same elderly party gave an exhortation, simple in language, kindly in tone, and free from both bewilderment and fierceness.  Mr. Jesper—­the person to whom we have been alluding—­is one of the principal speakers at this meeting house.  His colleague in talking is Mrs. Abbatt, a very worthy lady, who has often the afflatus upon her, and who can hold forth with a good deal of earnestness and perspicuity.  Although Mr. Jesper and Mrs. Abbatt do the greatest portion of the talking and praying, others break through the ring fence of Quakerdom’s silence periodically.  One little gentleman has often small outbursts; but he is not very exhilerating.  All the “members” attending the meeting house are very decorous, respectable, middle-class people—­substantial well-pursed folk, who can afford to be independent, and take life easily—­men and women who dislike shoddy and cant as much as they condemn spangles and lackered gentility.

The aggregate of the people connected with the place are calm, steady-going beings.  We have a large respect for Quakerism.  Its professors are made of strong, enduring, practical metal.  They never neglect business for religion, nor religion for business.  They believe in paying their way and in being paid; in moral rectitude and yard wands not the millionth part of an inch too long; in yea and nay; in good trade, good purses, good clothes, and good language; in clear-headed, cool calculations; in cash, discounts, sobriety, and clean shirts; in calmness and close bargain driving; in getting as much as they can, in sticking to it a long while, and yet in behaving well to the poor.  The influence of the creed they profess has made their uprightness and humanity proverbial.  Their home influence has been powerful; their views in the outer world are becoming more fully realised every day.  Nations have smiled contemptuously at them as they have gone forth on lonely missions of freedom and peace; but the inner beatings of the world’s great heart today are in favour of liberty of thought and quietness.  The Quakers have been amongst life’s pioneers in the long, hard battle for human freedom and human peace.  Quakerism may be a quaint, hat-loving, silence-revering concern in its meeting-houses; its Uriahs, and Abimelechs, and Deborahs, and Abigails, may look curious creatures in their collarless coats and long drawn bonnets; but they belong to a race of men and women who have kept the lamp of freedom burning; who have set a higher price upon conscience than gold; who have struggled to make everything free—­the body, the religion, the bread and butter, and the trade of the nations; who are now by their doctrines slowly lifting humanity out of the red track of war, and teaching it how grand a triumph can be made all the world over by absolute Peace and Honesty.

ST. PETER’S CHURCH.