among other Christian bodies."

"Without anathematizing any one," L'Isle answered, "we take comfort to
ourselves, in the conviction that our church is a continuous branch of
that which the Apostles founded in Christ, and that it might have been
in essentials what it now is, were its history as closely connected
with the Greek church, as it is with that of Rome, or had it ever
stood unconnected with either of them. Never having been rebuilt from
its foundation, it has lost its apostolic character."

"You have given many branches to the vine planted by Christ," observed
Moodie. "Perhaps you admit the Church of Rome, to be one that still
bears fruit."

"To drop the figure of the vine, I will answer you by saying, that it
is possible for a Romanist to be a Christian."

"Are Christianity and idolatry one and the same?" said Moodie,
indignantly.

"Do you know how many dogmas the Kirk and Rome hold in common?"
answered L'Isle. "If you set down each article of Christian doctrine
in the order of its importance and certainty, you may travel the same
road with the Romanist a long way; nor is it easy to prove that Rome
does not hold to all Christian truths."

Moodie rose from where he sat and stretched forth a protesting
hand. But he saw that protest was useless here, so he withdrew to the
shade of another tree, and sat down to think what he should do for
Lady Mabel's safety. To refresh himself and sharpen his wits, he took