the gospel, reminding those who had received it that "through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God." He was often reduced to great straits. At last, partly from necessity, and partly from a sense of his own incompetence for the clerical office, he thought of engaging himself as a herdsman at a farmer's. Something, however, in his manner betrayed his real station, and the master of the house immediately saluted him with great respect as a clergyman. Boos remained with him long enough to instruct him in the way of salvation, and had the satisfaction of leading him to a living faith in Christ. But, wearied with this uncertain mode of life, he returned, on the 1st of July, to pastor Winkelhofer, and on the 4th he went to Sailer, who, in order to find a retreat for him, wrote to an old friend, Benedict Scharl, steward of the estate of Groenbach, not far from Hohenlinde, in Bavaria, the following laconic epistle :

"Scharl! come with a carriage and horses, and fetch a friend whom I recommend to you. Take him into your house and heart, without asking who or what he is, and treat him as you would myself."

The worthy man did as he was requested, and took Sailer's unknown friend, whom he called Zobo (an anagram of Boos or Booz,) without asking him a single question. It so happened, however, that a few months after, a clergyman who had known Boos in former years called at the house, and on seeing him,

exclaimed, "Boos! what brought you here?" His incognito was thus at an end; but the only alteration it made in the conduct of his host was, that he treated him, if possible, with more affection and respect than before, especially after Boos had told him his whole history. The only reason for concealing his name from Scharl was, that if he had been asked respecting Boos, he might say that he knew no person of that name.

The enemies of Boos at last found out his hiding-place; and on December 9, 1798, he was forced to leave his kind host, and betake himself once more to Augsburg. "Weary of inaction and concealment," he writes, "I threw myself again into the hands of my enemies at Augsburg, saying, Here I am, tear me in pieces, if you will! They were astonished at my coming; their reception and treatment of me were more gentle than I expected."

Boos was summoned before his judges four times in the course of December, and questioned minutely respecting the friends with whom he had resided or carried on correspondence; but he would make no disclosures to the injury of persons to whom he was indebted for his liberty and life. On being asked why he had fled, he answered in the words of the man who was born blind, (John ix. 27,) "I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again ?" This reply so irritated the fiscal that he quite lost his self-command, and abruptly closed the

examination. Boos passed the winter at Augsburg, in his own hired house, under the protection of the vicar-general, though for four months he was not allowed to go beyond the city walls.

The vicar-general held Boos in high esteem; and often slipped a louis d'or into his hand with an express injunction to say nothing about it. He would gladly have set him entirely at liberty had that been possible. But seeing that there was no probability of his remaining unmolested in that part of the country, he advised him to remove to a distance. Boos adopted his advice, and left Augsburg on the 29th of April, 1799, in company with another persecuted and expelled clergyman; and being furnished with a recommendatory letter from a devoted friend, proceeded in a vessel down the Lech and the Danube to Austria, and entered the diocese of Lintz, of which Joseph Anthony Gall was the bishop.

CHAPTER VII.

Boos in Austria-Extracts from his Journal.

THE bishop of Lintz gave Boos a very kind reception. After becoming acquainted with him, he often exclaimed, "Oh that they would send me twenty such priests as Boos!" He gave him a temporary appointment at Leonding, near Lintz, preparatory to his being settled at Waldneukirch. Here, by his energetic preaching, his attention to the sick and to all in distress, and the exemplary purity of his conduct, he soon acquired the esteem and confidence both of his ecclesiastical superiors and his parishioners. At the end of two years he became assistant to professor Bertgen, at Peuerbach, and remained five years in that parish. The following letter from an Austrian clergyman, with some extracts from his own journal, will give sufficient information respecting his labours during that period.

"Martin," says this clergyman, was my nearest neighbour for several years at Peuerbach. We often met, and the frank disclosures he made of his inward state, impressed me with

the purity of his character. He was unwearied in his pastoral duties. He was diligent not only in his labours out of doors, such as visiting the sick, catechising, and inspecting, but also in his study. He committed to paper at the beginning of the week all his addresses for the school or the pulpit. Frequently have I called. on him on a Monday or Tuesday, and found that he had already written his sermon for the following Sunday. He was uncommonly rich in striking thoughts, allusions, and expressions. I never heard him preach, as our services were held at the same hour; but, from the effects produced by his discourses, it may be concluded that they were full of spirit and life.

"In corresponding and communicating information, or making remarks, and that fully, kindly, promptly, and punctually, he was an incomparable friend: his beautiful, delicate hand-writing was seasoned with zeal, and peace, and living Christianity. His thoughts, recollections, and views were always full of scriptural allusions, which were constantly at his command.

"The abundance of his mental resources, and his unwearied activity, enabled him to perform so much within so short a time. Very early in the morning, and late at night, he was seated at his desk; and before the bell called him to the daily service, he had written several letters, or other documents."