#God's Armor#

You remember "Bishop Blougram's Apology," Browning's study of the
psychology of a modern Catholic ecclesiastic. He is not unaware of
modern thought, this bishop; he is a man of culture, who wants to have
beauty about him, to be a "cabin passenger":

There's power in me and will to dominate
Which I must exercise, they hurt me else;
In many ways I need mankind's respect,
Obedience, and the love that's born of fear.

He wishes that he had faith--faith in anything; he understands that
faith is all-important--

Enthusiasm's the best thing, I repeat.

But you cannot get faith just by wishing for it--

But paint a fire, it will not therefore burn!

He tries to imagine himself going on a crusade for truth, but he asks
what there would be in it for him--

State the facts,
Read the text right, emancipate the world--
The emancipated world enjoys itself
With scarce a thank-you. Blougram told it first
It could not owe a farthing,--not to him
More than St. Paul!