Gonda; or the Martyrs of Zaandam [pp. 452-462]

GONDA.
now had been a silent listener, arose; his
eyes kindled, a flush came over his face.
"To-morrow, Sunday, I will take
Arentsz' place, and preach the word of
truth."
His friends looked on in amazement.
They knew he had left his chapel, they
knew he had joined the reform movement; but until now he had been quiet,
seldom giving his opinion. But they
little knew what struggle had been going on in that honest heart for many
years; they little knew how the new
spirit had slowly laid a deep foundation
in that heart, and fitted it to become a
temple of living stone.
"Thou wilt risk thy life," said Gabrielsz, "and then I shall be alone."
"My life is not worth more than that of
Gonda's father," answered Bart. "On
the very place where he suffered death
I will preach the word of life."
He left the room, and in the hall was
met by Gonda. He pressed her to his
heart, and said:
"Sweet child, dost know something
about Hermnan joining the fleet?"
Gonda blushed; it was the blush of
chaste and innocent love.
"I do," she said; "he gives me choice,
to marry now, or else he goes to join
the fleet."
"And thou, what sayst thou?"
She took the pastor's hand in both
her own, and looking steadily up to him,
said slowly:
"I know thy purpose, father. I heard
thy prayer last night. The door was
ajar, I heard thy voice, and stopped. I
did wrong, but could not help it. Tomorrow thou wilt preach where Arentsz
stood and made thee a confessor. Thou
wilt suffer, but I will suffer with thee."
"And Herman?"
" He will go and fight with the arms
of flesh, while thou dost so with the
sword of the spirit."
"And thou?"
"I will remain with thee, father; aid
and help thee, and if need be die with
thee."
The priest-for such he was and must
remain, if vows have any worth —the
priest gave her his blessing, and left.
Some way or other the rumor was
spread abroad that Heer Bart would
preach on the market-place of Zaandam.
If Arentsz had drawn a multitude, still
greater was the flow of eager listeners
now. Some were strong reformers, excited to the utmost by the fate of Arentsz.
Some were doubting, and anxiously
awaited the coming events. Some were
merely curious, and went to hear the
popular pastor of Mary Magdalene.
Some were angry and spiteful, and
ready to raise the hue and cry against
the "apostate priest," who, leaving Holy
Church, went over to a set of fanatical
reformers.
If the voice of Arentsz had been ringing and bringing conviction to many a
wavering soul, the appearance of Bartthe man whom so many had known, who
was so endeared to hundreds by his
unceasing labors for good, who never
spoke a harsh word, but often and often
words of cheering consolation-yes, his
very appearance on the roughly constructed scaffolding hushed all in deepest silence.
As a man who regretted with sorrow
his long silence, with slow but deeptoned voice he spoke about the martyrdom of Jan Hoorn; his words when
walking to the stake, his commending
his only child to his care, his very last
words when torn by the cruel irons.
"Yes," he said, and his words rung over
the thousand listening heads, "Yes, I
did promise, and kept my word; and
she became an angel in my house, and
taught me what it was to pray. There
she is; and even now, through her, the
spirit of Jan Hoorn speaks to me, as
when he died on this very spot for the
faith I now confess."
i874.]
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