The Master-Christian

mp which illumined the "best room" of the Hotel Poitiers was certainly a handsome and imposing personage, broad-chested and muscular, with a massive head, well set on

e finger of a daintily-bred woman, so the emblem of salvation seemed a mere bauble and toy on the breast of the Archbishop, while it assumed its most reverent and sacred aspect as worn by Felix Bonpre. Yet judged by mere outward appearance, there could be no doubt as to which was the finer-looking man of the two. The Cardinal, thin and pale, with shadows of thought and pain in his eyes, and the many delicate wrinkles of advancing age marking his features, would never possess so much attractiveness for worldly and superficial persons as the handsome Archbishop, who carried his fifty-five years as though they were but thirty, and whose fresh, plump face, unmarred by any serious consideration, bespoke a th

or the priesthood, "are generally socialists and revolutionists.

midly,-"Our Lord Himself was a t

hop rose up in wrath an

o much troubled in these days by the members of a useless and degenerate apostasy!" Whereupon the young man had left his presence abashed, p

when he learned that the dingy, comfortless, little Hotel Poitiers had been selected by the Cardinal as his temporary lodging,-and it was not without a pious murmur concerning "the pride which apes humility" that he betook himself to that ancient and despised hostelry, which had nothing whatever in the way of a modern advantage to recommend it,-neither electric light, nor electric bell, nor telephone. But he felt it incumbent upon him to pay a fraternal visit to the Cardinal, who had become in a manner famous without being at all aware of his fame,-and when finally in his presence, he was conscious not only of a singular disappointment, but an equally singular perplexity. Felix Bonpre was not at all the sort of personage he had expected to see. He had imagined that a Churchman who was able to obtain a character for saintliness in days like these, must needs be worldly-wise and crafty, with a keen perception and comprehension of the follies of mankind, and an ability to use these follies advantageously to further his own ends. Something of the cunning and foresight of an ancient Egyptian sorcerer was in the composition of the Archbishop himself, for he judged mankind alone by its general stupidity and credulity;-stupidity and cred

aid-"Really, it is quite a violation of custom and usage that you should be in this

d one hand in gentle

'prince of the Church.' There are no princes in

op opened hi

e have always been since Cardinals were created; and you, being a Car

Bonpre

day and night, scarcely resting himself, working and praying for the spiritual welfare of others, should to my thinking be as greatly held in honour as the bishop who commands him and who often-so it chances-is able to do less for o

s?" enquired the Archbishop, his feature

say 'Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant'? And 'Whosoever shall exalt

was silent for

words literally to every-day exigencies,

presentatives of a God-given faith, are solemnly bound to do so. And I fear-I very much fear-that it is because in many cas

humouredly, yet not without a touch of satire in his tone

Lord. No reform is necessary in that,-it is clear, concise, and simple enough for a child to understand. His command to His disciples was,-'Feed my sheep'-and I have

ycophant in his nature despite his personal pride, and he could not but reflect that Cardinals ranked above Archbishops, and that Felix Bonpre was in very truth a "prince of the Church" however much he himself elected to disc

your supposition that whole flocks are starving;-for Christianity dominates the better and more intellectual part of the civilized world, and through its d

ould hardly apply that term to the luxury-loving peoples of Tyr

s," said the Archb

Good, not Evil, an impulse to press on in the right direction was always in the brain of man, no matter how dimly felt. Primitive notions of honour were strange indeed; nevertheless honour existed in the minds of the early barbarians in a vague sense, though distorted out of shape and noblest meaning. No,-we

re judge!" said

fted his mild blue

nt on any poor soul that sought my sympathy! I do not judge,-I simply feel.

ful! An

nd all the world would be gathered into the 'one fold under one Shepherd.' But if we, who are its ministers, persist in occupying ourselves more with 'things temporal' than 'things spiritual,' we f

een heretics and atheists," said the Archbi

exist," replied the Cardinal; "If our Divine faith were lived divinely, there would b

p's handsome

in the indignation he could scarcely conceal-"you talk-pardon me-as if y

ry steadfastly convinced;-namely, that Christ was divine, and that the following of His Gospel is the saving of the immort

he Church should surely have n

rince of the Church.' According to our Master, all men should be equal before Him; therefore we err in mar

shop began to look

ideas," he said with impatience-"In fact I conside

way up to bed, and had caused Henri to declare that the Archbishop and the Cardinal were q

es. But I should be selfish and narrow in spirit if I allowed myself to limit my views to my own circle of influence. My flock are mere rustics in intellectual capacity, and have no conception of the manner in which the larger tide of human events is flowing. Now and then one or two of the people grow weary of their quiet pastures and woodlands,-and being young, hopeful, and ardent, start forth into the great world, there to seek fai

nt. The Archbish

heir childhood broken-hearted, I cannot meet them with reproach. My own heart is half broken to see them thus cast down. And their sorrows have compelled me naturally to meditate on the sorrows of others,-to consider what it is in the world which thus corrodes the pure gold of innocence and robs life of its greatest charm. For if Christ's spirit ruled us all, then innocence should be held more sacred. Life should engender happi

r, calm, steadfast look of Felix Bonpre, and he faltered. His eyes drooped-and his massive figure seemed for a moment to shrink with a sort of ab

ed to fresh torture! You know that we do nothing!-We stand beside Him in His second agony as dumb as though we were unconscious of it! You know that we MIGHT speak and will no

ttle from the confusion that had momentarily seized him,-"And as I just now observe

ld forget! Heretics, whom we have tortured with unheard-of agonies and burned in t

the Archbishop quickly. "We erred in the be

case of Galileo! He declared the existence of God to us by the utterance of a Truth,-inasmuch as every truth is a new message from God. Had he pronounced his theories before our divine Master, that Master would have confirmed, not denied them! Have we one single example of Christ putting to the torture any poor soul that did not believe in Him? Nay-He Himself submitted to be tortured; but for those who wronged Him, His prayer was only-'Father, forgive them, for they know not

mity. He sat down and surveyed the up-standing figur

hat you say may be true; nevertheless the Church-OUR Church-stands firm among overwhelming contradictions,-and we, its minist

lost,' or at any rate that we could have done more in the way of rescue than we have done." He paused a moment, passing one hand across his forehead wearily. "In truth this is what has for a long time weighed upon my mind, and

ave fulfilled your duty; more than this is not expected of you. You have done your best

been bestowed upon me. I much fear that the calm and quiet of my days have rendered me selfish. I think I should long ago have sought some means of engaging in more active duties.

te for one in your

may yet sit in S

sword and buckler of energetic manhood. I am old-old!-and to a certain extent, incapacitated for useful labour. Hence I almost grudge my halcyon time spent among simple folk,-time made sweet by all the surrounding

lf had suddenly been laid bare in all its vileness to the light of day. The golden crucifix he wore moved restlessly

t that at the present day the world is full of terrible heresies and open blasphemy, but this is par

'suffering for righteousness' sake,' but in our egotism we forget that WE are not suffering at all if we are able to retain our faith! I

'?" enquired the Archbishop-"Is he

demn all those who do not follow it,-inasmuch as the very Founder of it distinctly says-'If any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.' Now we, His followers, judge, but do not save. The atheist is judged by us, but not rescued from his unbelief; the thinker is condemned,-the scie

ed to take these sayings absolutely,-and to fret your spirit over the non-performance of imaginary duties which do not exist. This Church is a system,

eplied the Cardinal firmly. "I said this before, and I deliberately maintain it. The Church IS a system,-but whether it is as much founde

" said the Archbishop-"I am amazed that you

was not God-in-Man. Christ's doctrine leaves no place for differing sects; St. Paul's method of applyi

th you," said the

ng out for help and comfort as there is at present among all Christian peoples. We no longer speak with a grand certainty as we ought to do. We only offer vague hopes and dubious promises to those who thirst for the living waters of salvation and immortality,-it is as if we did not feel sure enough of God ourselves to make others sure. All this is wrong-wrong!

hbishop

did yo

repeated his

athedral and listened to th

nd all out of gear;-it is never used. The only one we have for service just now is a much smaller instrument in the left-hand choir-chapel,

ooked complete

re of this?" he a

ung;-but after you have had sufficient rest and change, you will see things in quite a different aspect. I will not for a moment believe that you could possibly be as unorthodox as your conversation would imply,-it would be a total misconception of your true character," and the Archbishop laughed softly. "A total misconception," he rep

ing the question mechanically though his though

ris? An

Angela Sovrani,-she is in P

rmured the Archbishop softly-"She is famous ev

a great deal to learn. And she is unfortunately much more alone now than

er was yo

e she was compelled to lead. My brother-in-law, Prince Sovrani, kept open house,-and all the gay world of Rome was accustomed to flock thi

ed to the celebrate

pain darkened the C

. She sees little-and sometimes-so I think-knows less. However, I hope all will be well. But my n

an alive who should indulge in melancholy forebodings. You have led a peaceful and happy life, graced with the reputation of many good deeds, and you are generally beloved by the people of whom you have charge. Then, though celibacy is you

he spoke; the Cardinal

blessings than I deserve. It is not any personal grief which at present troubles me,-it is something beyond myself. It is a

tion to get the better of you in such matters! When you return from Rome, I shall be glad to see you if y

tly,-"But if I should again visit Rouen, I will certainly let you

his way carefully down the rough stairs and along the dingy little passage of the Hotel Poi

igneur," said Pato

e, and feeling rather inclined to indulge in very uncanonic

eturned Jean calmly-"And povert

and paused for a moment on the threshold,-a broad smile wrinkling up his fat cheek

does not say so,"

gs-a saint or a fool! Remember that

per awaited him. The moon had risen, and was clambering slowly up between the two tall towers of Notre Dame, her pure silver radi

mured Jean with a chuckle-"Well!-it is ver

an he had deemed. If, as the Archbishop had said, there could have been no music possible in the Cathedral that afternoon, how came it that he had heard such solemn and entrancing harmonies? Was his mind affected? Was he in truth imagining what did not exist? Were the griefs of the world his own distorted view of things? Did the Church faithfully follow the beautiful and perfect teachings of Christ after all? He tried to reason the question out from a different and

e have never seemed to thoroughly understand, and this is that Christ's teaching is God's teaching, and that it has not stopped with the enunciation of the Gospel. It is going on even now-in every fresh discovery of science,-in every new national experience,-in everything we can do, or think, or plan, the Divine instruction steadily continues through the Divine influence imparted to us when the Godhead be

looking at the white glory of the moonlight as it poured through his lattice window and formed delicate traceries of silver luminance on the bare wooden floor. He could just see the dark towers of Notre Dame from where he lay,-a black mass in the moonbeams-a monument of half-forgotten history-a dream of centuries, hallowed or blas

ardinal Bonpre-"only that we ourselves have set up stumb

benediction,-and the bells of the city chimed the hours loudly and softly, clanging in every direction, without wakin