had died that all might be saved; and upon a sudden resolve not to utter another word that might offend the madman’s beliefs, he began to tell that he had brought hope to the beggar, the outcast, to the slave; though this world was but a den of misery to them, another world was coming to which they might look forward in full surety; and many, he said, that led vile lives are now God-fearing men and women who, when the daily work is done, go forth in the evening to beseech the multitude to give some time to God.

In every field there are tares, but there are fewer in my field than in any other, and that I hold to be the truth; and seeing that Jesus was listening to his story he began to relate his theology, perplexing Jesus with his doctrines, but interesting him with the glad tidings that the burden of the law had been lifted from all.  If he had stopped there all would have been well, so it seemed to Jesus, whose present mind was not able to grasp why a miracle should be necessary to prove to men that the love of God was in the heart rather than in observances, and the miracle that Paul continued to relate with so much unction seemed to him so crude; yet he once believed that God was pleased to send his only begotten son to redeem the world by his death on a cross.  A strange conception truly.  And while he was thinking these things Paul fell to telling his dogma concerning predestination, and he was anxious that Jesus should digest his reply to Mathias, who had said that predestination conflicted with the doctrine of salvation for all.  But Jesus, who was of Mathias’ opinion, refrained from expressing himself definitely on the point, preferring to forget Paul, so that he might better consider if he would be able to make plain to Paul that miracles bring no real knowledge of God to man, and that our conscience is the source of our knowledge of God and that perhaps a providence nourishes beyond the world.

Meanwhile Paul continued his discourse, till, becoming suddenly aware that Jesus’ thoughts were far away, he stopped speaking; the silence awoke Jesus from his meditation, and he began to compare Paul’s strenuous and restless life with his own, asking himself if he envied this man who had laboured so fiercely and meditated so little.  And Paul, divining in a measure the thoughts that were passing in Jesus’ mind, began to speak to Jesus of our life in the flesh and its value.  For is it not true, he asked, that it is in our fleshly life we earn our immortal life?  But, Paul, Jesus said, it seems unworthy to love virtue to gain heaven.  Is it not better to love virtue for its own sake?  I have heard that question many times, Paul answered, and believe those that ask it to be of little faith; were I not sure that our Lord Jesus Christ died, and was raised by his Father from the dead, I should turn to the pleasures of this world, though there is but little taste in me for them, only that little which all men suffer, and I have begged God to redeem me from it, but he answered:  my grace suffices.