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friend the 'New Sabbath；' which he had never once heard since
the lisping days of childhood； and whose existence； much as it
had then been to him； he had till this moment quite forgotten。
Where the 'New Sabbath' had kept itself all these yearswhy
that sound and hearty melody had disappeared from all the
cathedrals； parish churches； minsters and chapels…of…ease that
he had been acquainted with during his apprenticeship to life；
and until his ways had become irregular and uncongregational
he could not； at first； say。 But then he recollected that the
tune appertained to the old west…gallery period of church…
music； anterior to the great choral reformation and the rule
of Monkthat old time when the repetition of a word； or half…
line of a verse； was not considered a disgrace to an
ecclesiastical choir。
Willing to be interested in anything which would keep him out…
of…doors； Somerset dismounted from the stile and descended the
hill before him； to learn whence the singing proceeded。
II。
He found that it had its origin in a building standing alone
in a field； and though the evening was not yet dark without；
lights shone from the windows。 In a few moments Somerset
stood before the edifice。 Being just then en rapport with
ecclesiasticism by reason of his recent occupation； he could
not help murmuring； 'Shade of Pugin； what a monstrosity！'
Perhaps this exclamation （rather out of date since the
discovery that Pugin himself often nodded amazingly） would not
have been indulged in by Somerset but for his new
architectural resolves； which caused professional opinions to
advance themselves officiously to his lips whenever occasion
offered。 The building was； in short； a recently…erected
chapel of red brick； with pseudo…classic ornamentation； and
the white regular joints of mortar could be seen streaking its
surface in geometrical oppressiveness from top to bottom。 The
roof was of blue slate； clean as a table； and unbroken from
gable to gable； the windows were glazed with sheets of plate
glass； a temporary iron stovepipe passing out near one of
these； and running up to the height of the ridge； where it was
finished by a covering like a parachute。 Walking round to the
end； he perceived an oblong white stone let into the wall just
above the plinth； on which was inscribed in deep letters：
Erected 187…；
AT THE SOLE EXPENSE OF
JOHN POWER； ESQ。； M。P。
The 'New Sabbath' still proceeded line by line； with all the
emotional swells and cadences that had of old characterized
the tune： and the body of vocal harmony that it evoked
implied a large congregation within； to whom it was plainly as
familiar as it had been to church…goers of a past generation。
With a whimsical sense of regret at the secession of his once
favourite air Somerset moved away； and would have quite
withdrawn from the field had he not at that moment observed
two young men with pitchers of water coming up from a stream
hard by； and hastening with their burdens into the chapel
vestry by a side door。 Almost as soon as they had entered
they emerged again with empty pitchers； and proceeded to the
stream to fill them as before； an operation which they
repeated several times。 Somerset went forward to the stream；
and waited till the young men came out again。
'You are carrying in a great deal of water；' he said； as each
dipped his pitcher。
One of the young men modestly replied； 'Yes： we filled the
cistern this morning； but it leaks； and requires a few
pitcherfuls more。'
'Why do you do it？'
'There is to be a baptism； sir。'
Somerset was not sufficiently interested to develop a further
conversation； and observing them in silence till they had
again vanished into the building； he went on his way。
Reaching the brow of the hill he stopped and looked back。 The
chapel was still in view； and the shades of night having
deepened； the lights shone from the windows yet more brightly
than before。 A few steps further would hide them and the
edifice； and all that belonged to it from his sight； possibly
for ever。 There was something in the thought which led him to
linger。 The chapel had neither beauty； quaintness； nor
congeniality to recommend it： the dissimilitude between the
new utilitarianism of the place and the scenes of venerable
Gothic art which had occupied his daylight hours could not
well be exceeded。 But Somerset； as has been said； was an
instrument of no narrow gamut： he had a key for other touches
than the purely aesthetic； even on such an excursion as this。
His mind was arrested by the intense and busy energy which
must needs belong to an assembly that required such a glare of
light to do its religion by； in the heaving of that tune there
was an earnestness which made him thoughtful； and the shine of
those windows he had characterized as ugly reminded him of the
shining of the good deed in a naughty world。 The chapel and
its shabby plot of ground； from which the herbage was all
trodden away by busy feet； had a living human interest that
the numerous minsters and churches knee…deep in fresh green
grass； visited by him during the foregoing week； had often
lacked。 Moreover； there was going to be a baptism： that
meant the immersion of a grown…up person； and he had been told
that Baptists were serious people and that the scene was most
impressive。 What manner of man would it be who on an ordinary
plodding and bustling evening of the nineteenth century could
single himself out as one different from the rest of the
inhabitants； banish all shyness； and come forward to undergo
such a trying ceremony？ Who was he that had pondered； gone
into solitudes； wrestled with himself； worked up his courage
and said； I will do this； though few else will； for I believe
it to be my duty？
Whether on account of these thoughts； or from the circumstance
that he had been alone amongst the tombs all day without
communion with his kind； he could not tell in after years
（when he had good reason to think of the subject）； but so it
was that Somerset went back； and again stood under the chapel…
wall。
Instead of entering he passed round to where the stove…chimney
came through the bricks； and holding on to the iron stay he
put his toes on the plinth and looked in at the window。 The
building was quite full of people belonging to that vast
majority of society who are denied the art of articulating
their higher emotions； and crave dumbly for a fugleman
respectably dressed working people； whose faces and forms were
worn and contorted by years of dreary toil。 On a platform at
the end of the chapel a haggard man of more than middle age；
with grey whiskers ascetically cut back from the fore part of
his face so far as to be almost banished from the countenance；
stood reading a chapter。 Between the minister and the
congregation was an open space； and in the floor of this was
sunk a tank full of water； which just made its surface visible
above the blackness of its depths by reflecting the lights
overhead。
Somerset endeavoured to discover which one among the
assemblage was to be the subject of the ceremony。 But nobody
appeared there