Everything about both church and service was quite unlike that to which I had been accustomed. The minister wore no gown; the hymns were unfamiliar to me; there were no responses in the Scripture reading. But I understood this when I recalled that I had heard that almost all who opposed the King in the country around belonged to churches other than the Church of England. As the minister began to speak I noticed that he lacked the fineness of language with which I was so familiar in Dr. Canfield, but the man's quiet earnestness and direct frankness pleased me much. The part, however of the whole service that surprised me most was the sermon. It contained little reference to the dead, there was no attack upon government and the King, freedom and tyranny of which I had heard so much from others in the crowd were not once named; but the one thought that ran through the entire discourse was the absolute necessity of a saving faith in Jesus Christ. I had not looked for this. I was quite sure those about me would have preferred a passionate harangue on oppression, or an extravagant eulogy on the fallen; but the minister had not stooped to this. With him, standing in the midst of strife and hatred, one thing seemed important--that men, whether living or dying, should be thoroughly Christian in heart and life. The sudden and unexpected death of my father may have assisted the preacher in forcing his words home to my heart, but, as I left the building, I felt a new and strange sense of my unfitness to appear suddenly before God. And this question had been pushed into a place of such prominence, so unexpectedly and under such peculiar circumstances, that I could not put it away. Was it true that this matter was the greatest of all? Would a proper answering of this question help me in any way to face the difficulties that were thickening about me? My father was dead. Duncan Hale or my brother could be of no service to me. My mother and sisters were in my keeping. They must not only be protected but supported. And the time had also come when I must take one side or the other. 'There'll be no neutrals allowed about here. It's going to be fight or flee,' I had heard men before the funeral say, as they looked away up the slope toward a second farmer sowing in his field. And yet my course was far from clear. I was young, inexperienced, and alone. Was there really a source of help such as the preacher had indicated? If so, surely I should seek it. If I lived through the war I would need Divine aid; if I did not live--but I put that thought away. I must live. There were my mother and sisters; and I had seen and heard enough to convince me that the King's cause could spare none--not even a boy. I sought out my horse, mounted him, and was soon off for home.