despoiled, and the Body of Christ rent in pieces amongst them. No;
their earnest and ardent wish was that this purging of abuses, this
much-needed reformation, should come from within, should be carried
out by her own priests, headed up, if possible, by the Pope
himself. Such was the dream of many and many a devout and earnest
man at this time; and John Clarke's voice always softened with a
tender reverence as he spoke of the Holy Catholic Church.

So now his eyes lighted with a quick, responsive fire, as he turned
them upon his host.

"That is just what I am ever striving to maintain--that it is not
the church which is in fault, but those who use her name to enforce
edicts which she knows nothing of. 'Search the scriptures, for in
them ye have life,' spoke our Lord. 'Blessed is he that readeth the
words of the prophecy of this book,' wrote St. John in the latter
days. All men know that the Word of God is a lamp to the feet and a
light to the path. How shall we walk without that light to guide
us?"

"The church gives us the light," spoke Hugh Fitzjames softly.

Clarke turned upon him with a brilliant smile.

"She does, she does. She provides in her services that we shall be
enlightened by that light, that we shall be instructed and fed. We
have little or nothing to complain of in that respect. But there
are others--hundreds and thousands--who cannot share our
privileges, who do not understand the words they hear when they are
able to come to public worship. What is to be done for such? Are