E SECOND COMING OF
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Systematically arranged from passages in the
Holy Scriptures, for Students, Teachers, and others. By the Rev.
Robert Middleton."

"Here, in this little book," he went on, "there is not only set out
with the most luminous clearness, with the actual Bible texts, all that
I have written in that article, but also many other truths and texts
which have already been literally fulfilled during the last forty-eight
hours--even as the book said that they would be."

With the old mocking, quizzical smile, the handsome Apleon interrupted
him, asking:

"What do you mean by the _real_ Church of God? The Romish Church, The
Greek Church, The Anglican Church or any one of the multitude of
dissenting churches?"

It was Ralph's turn to smile now, as he said:

"None of those churches could be called THE CHURCH OF GOD. The _true_,
the _real_ church was composed of true believers, men and women who had
been born again by the Spirit of God, and who, numbered among every
section of so-called Christians--and some who were wholly
unattached--made up in their wide-world entirety the true Church of
God, the Bride of Christ."

"And what," asked Apleon, "of the rest, the vast bulk of the
worshippers at the various churches? What is their fate to be?"

"God only knows!" replied Bastin. "Some, at least, have already
sought, and found God, or believe they have, even as I have sought, and
believe that I have found God. But the vast bulk of the people already
seem to be rollicking in a curious sense of non-restraint. I remember
some years ago, hearing a lady say that visiting the houses of one of
the worst streets in Winchester, and speaking to the people as to their
eternal welfare, she found one woman particularly hardened. To this
woman she said: 'But, my dear sister, think of what it will be to be
eternally lost, to be separated from God, and from all that is pure and
good, for ever, and in a state and place which the Bible calls Hell.'
And the woman laughed, as she said: 'Well, there's one thing, I shall
not be lonely there, for I shall have all my neighbours around me, for
every one in this street is on the same track as me.'"

A sardonic smile curled the full lips of Apleon, as he said:

"Poor deluded soul! For if there is such a place as that Hell, that
underworld of lost souls of which your Bible speaks, and declares that
it was prepared for the Devil and his angels, and that woman