ion to God. The organisation of
the great Church of Christ united, in the intentions of those who formed
it, care for the glory of God and the salvation of men. It was a great
step."

"But still," said Euphrosyne, "there was not the Charity, the living for
the good of men, soul and body, which was what Christ taught and
practised."

"That, Euphrosyne, was a later fruit; but it is ripening now. We have
more Sisters of Charity than contemplative nuns, at this time. There
are hospitals in every Christian land for the sick and the aged. It is
remembered now, too, that Christ had compassion on the blind, and the
deaf, and the insane: and charity to these is now the Christianity of a
multitude."

"And what is their defect?" asked Denis. "What essential do they
overlook, as the anchorite and the crusader overlooked this same
charity?"

"It may be liberality--regard to the Christian liberty of others;--it
may be--"

"Let us not look too closely into their failures," said Toussaint. "Let
us not judge our brethren. These are too near our own time for us to be
just judges. We see their charity--the brightest light yet in the
constellation of Christian principles; let us be thankful that our eyes
have seen it. It is brightening too; so that day telleth to-day of its
increase, and night is witness of it unto night. It is now not only the
sick and infirm in body that are cared for; but I am told there has been
a man in England who has taken such pity on those who are sick and
deformed in soul as to have explored the most loathsome of European
prisons in their behalf. There has been a Briton who pitied the guilty
above all other sufferers, and devoted to them his time, his fortune,
his all. He will have followers, till Christendom itself follows him;
and he will thus have carried forward the Gospel one step. The charity
which grieves more for the deformity of the soul than the evils of the
body is so far higher a charity, that it may almost be called a new
principle."

"What remains?" asked Euphrosyne.

"Do you see anything further to be done, father?" inquired Denis.

With a mournful smile, Toussaint replied that mankind had advanced but a
little way yet. The world was very far from being Christianised.

"In practice," said Euphrosyne. "But, supposing us all to fulfil what
has been exemplified from the earliest days till now, do you suppose
that many principles remain to be acted upon?"

"No doubt. If I