theology, and in the light of that truth all the earth became holy to
him. His followers abjured idolatry and sought to know only the
invisible things of the spirit. He did not seek to establish a church;
the truths which he knew, in their essence discountenance a visible
semblance of divine authority, and Nanuk simply spoke them to him who
would hear,--emperor or beggar,--until in 1540 he went into that
spiritual world, which even here had been for him the real one.

And then an oft-told story was repeated; a band of followers elected a
successor, laws were necessary as their number increased, and a choice
of particular assembling places became expedient. And as

"the trees
That whisper round a temple become soon
Dear as the temple's self,"

so the laws passed into dogmas having equal weight with the truths that
Nanuk had delivered, and the places became sacred.

Nanuk's successors were ten, fulfilling a prophecy which thus limited
their number. The compilation of their sayings and doings to form a book
which as years went on was venerated more and more, and the founding of
Oomritsur, chief of their holy places, were the principal things that
transpired in the history of the Khalsa during a century and a half,
save that the brotherhood was greatly strengthened by Moslem
persecution, occurring at intervals.

But with the death of the ninth gooroo, by Moslem violence, and the
accession of his son Govind, the worldly fortunes of the Khalsa changed.
Under the leadership of Govind, a young man of genius and enthusiasm,