continue kneeling half a minute, but comes and fits down again by his wife, and talks to her again. We perceived then the woman very attentive; but whether the faid any thing or no, we could not tell. While the poor fellow was upon his knees, I could fee the tears run plentifully down my clergyman's cheeks; and I could hardly forbear myfelf; but it was a great affliction to us both, that we were not near enough to hear any thing that paffed between them.

Well, however, we could come no nearer, for fear of disturbing them: so we resolved to see an end of this piece of still converfation; and it spoke loud enough to us, without the help of voice. He fat down again, as I have said, close by her, and talked again earnestly to her; and two or three times we could fee him embrace her paffionately; another time we faw him take out his handkerchief, and wipe her eyes, and then kifs her again, with a kind of tranfport very unusual; and after several of these things, we faw him on a fudden jump up again, and lend her his hand to help her up; when immediately leading her by the hand a step or two, they both kneeled down together, and continued fo about two mi

nutes.

My friend could bear it no longer, but cries out aloud, St. Paul, St. Paul! behold he prayeth !— I was afraid Atkins would hear him; therefore I intreated him to withhold himself awhile, that we might fee an end of the scene, which to me, I must confefs, was the most affecting, and yet the most agreeable, that ever I faw in my life. Well, he ftrove with himself, and contained himself for a

while, but was in fuch raptures of joy to think that the poor heathen woman was become a Christian, that he was not able to contain himself; he wept feveral times then throwing up his hands, and croffing his breaft, faid over feveral things ejaculatory, and by way of giving God thanks for fo miraculous a teftimony of the fuccefs of our endeavours: fome he spoke foftly, and I could not well hear; others audibly; fome in Latin, some in French; then two or three times the tears of joy would interrupt him, that he could not fpeak at all. But I begged that he would compofe himself, and let us more narrowly and fully observe what was before us, which he did for a time, and the scene was not ended there yet; for, after the poor man and his wife were rifen again from their knees, we observed he stood talking still eagerly to her; and we observed by her motion that she was greatly affected with what he faid, by her frequent lifting up her hands, laying her hand to her breaft, and fuch other postures, as ufually exprefs the greatest seriousness and attention: This continued about half a quarter of an hour, and then they walked away too; fo that we could fee no more of them in that fituation.

I took this interval to talk with my clergyman: and first, I told him, I was glad to fee the particulars we had both been witneffes to; that though I was hard enough of belief in such cases, yet that I began to think it was all very fincere here, both in the man and his wife, however ignorant they both might be; and I hoped fuch a beginning would have yet a more happy end: and who knows, faid I, but these two may in time, by inftruction and example,

ample, work upon fome of the others? Some of them! faid he, turning quick upon me, ay, upon all of them depend upon it, if those two savages (for he has been but little better, as you relate it) fhould embrace Jefus Chrift, they will never leave till they work upon all the reft; for true religion is naturally communicative; and he that is once made' a Christian will never leave a pagan behind him, if he can help it. I owned it was a moft Chriftian principle to think fo, and a teftimony of a true zeal, as well as a generous heart in him. But, my friend, faid I, will you give me liberty to start one difficulty here? I cannot tell how to object the least thing against that affectionate concern which you fhew for the turning the poor people from their paganism to the Christian religion; but how does this comfort you, while these people are, in your account, out of the pale of the Catholic church, without which, you believe, there is no falvation; so that you esteem these but heretics ftill; and, for other reasons, as effectually loft as the pagans themselves?

To this he anfwered with abundance of candour and Christian charity, thus: Sir, I am a Catholic of the Roman church, and a prieft of the order of St. Benedict, and I embrace all the principles of the Roman faith: But yet, if you will believe me, and this I do not fpeak in compliment to you, or in refpect to my circumstances, and your civilities; I fay, nevertheless, I do not look upon you, who call yourfelves reformed, without fome charity: I dare not fay, tho' I know it is our opinion in general; yet I dare not say, that you cannot be faved; I will by no means limit the mercy of Chrift, fo far as to think that he

you

cannot receive into the bofom of his church, in a manner, to us, imperceivable, and which, it is impoffible for us to know; and I hope you have the fame charity for us: I pray daily for your being all reftored to Chrift's church, by whatsoever methods he, who is all wife, is pleased to direct. In the mean time, fure, you will allow it to confift with me, as a Roman, to diftinguifh far between a Protestant and a Pagan: between him that calls on Jefus Christ, though in a way which I do not think is according to the true faith; and a favage, a barbarian, that knows no GOD, no Chrift, no Redeemer at all: And if you are not within the pale of the Catholic church, we hope you are nearer being reftored to it, than those that know nothing at all of GOD, or his church. I rejoice, therefore, when I fee this poor man, who, you fay, has been a profligate, and al- · moft a murderer, kneel down and pray to Jefus Chrift, as we fuppofe he did, though not fully enlightened; believing that GoD, from whom every fuch work proceeds, will fenfibly touch his heart, and bring him to the further knowledge of the truth in his own time: and if GOD fhall influence this poor man to convert and inftruct the ignorant favage his wife, I can never believe that he fhall be caft away himself: and have I not reafon then to rejoice, the nearer any are brought to the knowledge of Chrift, though they may not be brought quite home into the bofom of the Catholic church, just at the time when I may defire it; leaving it to the goodness of Chrift to perfect his work in his own time, and his own way? Certainly I would rejoice, if all the favages in America were brought, like this poor

poor woman, to pray to GoD, though they were to be all Proteftants at first, rather than they should continue pagans and heathens; firmly believing, that he who had beftowed that firft light upon them, would farther illuminate them with a beam of his heavenly grace, and bring them into the pale of his church, when he should see good.

I was astonished at the fincerity and temper of this truly pious Papist, as much as I was oppreffed by the power of his reasoning: and it prefently occurred to my thoughts, that if fuch a temper was univerfal, we might be all Catholic Chriftians, whatever church or particular profeffion we joined to, or joined in; that a spirit of charity would foon work us all up into right principles; and, in a word, as he thought that the like charity would make us all Catholics, fo I told him, I believed, had all the members of his church the like moderation, they would foon be all Proteftants: And there we left that part, for we never difputed at all.

However, I talked to him another way; and, taking him by the hand, My friend, faid I, I wish all the clergy of the Roman church were bleffed with fuch moderation, and an equal share of your charity: I am entirely of your opinion; but I must tell you, that if you should preach fuch doctrine in Spain or Italy, they would put you into the inquifition.

It may be fo, faid he; I know not what they might do in Spain and Italy; but I will not fay they would be the better Chriftians for that feverity'; for I am fure there is no herefy in too much charity.

Well,