as for the way in which they treated them, it seems just the same lot as that of the saints of old, who were stoned, slain with the sword, sawn asunder, hiding themselves in dens and caves of the earth; tempted, afflicted, scourged. Robert, has the church that you call Catholic ever suffered such usage at the hands of the world for Christ's sake?'

'Don't ask me any questions now, dear Frank,' said Robert, who was sitting with his hand over his eyes: I am trying to think, and to pray, and to prove all things, that I may hold fast that which is good. So far as regards the Paulicians, I cannot deny that their history corresponds in all respects with what was predicted of the church of Christ upon earth; and even supposing that they had been the worst of heretics and sinners, the power that hunted them like wild beasts, and put them to a cruel death, could not possibly be acting according to the Spirit of truth, who, by the mouth of Paul, has said, "The servant of the Lord must not strive, but must be gentle unto all men, patient, in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." But still I want to trace this suffering church, to see whether the same testimony was borne in the same spirit in different places, during the time when, as the homily says, "the whole world, as it were, continued drowned in

idolatry, for 800 years and more." We have not yet got beyond the third of those eight centuries."

6 We have seen the church driven out of Asia, into Italy, Germany, and France,' said Thomas: and now we must look for it in those countries.'

CHAPTER V.

A WITNESSING CHURCH-THE CANONS OF

ORLEANS.

You will remember, my dear children,' said Mrs. Willis, that it pleased God by the instrumentality of a woman to bring Sergius to the knowledge of his truth, through the reading of the Scriptures at her recommendation. In like manner we find, from the record of their enemies, who are still the only historians of these events, that the same truth was made known to the martyrs who suffered in Orleans. How long the pure faith of the gospel had been secretly held among a few believers there, we do not know: but it seems that it was first introduced by a female from Italy, to which country, you know, many of the Paulicians emigrated from Bulgaria, about the beginning of the tenth century. This woman travelled trom place to place, and as the Popish writers express it, "seduced from the faith persons of every description; not only simple laymen, but likewise many even among the most learned of the clergy." At Orleans she dwelt for some time; and besides many

others, two of the very highest in rank and learning among the clergy, named Heribert and Lisoye, became converts, and spread very widely the faith which they had received.'

Were they Romish priests, Mamma? asked Thomas.

'Yes, my dear, regularly ordained priests of the Romish church. In the course of their missionary work, they privately preached the gospel to a young man named Herbert, who was a clerk in the employ of one Arefaste, a military knight of Rouen, but went to Orleans to prosecute his studies. On his return, longing to make his patron a partaker of the like precious faith, he declared to him the truths that he had himself received; but Arefaste rejected them, and communicated the matter to the Duke of Normandy, who reported it to the king; and at the same time Arefaste offered his services to search out and to exterminate the heretics who dared to believe otherwise than as the " church believed." You will be shocked at the base deceit by which he obtained the desired information.'

'I may be shocked,' said Frank, but not surprised. I always remember that Satan ever transforms himself into an angel of light, when he wants to deceive God's people.'

In the present instance, the knight first made use of all the superstitious inventions by which the Po

pish church undertakes to keep its members from evil; engaging also, while acting this wicked part, to attend the mass every day, and to partake in the Romish communion. He then disguised himself as a poor scholar, went to Orleans, sought out Heribert and Lisoye, and encouraged them to speak freely to him the truth as it is in Jesus; which they, anxious for the salvation of a soul, of course did.'

'O Mamma,' exclaimed Fauny, 'what a deal of Judas there was in that!'

"It was the "deceivableness of unrighteousness” in the Man of Sin,' observed Thomas.

"It was the wicked seeing the righteous, and seeking occasion to slay him,' said Frank.

'It was him born after the flesh persecuting him that was born after the Spirit, as of old, my children,' said their mother; but the flesh when robed in the garb of Popery becomes doubly hideous. You know that, at the sight of this "woman" the apostle John "wondered with great admiration." Arefaste fully succeeded in his treacherous mission: he not only learned what were the doctrines of the two principal clergymen, but included in his charge ten canons and four laymen, whom he accused, as was usual, of the most horrible wickedness, even worse than what was really taught and practiced among the Manichæans, with whom they always classed these holy and devout men.'