impose upon yourselves as a weapon.
Beware of haughty reproofs. We must show the same mercy that has been
shown to us. The God Who has called us may also call them by-and-bye.
I wish all that are here never to call the rich anything but brothers
and lords. They are our brothers, since they have the same Creator as
we, and they are our lords also because without them we could not
persevere in the poverty that we have made our law."

This spirit of tolerance was to extend to the sinners. He did not like
to hear them berated.

"Many who are the children of the devil to-day," he said, "will become
true disciples. Perhaps they will go before us. This thought alone
ought to keep us from all violence of language. We have been sent to
bring back to the truth those who are ignorant and in error. That is
our office, and one that is not accomplished by the use of cutting
words and sharp reproaches.... It is not enough that our compassion be
in words only. The important thing is that it should be in our deeds,
that all who see us may, by occasion of us, praise our common Father,
Who is in Heaven."

[Sidenote: _Holiness._]

He was also strong on holiness. He taught that there must be a true
light within that shines only from a clean heart, before it can shine on
the outer world, and without this no good work could be accomplished.
Francis was full of the grace and wisdom of Jesus Christ. Of the
spiritual effect of the first chapter a historian writes--

"The brethren valued the gift they had received. Not one of them cared
to talk of profane matters. They talked about the holy examples given
by some amongst them, and sought together ways of growing in grace and
in the knowledge of Jesus Christ."

CHAPTER XII.

SOME OF FRANCIS' CONVERTS.

"Ah, the people needed helping--
Needed love--(for love and Heaven
Are the only gifts not bartered,
They alone are freely given)."

It is rather a pity that there have not been more detailed accounts
handed down to us of the converts who could point to Francis as their
spiritual father. It would have given us yet another side of that life
which was the most glorious spiritual light of the dark age in which
he lived! From the few that we meet incidentally, here and there, we
have no doubt that such documents, were they forthcoming, would be of
immense value. But, alas, the age in which Francis lived was not an
essentially literary one, and writing was one of