“Come out with me!” he exclaimed, “For there are wonderful things in the world to-day!—­wonderful, beautiful, and terrible!  Take your share in them, and find God in every glory!  For with all the wisdom and the splendour,—­with all the flashing light of Heaven poured out upon the darkness of the Sorrowful Star, its people are weary,—­they are lost in the confusion and clamour of their own desires—­they would fain serve God, but know not where to find Him, because a thousand, aye a million churches stand in the way!—­churches, which are like a forest of dark trees, blocking out the radiance of the Sun!  God, who manifests His power and tenderness in the making of the simplest leaf, the smallest bird, is lost to the understanding and affection of humanity in the multitude of Creeds!  Come out with me,—­simple and pure, gentle and strong!  Tell all the lost and the wandering that there never was, and never will be but one God supreme and perfect, whose name is Love, whose work is Love!—­and whose Messenger, Christ, pronounced the New Commandment Love instead of Hate!  Come out with me while it is yet day, for the night cometh when no man can work!  Come and lift up the world by your very coming!  Stretch out your hands in benediction over kings and beggars alike!—­there are other roses to give than Golden ones to Queens!  There are poor women who share half they earn with those still poorer—­there are obscure lives which in their very obscurity, are forming the angel-nature, and weaving the angel’s crown!—­look for these in the world—­give them your Golden Roses!  Leave rulers and governments alone, for you should be above and beyond all rulers and governments!  You should be the Herald of peace,—­the Pardoner of sin, the Rescuer of the fallen, and the Refuge of the distressed!  Come out with me, and be all this to the world, so that when the Master comes He may truly find you working in His vineyard!”

Another dead pause ensued.  Not a sound, not a breath disturbed the heavy silence which seemed to have grown deeper than before.  And Manuel, looking eagerly again and closely into the Pope’s face, went on with increasing ardour and passion.

“Come out with me!” he said, “Or if you will not come,—­then beware of the evil days which are at hand!  The people are wandering to and fro, crossing all lands, struggling one against the other, hoarding up useless gold, and fighting for supremacy!—­but ’the day of the Lord shall come like a thief in the night, and blessed is he who shall be found watching!’ Watch!  The hour is growing dark and full of menace!—­the nations are as frightened children, losing faith, losing hope, losing strength!  Put away,—­put away from you the toys of time!—­quench in your soul the thirst for gold, for of this shall come nothing but corruption!  Why trifle with the Spirit of holy things?  Why let your servants use the Name of the Most High to cover hypocrisy?  Why crave for the power of temporal things which passes