A Lost Leader: A Tale of Restoration DaysTownshend, Dorothea
History
A Lost Leader: A Tale of Restoration Days
Townshend, Dorothea
Great Britain -- History -- Restoration, 1660-1688 -- Juvenile fiction
"I have heard my father and other clergymen of our English Church say
they feared that some good men were apt to lean too much on the history
of the Jews, as though we in England were their doubles, and bound by
the same ordinances. He said he feared such reasonings, when they
proved hollow, would make men run the other way and fall into unbelief.
For he held that God hath His fashions of working, which differ for
every nation, as one star differs from another in glory, and that He
speaketh not to us in England by open signs, but for the most part,
through our reason and our consciences."
Harrison rose with a groan and strode restlessly across the room.
"Ay," he answered, "your father is a wise man. But did not our reason
and our consciences approve of that great work? Why then is it cast
down and brought to nought, as though it were all folly and wickedness?"
She rose, and laid her hand on his arm; her eyes, too, were full of
tears.
"Good brother, may it not be as in the days of the martyrs Mr. Fox
tells of? I mind me of the words of Bishop Latimer concerning the
flames that consumed him lighting a candle that should never be put out
in England. Perhaps in this war you have set going a word of liberty
that none may put to silence. Methinks, since the days of old Rome,
there can have been no such talk of the government of the people by the
people, as we have heard in these days, and as my father says, he
beholds in very deed in New England. Mayhap, liberty is but departed
across seas to renew her strength, and will come again to gather, not
England only, but all the nations, under her wings."
Harrison turned and caught her hand. "In truth I were worse than a Jew
did I not believe so fair a prophetess," he cried. "Yet----" he
paused, and looked at her curiously, and a sudden impulse came on him
to speak out all that was in his heart. "You seem very sure of it
all?" he said.
Audrey blushed scarlet. She had grown up among people who were less
outspoken on religious matters than the Puritans, and the young girl's
feelings were locked in her own little holy of holies; but she was no
coward.
"I doubt not I am often too sure of matters," she said. "My father was
wont to say I had too much impatience to be a true philosopher; but on
this I cannot but be sure."
All shyness was gone. She fixed her large eyes on him with the
directness of a child.
"But," he said, leaning forward, "Mr. Rogers and my uncle were very
sure, yet hath their Fifth Monarchy not appeared, nor have any miracles
answered their faith."
"You will think me very bold," she answered, "but may not men be great
saints and yet mistaken in the opinions which they hold within the
bounds of our common faith? It seems scarce fitting for me to carp at
the beliefs of General Harrison, yet you yourself did say he seemed to
you well-nigh crazed concerning the Fifth Monarchy?"
Richard nodded assent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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