Apostles founded a church to ramify through the world, like the
fruitful vine running over the wall. Some branches may have rotted
off, some may bear degenerate fruit, some in unpruned luxuriance may
bring forth nothing but leaves. Be it so. My belief is that the branch
I cleave to retains its vital vigor and produces life-sustaining
fruit."

"But how does this prevent your protesting against Rome?" objected
Moodie.

"It prevents my making that protest any part of the definition of my
faith. Names are things, and he who is perpetually dubbing himself a
Protestant, ends by making it the first article of his creed, that
Rome errs, and his active religion becomes opposition to Rome. Now I
find Voltaire quite as good a Protestant as you are."

"I can say nothing to that," answered Moodie, "never having met with
that gentleman."

L'Isle smiled for a moment, but went on earnestly to say: "We believe
that Christ not only gave us a father, but founded a church, and we
will not let go our hold upon it, as some sects and nations have done,
out of mere opposition to Rome. Our forefathers by God's providence,
set earnestly to work reforming it where corrupted, repairing it when
dilapidated, but did not pull it down, in the presumptuous hope of
building up another. They purified the temple, but did not destroy
it. They removed the idols, but did plough up and sow with salt the
consecrated spot, because it had been defiled."

"I see" said Moodie warmly, "that you aim your anathema at the Kirks