Alban being yet a pagan, at the time when the cruelties of wicked princes were raging against Christians, gave entertainment in his house to a certain clergyman.'

Few historical incidents have been more perverted than the history of St. Alban. The unprejudiced reader might hardly be persuaded to believe that Romanists have claimed St. Alban as one of their saints. Yet so it is! Away with the thought, and let us contemplate this most interesting story in its true light. Who was Alban? A pagan. Who was the certain clergyman? A clergyman of the British Church, and hence a clergyman of the Established Church of England. What brought the blessing of conversion to Alban? Entertaining his cler

gyman. For what did Alban subsequently suffer martyrdom? Entertaining his clergyman. For what object, then, should the modern Christian strive with might and main? To entertain his clergyman!

Let us for a moment imagine ourselves upon the rising ground above the vale of Varlingacestir. The fertile plain beneath our feet is clothed with the primeval oak, and with virgin verdure as yet unturned by the plowshare. Here meanders the tortuous river; there rises aloft the wooded. knoll; on this side a noble stag, startled at our unwonted appearance, bounds nimbly downthe hill into the vale below; on that the wild horse. whinnies to his fellow.

But what is that we see nestled among the clustering beeches? It is a

house-the home of Alban. And who do we find in the house? A clergyman! It is sweet to contemplate that clergyman. Nay, may we not even imagine him in the becoming garb of our own days, and, in our mind's eye, picture him, "all umbrella and spectacles," hurrying, hot, breathless and perspiring, into the house of Alban with his enemies at his coat-tails.

This man he observed to be engaged in continual prayer and watching day and night."

3

By "day and night," we are to understand that the clergyman read family prayers night and morning for the household of Alban; by his "watching," that he was ever nervously

fearing the appearance of his persecutors. How beautifully this demonstrates the similarity between the British clergyman of the fourth and the nineteenth centuries-alike nervous; alike reading family prayers night and morning to the households of their hosts!

The aforesaid clergyman having been some days entertained by him, it came to the ears of the wicked prince that this holy confessor of Christ, whose time of martyrdom had not yet come, was concealed at Alban's house. Whereupon he sent some soldiers

to make a strict search after him. When they came to the martyr's house, St. Alban immediately

B

presented himself to the soldiers, instead of his guest and master, in the habit or long coat which he wore, and was led bound to the judge.*

4 Here the modern Christian should perceive that it is not only at dinner that he ought to entertain his clergyman, but during "some days." And now let us pause for a moment to picture to ourselves Alban in the clergyman's long coat. May we not, in order to bring the scene more vividly before our minds, have license to add his M. B. waistcoat, and his wide-awake? Gladly too would the fancy depict his neck-gear; but, unfortunately, history is silent as to whether the clergyman was high or low, broad, scholastic or sporting, so