not for me. Among the comrades of my youth many
started the race of life with me--happiness was the winning post they
had in view--and they tried many ways to reach it--some through
ambition, some through wealth, some through love--but I have never
chanced to meet one of them who was either happy or satisfied. MY mind
was set on nothing for myself--except this--to grope through the
darkness for the Great Mind behind the Universe--to drop my own 'ego'
into it, as a drop of rain into the sea--and so--to be content! And in
this way I have learned much,--more than I consider myself worthy to
know. Modern science of the surface kind--(not the true deep
discoveries)--has done its best to detach the rain-drop from the
sea!--but it has failed. I stay where I have plunged my soul!"

He spoke as it were to himself with the air of one inspired; he had
almost forgotten the presence of Lady Kingswood, who was gazing at him
in a rapture of attention.

"Oh, if I could only think as you do!" she said, in a low tone--"Is it
truly the Catholic Church that teaches these things?"

"The Catholic Church is the sign and watchword of all these things!" he
answered--"Not only that, but its sacred symbols, though ancient enough
to have been adopted from Babylonia and Chaldea, are actually the
symbols of our most modern science. Catholicism itself does not as yet
recognise this. Like a blind child stumbling towards the light it has
FELT the discoveries of science long before discovery. In our
sacraments there are the hints of the transmutation of elements,--the
'Sanctus' bell suggests wireless telegraphy or telepathy, that is to
say, communication between ourselves and the divine Unseen,--and if we
are permitted to go deeper, we shall unravel the mystery of that
'rising from the dead' which means renewed life. I am a 'prejudiced'
priest, of course,"--and he smiled, gravely--"but with all its
mistakes, errors, crimes (if you will) that it is answerable for since
its institution, through the sins of unworthy servants, Catholicism is
the only creed with the true seed of spiritual life within it--the only
creed left standing on a firm foundation in this shaking world!"

He uttered these words with passionate eloquence and added--

"There are only three things that can make a nation great,--the love of
God, the truth of man, the purity of woman. Without these three the
greatest civilisation existing must perish,--no matter how wide its
power or