposers ss and the Latin ritual. One man was often shouting, ve the Queen," the loudest of nen. He was John Edwards, eper, whose wife was the sisin Edmunds.

soon die all who wish that the y live long enough to repent erciful," said the Protestant himself. He also thought, nows no relationships. Now er shall betray the brother to saith the gospel." He took ith his neighbors. Were the le? Was there danger? ue," said Abel Ellis, who had r the latest tidings; "and -n hear worse. In London to the bold preachers, 'You word, but we have the sword.' e-that is the choice left us. self, I could die bravely, if I in the world; but when the one's heart are tied to those se." The voice of the n faltered.

then, one must do something sit still and weep over it,' Edmunds. "Die and show ,' say some, but I've a mind show mine. For doth it not th to go forth, not knowing And how can we flee, when to leave the country is re

arvey entered. It was good frank face, but it seemed ill the man who was following e stranger was a priest, well clerically dressed. He might n informer, a traitor. "Fear said Harvey; "he is a good a secret reader of the Bible. mas Jones, of Wales."

ones explained himself. He spected of being a Protestcould travel where he chose. lead a little band to some afety. He would like to be

engaged by some circle of gospellers as a teacher, and preach to them, rather privately, on Sundays.

"God has sent him to us," said Mrs. Ellis; "we will be his flock. But where shall we find fold and pasture?"

"The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want," replied the happy priest; "he has green pastures for us."

"Hear my plan," said Harvey. "I learn that Ireland is not much suspected of heresy, as the queen calls it. Many are running thither, just now, and they are not yet tribulated, for the hunters care not to search where they think there is no game. It wearies the hounds, all for nothing."

"How to get there that requires faith," said John Edmunds.

The affair was wisely managed, and no lies told. Priest Jones simply took over a few friends with him to Dublin, and the sea-port officials pressed them with no hard questions. Not even was there a rummage of their goods to find the Bibles hidden deep in their packs.

And now we read in "Ware's Annals of Ireland :"

"1554. This year, several of the Protestants of England fled over into Ireland, by reason that Queen Mary began to persecute them for their religion, viz.: John Harvey, Abel Ellis, John Edmunds, and Henry Haugh, all Cheshire men; who, bringing over their goods and chattels, lived in Dublin and became citizens thereof, it not being known wherefore they came hither until Queen Mary's death. These families having one Thomas Jones, a Welshman, a Protestant priest, privately amongst them, who read service and the Scripture to them upon Sundays, and other days, secretly: all this not being discovered until Queen Mary's death."

There were men in Ireland, Archbishop George Brown at their head, who did not take such care to keep secret their plans of reform. They struck openly and hard at the evils of Romanism. Perhaps they did not read their Bibles enough in private, nor depend enough upon God and the power of his

I fear no atrange curre answered david bogor, li a long as I have the nenews of that Church which I believe

Toxuturgy in said to have been the Best book printed in Ireland. Its date #va Vik, and the mistake was not to pe of it and the Wible in the Irish lanTruth and worship are of little wh, ander rendered in the common

Fongers of the people, de of these reformers were disFormed before Queen Mary's death. Phe might have overturned them, had mut #murd paised a laugh, when a commission we intended to terrify.

it nan re a ac in white part burning of Cranmer and he le 10 7 in a dereces 30 is ʼn nake I afperita By this time It was the year 35 he was the to show a Long ist if persons who had been punished with leath for their her. 7 and threaten make another as Long among the Insh. they di not some neexy back into the E man fold. Doom was eaming with De Cola.

H's commission was given to him. He put it nicely into a leathern box. and departed. On his way he rested at Chester, greatly to the delight of the mayor of that city, who called to see him at the inn.

-Ill teach the Irish how to handle our religion," said Dr. Cole, freely and pompously: St. Patrick did not make cleaner sweep of the serpents of that country, than I shall do of the disturbers.

They burned his staff; they shall now find my commission more terrible." Then, taking the tremendous document out of his box, he said: "Here is a commission that shall lash the heretics of Ireland." The mayor speech, and a sight of the queen's paenjoyed the ardent But the hostess, Elizabeth Edwards, sister of John Edmunds, was not of his temper. Such bigotry and boasting were more than distasteful. She listened in silence, and waited her time to defeat the mission of the 1

per.

er thought was, "Let not him eth on his harness boast himthat putteth it off." ctor felt quite at home, and time for parting came, he tely showed the mayor down I paid some fine compliments r. "That's the man for the hought the mayor, as he alked away, "and the Cheshes may be glad to sail back ative town."

he doctor was thus so polite itor, the hostess, Elizabeth, s box, took out his commisin its place put in a sheet of th a pack of cards wrapt very knavish card being up"Let him beat the Irish with if he likes," she said to herhen studied how to entertain - so as to keep him from f his commission. The next le to the water-side, and the eather serving him, he sailed , where he was housed in the y in October.

mptness was pleasing to the › power was to shine forth eathern box. He appeared council, and spoke on this er Majesty, our gracious g solicitous for the happiher subjects, especially those g-blessed isle, and devoted se of that holy religion of gracious father, the Pope, dian on earth, hath sent me, worthy servant, to proclaim , and ordain such measures, ve to restore to Ireland that ligion, which hath been by heretics and sectaries, es which are let loose to levour the flock."

was the response of certain councilors. "A hearty welcome to the queen's commissioner!"

"These fanatics, deceivers, wicked. and abominable men, robbing Ireland of her glory, and fattening on the spoils of the churches-these imagebreakers and haters of the holy mass are rebels and traitors, and I come to repress them, by good laws, if they will receive them, but by just punishments if they resist."

"Ireland wants no persecutors," said one of the bolder men in the council. "If these Protestants are in error, invite them to meet you; and then, if you are able, convince them by argument."

"Argument?" exclaimed the excitable doctor; "here is my argumentthe queen's order and commission. And be sure that I shall use the full extent of the power granted therein to me."

"Let the commission be read," said Lord Fitzwalter, receiving the box from the doctor, and handing it to his secretary.

The box was opened, when nothing appeared, save a pack of cards, with the knave of clubs uppermost!

"What! how is that?" was the general utterance, amid the astonishment and confusion. The governor began to smile. The faces of those who had so heartily welcomed the speech-maker were fiery.

"Well, I know that I had a commission when I left the royal court," said Dr. Cole; "but what has become of it?" That was the perplexing question.

"Let us have another commission," replied the governor; "and, meanwhile, we will shuffle the cards.'

Back to London went Dr. Cole, venting his wrath upon the way.

PART III.