Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/127

 Rh and set her sails. We naturally thought that she had noticed us and was preparing to pursue us, and we again turned towards Rochelle, in great agony of mind. We should all have preferred instant death to capture, for we were aware of our own weakness and frailty, and we feared persecution might destroy our constancy. A few minutes put an end to our anxiety, for we saw the frigate steering towards Rochefort, and we again changed our course and made for the English vessel, which slackened her rate to allow us to overtake her. We went on board with the frigate still in sight. A blessed and ever-memorable day for us, who then effected our escape from our cruel enemies, who were not so much to be feared because they had power to kill the body, but the rather from the pains they took to destroy the souls of their victims.

I bless God for the multitude of his mercies in earthly enjoyments also. He allowed me to bring to England the dear one whom I loved better than myself, and she willingly gave up relations, friends and wealth to be the sharer of my poverty in a strange land, where we could worship God according to the dictates of conscience. I here testify that we have fully experienced the truth of that promise of our Blessed Saviour, to give an hundred fold more, even in this present life, to those who leave all and follow him. We have never wanted for any thing, we have not only been supplied with necessaries, but comforts, and oftentimes luxuries also. Certain it is, that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth, but in the enjoyment he has of them, and it is in this sense that I would be understood, when I say that we have received the hundred fold promised in the Gospel; for we have had infinitely more joy and satisfaction in having abandoned our property for