s the
others were, and much more false in spirit. You want a heart to check
your head, and a head to check your heart. As in our English body
politic there are two parties opposed to one another, neither of which
can thrive if the other is unduly weakened, so in our spiritual and
intellectual world two parties more or less antagonistic are equally
necessary. Those who are at the head of science provide us with the one
party; those whom we call our churchmen are the other. Both are corrupt,
but we can spare neither, for each checks as far as it can the
corruptions of the other."

"Then you would have us uphold Sunchildism, knowing it to be untrue?"

"Do what you will, you will not get perfect truth. And if you can follow
the lead which I believe Dr. Downie will give you, that is to say, get
rid of cock-and-bull stories, idealise my unworthy self, and, as I said
last night, make me a peg on which to hang your own best
thoughts--Sunchildism will be as near truth as anything you are likely to
get. But if Hankyism triumphs, come what may you must get rid of it, for
he and his school will tamper with the one sure and everlasting word of
God revealed to us by human experience. He who plays fast and loose with
this is as one who would forge God's signature to a cheque drawn on God's
own bank."

"Are we to foster the belief that it was indeed the Sunchild who
interrupted Hanky's sermon?"

"Yes, where you safely can, but not otherwise; and commit the facts to
writing as soon as you can find time. Do nothing to jeopardise your own
safety; you can do more by perfunctory acquiescence than by open dissent.
And tell those friends whom you can trust, what these my parting words to
you have been. But above all I charge you solemnly, do nothing to
jeopardise your own safety; you cannot play into Hanky's hands more
certainly than by risking this. Think how he and Panky would rejoice,
and how Dr. Downie would grieve. Be wise and wary; bide your time; do
what you prudently can, and you will find you can do much; try to do
more, and you will do nothing. Be guided by the Mayor, by your
mother--and by that dear old lady whose grandson you will--"

"Then they have told you," interrupted the youth blushing scarlet.

"My dearest boy, of course they have, and I have seen her, and am head
over ears in love with her myself."

He was all smiles and blushes, and vowed for a few minutes that it was a
shame of them to tell me, but pr