"And I venture to maintain that it is our fault that heretics and
atheists continue to exist," replied the Cardinal; "If our Divine
faith were lived divinely, there would be no room for heresy or
atheism. The Church itself supplies the loophole for apostasy."

The Archbishop's handsome face crimsoned.

"You amaze me by such an expression!" he said, raising his voice a
little in the indignation he could scarcely conceal--"you talk--
pardon me--as if you yourself were uncertain of the Church's ability
to withstand unbelief."

"I speak but as I think," answered the Cardinal gently. And I admit
I AM uncertain. In the leading points of reed I am very steadfastly
convinced;--namely, that Christ was divine, and that the following
of His Gospel is the saving of the immortal soul. But if you ask me
whether I think we do truly follow that Gospel, I must own that I
have doubts upon the matter."

"An elected favourite son of the Church should surely have no
doubts!" said the Archbishop.

"Ah, there you come back to the beginning from which we started,
when I ventured to object to your term 'prince of the Church.'
According to our Master, all men should be equal before Him;
therefore we err in marking differences of rank or favoritism in
questions of religion. The very idea of rank is anti-Christian."

At this the Archbishop began to look seriously annoyed.