he slowly made his way along, so as to keep up with the procession, "you have every thing as you could wish it. There cannot be many Catholics in the city, judging from this sight."

"No," returned Agathocles; "they have had their day, but it is over. Athanasius stood out against the world while he lived; but now that he is gone, the world will have its own way.”

As he spoke, there was some confusion in front, which brought the procession to a stop. Presently, five or six soldiers dragged forward two men, clad in the coarsest of tunics, and wearing over them a kind of goatskin cloak.

"Why, here are a couple of monks," cried the merchant. "How, in the name of wonder, did they venture here to-day? It will be as much as their lives are worth."

66

"What are these men, soldiers ?" inquired Count Magnus, as the two monks were dragged close to him, the procession still stopping, and those who had already passed turning round to see what was about to happen. May it please your Splendour," said one of the soldiers, "these men have interrupted the course of the procession, notwithstanding the proclamation made, that all those who hold the faith of Nicea should either confine themselves to their houses, or follow peaceably with the others."

"How now, fellow !" inquired the Count; "are you an` Athanasian ?"

"I bear no name," replied the monk, save that of CHRIST. But if you ask whether I worship the Consubstantial, I do."

And the crowd yelled out, "Away with the Catholics! Cut the Omoüsians in two! Throw the Athanasians into the sea! As they divide, so let them be divided!” Such were the cries that came from street, quay-side, and house-top; men shook their fists at the two monks, hooted, yelled, and spat at them. It seemed as if Athanasius were no sooner in the grave, than the whole city where he had taught and where he had suffered were become Arian.

But-"why do the heathen so furiously rage together,

and why do the people imagine a vain thing? I set My King upon My holy hill in Sion." was proved that day.

Yet have And so it

"Come, come, fellows," cried Lucius, "go back to your deserts before worse happens to you. Worship what you like there; no one wishes to hinder you. But depend upon it, Nicea and its creed are quite out of date; and the world will have nothing more to say to them." "The world, I know," replied the elder monk, whose name was Pachomius, "prefers the creed which you dated on the 22nd of May; as if, forsooth, the Catholic faith had never been known before that day. As for us, we shall hold to our latest breath, that which was defined by the Three hundred and eighteen. And to you I say, ye worship ye know not what; we know what we worship." "This insolence passes," cried Euzoius. "Lord Quæstor, have you never a jail where these men can lie till further order be taken with them ?"

"Nay, nay," said Lucius, who, so his own pleasures were not interfered with, was a good-natured man; "let them be driven out of the city, and let the faith of the Consubstantial go with them."

While he was yet speaking, there rose a dismal yell from the midst of the crowd. Those who stood near the place whence it issued, fell back on all sides; it was rather like the howl of a wild beast than the voice of a man. Yell after yell came thicker and closer together, intermingled with shrieks and gaspings, and a kind of horrid laughter.

"What is that ?" said Count Magnus.

"A man seized with a devil, my lord," replied one of the lictors.

"Let him be carried hence," returned the Quæstor; "if he has no friends, let him be committed to prison, and send these monks with him."

"Now let it be seen," said Pachomius, as the lictors

1 The good monk is referring to the creed drawn up by the Arian Council of Sirmium, which was always ridiculed by the Catholics on account of its being dated at the end, May 22nd, 356; as if, they said, the truth of JESUS CHRIST were not the same yesterday, today, and for ever.

were about to lead him off, "which is the true faith, yours or ours. You, Lucius, who call yourself Bishop of this city, if you really believe that which you profess to hold; cast out the evil spirit from that man. If you fail, and I, miserable sinner though I be, prevail, through the power of the Consubstantial SON, let all this assembly own that the faith of Nicæa is the faith of God."

"Do not listen to the man," said Euzoius, in a low voice, to Lucius. "These things are not to be rashly taken in hand."

"Not I," returned Lucius. "What needs," he continued in a louder voice, "the casting out a devil to prove that to be the true faith which all the world have agreed to hold, and which the great and GOD-preserved Augustus, Valens, himself professes ?"

"Take notice, then, good people," cried Pachomius, "that Lucius refuses my challenge. Will ye make him your Bishop who is afraid to enter the arena, with one poor, miserable monk?"

There was a cry from three or four voices of "Lucius,” as if the people were somewhat disappointed that the champion of Nicæa had met with no antagonist.

"If I thought," said Lucius, hesitatingly

"Do not dream of it, most excellent Bishop," interrupted the Quæstor. "We are not to be at the beck of every madman who chooses to call upon us for a miracle. Will none of you carry off that fellow ?" he continued angrily, as the miserable wretch broke away from those that were holding him, burst through the crowd, threw himself on the ground at the feet of the horses, bit at the pavement, bit, at himself, blasphemed, howled, tore off his hair by handfuls, foamed at the mouth, and then set up a succession of long, piercing shrieks.

"Hear me, Lucius," said Pachomius, in an interval of the demoniac's paroxysm." You refuse to cast out the evil spirit from this man. I will. But that is a light matter. I will so do it, that all men, save they who are wilfully blind, shall confess that we are the true servants of GOD, and you hereties and outcasts from His Church.'

"Send him to prison," roared Euzoius. "Are we to be kept waiting here all day ?"

"By your excellency's leave," said Count Magnus, in a low, hurried voice, "that were scarcely well done. The people are ill contented that we have refused the challenge. Let the fool try if he will. He will not succeed; and if he does, we will so order it that it proves nothing. There are ways and means of so managing."

"You say well," answered Lucius. "I am content," he added aloud, "that it should be done as you, monk, desire. I myself shall not tempt GOD; you may, if you deem it right. But, if you succeed, you prove nothing, save that GOD sometimes may, even to heretics, give power over devils."

"I will prove much more," returned Pachomius, "as you yourself shall own. I will so call upon GOD as that He cannot hear me without confirming our faith, and putting yours to confusion. Stand back, every man, that all may have room to behold. You are a multitude; we are only two; but did ye never read the Scripture, how that it is nothing with the LORD to save by many, or by them that have no power? As said holy David, so say I now: The battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands."

The crowd made a great circle round the Bishop and the monk. The parabolani kept back the foremost from pressing too near; those in the ranks behind, leant over each other's shoulders, or stood on tip-toe; the spectators on the house-roofs crowded to that point of cornice or balcony which was nearest to the scene. The demoniac lay on the pavement, sometimes as if exhausted by his efforts, sometimes sobbing convulsively. Pachomius knelt for a moment, then rose, advanced, stood over the man, made the sign of the Cross, and said,

"I command thee, thou unclean spirit, that thou come out of this man, in the Name of JESUS CHRIST, WHOM LUCIUS PERSECUTETH."

That instant, those who stood nearest said, the convulsions ceased, the man lay for a few seconds as if in a shumber, then rose quietly, and returned thanks to GoD for his deliverance; and last of all would have fallen on his knees before Pachomnius.

"Not so, my son," said the monk; "this victory is

none of mine: render thanks to the Only-Begotten and Consubstantial SON of GOD. Now, men and brethren, which will ye believe and confess, the doctrine of devils taught by Arius, who is gone to his own place, or the faith of Nicæa, delivered to us by saints, and attested by GOD Himself?"

So saying, he and his companion made their way through the crowd, turned down a by-street, and went towards the city gate, no man forbidding them.

J. M. N.

WHAT DO WE GO TO CHURCH FOR?

I HAVE a question to ask of you. A question, dear reader. Don't turn away when you see what my question is, but sit down with me for a few minutes, and give it your serious attention, for I believe it is a question that wants answering very much by a good many of us in these days.

What do I go to Church for ?

I hear one answer, I go to pray to GOD; I hear another say, It is Sunday, and I have always been used to go to Church on that day; another says, I go to hear GOD's Word; another, To thank GOD.

Now, I say, you may pray to GOD, it is your privilege; you may thank Him, for He is good to you; but what I want to say to you, and I would say it as distinctly as I can, that what you go to Church for is to worship GOD; that the very building you go to is an act of homage or worship to GOD, and that your duty there is to perform an act of worship.

Well, you say, that is nothing new; I have known that all my life.

I am not so sure of that; I am not sure you have ever really thought it out; I know I did not myself for long; and I know that many I have spoken to on the subject have never really done so, and have thanked me for setting their minds to work about it. What I want