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striving to outshine others. But her want of peace within is indicated by such sayings as this; People who would be inconsolable if they had brought any real misfortune upon us, think it allowable to inflict all sorts of little annoyances which at last make a mountain more difficult to climb than any real sorrow."

occurred, and she remained the winter. | Berlin, where he was ambassador,- with The Count declared his love. She showed the best intentions of living quietly, but him the door; he threatened to kill himself; again drawn into the vortex of society, and and, just as in a bad French novel, a sinful relation ensued. And when the governess, Mademoiselle Piozet, who had kept Madame de Krudener within bounds, was married to a M. Armand, she was entirely without protection. She resolved to go home, but informed the Count of her intention, and he persuaded her that she could not travel without an escort. She had not the will Vanity under a garb of religion is plainly to resist, and he accompanied her on the shown by her ascribing all the honours journey. She had given a false representa- which are accorded to her husband to her tion of the relation between them to her hus-return to him, and she considered herself band; but the nearer she got to him, the more loudly conscience began to accuse her. At length they met, and the wife confessed that the sanctity of the marriage tie had been violated. The husband received the announcement with dignified grief. Madame de Krudener prayed for a separation; but her husband would not agree to it, and allowed her to go to Riga to her mother. The Count accompanied her to It would have been very different if this Berlin, and then rushed into the tumult of had been the result of sincere Christian war. The sin had made three mortals mis- zeal, but very much was wanting to make it erable, and brought about nothing but sep-so. In the summer of 1801, Madame de aration.

With her mother the daughter found as much peace as can be found by a soul not yet sensible of its guilt. She nursed her father on his death-bed, and wrote frequently to Madame Armand, and a desire for the peace of God may plainly be traced in her letters. She wrote: "God has supported me, religion has tempered my bitter grief, and I am more disposed for solitude and seclusion from the world."

At Riga she saw Alexander von Stakieff again. He learnt what had occurred, and, as he had before said, all his interest in her vanished. On receiving this, she began to feel the pangs of remorse. But more than ten years went by before she came as a poor sinner to the feet of the Saviour.

We will not enter into many details of this painful time. She met her husband at St. Petersburg. He received her with forgiving kindness, and she was not wanting in humility. At Berlin, whither she had gone on account of her health in 1792, she met Madame Armand, her best friend; but, not being able to withstand being drawn into society, she retired to Leipzig. In 1794, we find her again at Riga, and in 1796, travelling in Germany and in Switzerland. At Lausanne she shone in the society of the French emigrants.

We pass rapidly over the next few years, passed in Switzerland and Germany, until, in 1800, we find her with her husband in

his guardian angel. She says: "I think that God has blessed my husband on account of our re-union. There is no favour or success which has not been granted him. Why should I not believe that such favour is accorded to a pious heart which ́ prays heaven in simplicity and confidence to assist him in striving to attain a higher happiness?"

Krudener went to Töplitz. Her stay there
did her so much good mentally and physi-
cally, that she thought with terror of re-
turning to Berlin, and informed her husband
that she wished to travel in Switzerland,
but set off without waiting for his answer.
At Geneva she received his letter, and
found that he highly disapproved of the
journey. "I confess," he wrote,
"that I
had not feared another separation. You
cannot conceal from yourself how prejudicial
it is to the happiness and interests of our
children, and I tell you with the plainness
that our friendship demands, that duty has
assigned you a place in the bosom of your
family. You appear to think your absence
a source of economy, as if keeping up two
establishments instead of one could possibly
be economical."

At Coppet she met with Madame de Staël, and at Paris formed an intimate acquaintance with Chateaubriand, who sent her a copy of his "Génie du Christianisme" two days before it was published, an honour of which she was in the highest degree sensible. These literary acquaintances stimulated her to carry out some literary projects she had herself formed. But in the midst of these occupations, she received the news of the sudden death of her husband of apoplexy, in June, 1802. Here was a fearful chastisement for her neglect of her duties, in order that she might roam about the world at her pleasure. She had been

had sought him out. He was a Moravian, and with the simplicity which is characteristic of the sect, he preached Christ to her, the crucified and risen One, not in the words that man's wisdom teacheth, but with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. She felt that she was loved, and in place of the avenging God before whom she trembled, she saw Him who died for sinners. With all the fervour of a forgiven sinner, she loved Him who first loved her. After first tasting of the peace of God among the Moravians, she constantly associated with these simple Christians, and found amongst them what she could not find amidst the most brilliant circles of the world.

She wrote to her friend: "O my dear Armand, pray, pray like a child if you are not yet in this blessed state, pray and entreat for this mercy which God grants us for the sake of his dear Son's love. It will sustain you, and make you feel that man can be happy neither in this world nor in the next without the faith that salvation is only to be had through Him. Religious truth is most simple and sublime, but human pride prefers to rely upon its own pride, to humbling itself, and how can man comprehend everything? Ask, and it shall be given you,' says the Saviour, seek, and ye shall find. Pray, with an honest heart, and everything will become clear to you. Penetrated with these great truths, my heart has gone out towards you, and I have asked that this peace of the soul, this glorious heritage, may be yours. My dear Armand, you have not sinned as I have; I have suffered shipwreck on a thousand shoals, but we all have need of the mercy of God."

had been led to the Saviour, but by very different paths. The Queen, who had been brought to a sense of a sinful nature without having fallen into any special sins, and Madame de Krudener, who had gone through so much sad experience of sin, now found each other acknowledging the same blessed name, and practising the same charity at the bed-sides of the soldiers in the hospitals. The intimacy which was formed at this time was a lasting one. Madame de Krudener went from Königsberg to Dresden, visited the Moravians at Kleinwelke, Herrnhut, and Berthelsdorf, and then went to the south of Germany in order to make the acquaintance of Jung Stilling.

She arrived with her daughter and stepdaughter at Carlsruhe. There she found Stilling, and enjoyed in his family the peace of a Christian household. While the venerable man was initiating her into the relations between the spirit world and the inhabitants of earth, she could not withdraw entirely from the society of the court. She visited the sick and poor, and the palaces of the great. Among these were the Margravine of Baden, mother of the Empress of Russia, her daughters, the Queens of Bavaria and Sweden, the grand Duchess of Hesse, and the Duchess of Brunswick, and she often saw Queen Hortense, the wife of Louis Bonaparte. When at length for the sake of quiet she retired into Würtemburg, she was placed under the surveillance of the police, on account of her intercourse with the Moravians and other Christian friends; her letters were intercepted, and she returned to Carlsruhe.

The pastor Baumeister at Berthelsdorf had said to her, when he heard of her inten"En peu d'heures Dieu labeure," is a tion of visiting Stilling, "Tell Stilling from French proverb. Madame de Krudener me, that I beg that he will not invoke you had experienced a great change, all her as a saint." If in her intercourse with Stilpowers had received a fresh stimulus. All ling she was preserved from imagining herthe warmth and ardour of her nature, for a self to have a special vocation in the kingtime extinguished by her melancholy, re-dom of God, she was soon led to think so turned to her sanctified by religion. In her by another acquaintance. There was at mother's salons, instead of seeking to gratify her own vanity, she acknowledged her Lord, avoided worldly society, and often visited the Moravians. A great part of her time was devoted to reading the Bible, and much of the rest to correspondence in which she proclaimed her Saviour, with the praise and gratitude of a pardoned sinner. And this peace in her soul was accompanied by Christian conduct. She introduced method into the arrangement of her time, her money, and her estate. As her health was not good, in the summer of 1806 she was ordered to Wiesbaden. On her return she met Queen Louisa at Königsberg. Both VOL. XI. 438

LIVING AGE.

that time a pastor at St. Marien (aux Mines), Frederic Fontaine, who belonged to a Prussian Huguenot family. He was already well known for his Christian zeal, his devotion to the poor and the special answers he had received to prayer, when he formed an acquaintance with Mary Kummer, an ecstatic peasant, who, when in her ecstacies, prophesied and prayed in language far above her education. She had foretold the visit of Madame de Krudener, and when she arrived the pastor greeted her with the words, "Art thou she that should come, or do we look for another?" And the prophetess foretold a high vocation for her, in which

she was to be supported by Fontaine. Her mother. She no longer wrote to her daughlong adhesion to this self-interested prophet- ter, who often pictured her brooding in soliess, and to Fontaine, whose interested mo- tude over her ingratitude. She resolved to tives were also pretty evident, must be as- go to her, and in August, 1810, arrived at cribed to the enthusiastic nature of Madame Riga. It deeply grieved her to find her de Krudener; but it seems like a relapse in- mother still engrossed in worldly amuseto the old paths, only under a guise of ments, and she and her friends the Moravispirituality. She allowed the prophecies of ans prayed all the more earnestly for her Mary Kummer to decide whether she should soul. In January she died of apoplexy, remain in a place or go away, and she was after many times exclaiming, "Jesus, dear once induced by her to buy an estate in Jesus." In November, 1811, summoned by Bonigheim in Würtemburg, and to found a Mary Kummer, Madame de Krudener reChristian colony there. In the beginning of turned to Baden. On her way she promul1809 she went there with Mary Kummer. gated the doctrine of pure love at KönigsCrowds of people flocked to them, until berg, Breslau, and Dresden. She found King Frederic, annoyed by the prophesying, Fontaine settled as pastor in the neighbourhad the house surrounded with gendarmes, hood of Carlsruhe, and again gave herself and Kummer sent to prison. Madame de up to his influence. In consequence of the Krudener was then compelled to leave Wür-invitation of numerous friends she went to temburg, and returned to Baden, where she Switzerland, and thence, in 1812, to Straswas cordially received by the Grand Duchess burg, to visit her son, who was Secretary of Stephanie. Aristocratic society was enter- the Embassy. There she found, as prefect, tained by her conversation and narrations. the Count de Lezay-Marnezia, with whom They were interesting and piquant, although and his lady she enjoyed refreshing interthey surpassed the standard of piety which course. They had been acquainted at Montwas tolerated in the world; and when, while pellier and Barèges, and the Count was not wandering in the evenings among the ruins a little astonished at the change which had of the Schloss, the lady related stories of taken place in Madame de Krudener, and visions and spiritual appearances, the hear- she had no more ardent wish than to lead ers were seized with a not unpleasant awe. him to Christ. When Mary Kummer was released from A visit they paid to Oberlin at Steinthal prison she also came to Baden, and her made a salutary impression upon the Count, prophetic spirit was not silenced. The life and a few weeks later Madame de Krudener of Madame de Krudener was divided be- was able to write: "We have had the tween outward difficulties and spiritual de- happiness of seeing the Count praying in lights; but she found a powerful antidote the midst of us, on his knees before the Sato the difficulties of life in the tranquillity viour of the world. You may imagine which she found in the writings of St. The- what a sensation this has produced. He is resa, Fénélon, and Madame Guion. After pre-eminent in rank, in importance, in chartheir example she cultivated pure, self-deny-acter, and in virtues, and this distinguished ing love. "This love," she wrote, " must man is now thoroughly humbled and as burn to ashes all that is impure, personal, teachable as a little child. He is now truly and selfish in our hearts. It is opposed to great; he is a Christian, a worshipper of all self-seeking, and considers it as robbing the true God, and of Jesus Christ, the cruGod. It wishes to receive everything from cified. O, adore Him, adore Him!” God, in order to give all to Him again. It renders ns capable of the most heroic sacrifices, and effects in us a devotion to our brethren like that of Jesus Christ.

Next she went to Geneva, to visit Madame Armand- a visit which had great influence upon her future life.

It is well known that the doctrines of Our Judge is still crucified in his members. rationalism had taken firm hold in the city His instruments are despised and persecut- of Calvin. Even a society of the Moraed they are mocked by every one, and vians which had long existed there now only not even acknowledged by many true Chris-numbered five members. Since 1810, these, tians. They are a small remnant, who seek with other friends of the Bible, had been in nothing for themselves, but they are very the habit of assembling for prayer. Out of dear to their Divine Shepherd. The divine this, at the instigation of M. Bost, arose a love with which they are filled causes them meeting for reading the Scriptures, which to be accused of fanaticism, but it is a proof of their greatness and noble origin."

Among the sufferings which she had to endure in consequence of this devotion to her Saviour, was estrangement from her

was attended by some young students of theology, among whom was a young man named Empaytaz. In the year 1810 he had been greatly affected by the death of his father, and through the teaching of one of

the Moravian brethren he had attained to faith and peace. The meetings of the "friends were discontinued in consequence of the opposition of the ecclesiastical authorities, but the society of the brethren increased, and Empaytaz and a friend of his, Guers, who were attached to them, endeavoured to advance the kingdom of God by teaching in a Sunday-school. In consequence of this the "Venerable Company" (the ecclesiastical authorities) informed the father of Guers that if his son continued to associate with the brethren he could not be admitted to orders.

who prays you in tears and upon her knees to remain faithful to Christ, and to pray that I may practise the virtues which I preach, which indeed I am not worthy to preach, but God my Saviour is witness that I long to possess them and to glorify Christ the Crucified. I embrace you, and throw myself with you on the holy bosom of Jesus."

After Madame de Krudener left Geneva, the storm began to break over Empaytaz. He was called upon to decide between giving up either his theological career or the religious meetings. On the 3rd of June, 1814, the " Venerable Company" informed him that if he continued to attend the meetings he would be excluded from the ecclesiastical office; and the pulpits were already closed against him. He then left Geneva.

Just at this juncture Madame de Krudener arrived at Geneva. She stayed with Madame Armand, who already kept up intercourse with the brethren and took part in their religious re-unions. Empaytaz, who was assailed on all sides by advice not to ruin his ecclesiastical prospects by conMeantime Madame de Krudener stayed necting himself with the brethren, was en- some time at Basle, where she found an atcouraged by Madame de Krudener to en-tractive sphere of labour. She took part deavour to assemble the people of God in in the efforts of some zealous Christians to Geneva. In September, 1813, they together spread the word of God. It was distribuopenly established a meeting. In October ted among the soldiers, who read it eagerly. Madame de Krudener was obliged to return to Carlsruhe, but she wrote letters to him and to the congregation full of ardent Christian eloquence.

"O, dear friends," she wrote, "the storm is approaching, the earth trembles under our feet, nation is rising against nation, and the chastisements of a just God are proclaimed in characters of blood. Woe to us if we do not read them aright. Woe to us if our conversion is not complete. O, my best-beloved friends, I invite you to come to the cross. The voice to which you have not disdained to listen, the voice of a poor sinner whose hopes are based upon these words of life, Thy sins are forgiven thee,' adjures you to unite in prayer with her that Christ will grant us that we may live to Him alone. She adjures you to keep up the meetings faithfully; not to listen to human reasonings; to pray daily to a merciful God that the number of souls saved may be daily increased. She entreats you to remember the wretched, the dying, the widows and orphans. She adjures you to pray, to pray without ceasing, to implore that sinners may be converted, to pray that God will guide those youths who are preparing themselves for the ecclesiastical office, that they may become champions of the truth of the Gospel, to pray Him to enlighten those who are in error, to strengthen the weak, to bless the young missionary whom God in his goodness has sent to us. And now I entreat you to pray for me, the most unworthy servant of the Lord, and

Everywhere there were anxious souls whom the troubles of war had made susceptible to the message of mercy. From Basle she went to Carlsruhe. Thence she wrote to Empaytaz, to encourage him to remain steadfast, and invited him to meet her at Steinthal, to visit Oberlin. He arrived there before her. The great events of the time had given her abundant work to do, both amongst the humble and the great. People crowded to her from all quarters, and she scattered seeds of comfort among them from the word of God.

In September she arrived at Steinthal, and, under the peaceful roof of the venerable Oberlin, she and Empaytaz enjoyed some precious hours, employed in the study of the Scriptures and in labour amongst the people. But she was soon called from this placid yet active life, by the news that Count Lezay, while going to meet the Duke de Berri, had been killed by being thrown from his carriage.

She and her daughter and Empaytaz hastened to the widow at Strasburg. The prefect had died a Christian's death, full of love and prayerful repentance, and in humble faith.

The visit to Strasburg was taken advantage of to hold religious meetings, which were conducted by Empaytaz, and Madame de Krudener conversed with individuals in private. In November she went to Carlsruhe, where she daily assembled the Protestant and Catholic clergy around her, that they might be edified together.