at bosom! She is full of
gifts--I feel it, I have long felt it. Why don't I rush into her arms?
Because I feel that she is ruled by a spirit which is not she. But did
that distrust of her go from me, was that certainty which I have of her
corruption disproved, I should join her communion to-morrow."

"This is not very edifying doctrine for Reding," thought Bateman. "Oh,
my good Campbell," he said, "you are paradoxical to-day."

"Not a bit of it," answered Campbell; "our Reformers felt that the only
way in which they could break the tie of allegiance which bound us to
Rome was the doctrine of her serious corruption. And so it is with our
divines. If there is one doctrine in which they agree, it is that Rome
is Antichrist, or an Antichrist. Depend upon it, that doctrine is
necessary for our position."

"I don't quite understand that language," said Reding; "I see it is used
in various publications. It implies that controversy is a game, and that
disputants are not looking out for truth, but for arguments."

"You must not mistake me, Mr. Reding," answered Campbell; "all I mean
is, that you have no leave to trifle with your conviction that Rome is
antichristian, if you think so. For if it _is_ so, it is necessary to
_say_ so. A poet says, 'Speak _gently_ of our sister's _fall_:' no, if
it is a fall, we must not speak gently of it. At first one says, 'So
great a Church! who am I, to speak against her?' Yes, you must, if your
view of her is true: 'Tell truth and shame the Devil.' Recollect you
don't use your own words; you are sanctioned, protected by all our
divines. You must, else you can give no sufficient reason for not
joining the Church of Rome. You must speak out, not what you _don't_
think, but what you _do_ think, _if_ you do think it."

"Here's a doctrine!" thought Charles; "why it's putting the controversy
into a nutshell."

Bateman interposed. "My dear Campbell," he said, "you are behind the
day. We have given up all that abuse against Rome."

"Then the party is not so clever as I give them credit for being,"
answered Campbell; "be sure of this,--those who have given up their
protests against Rome, either are looking towards her, or have no eyes
to see."

"All we say," answered Bateman, "is, as I said before, that _we_ don't
wish to interfere with Rome; _we_ don't anathematize Rome--Rome
anathematizes _us_."

"It won't do," said Campbell; "those who resolve to remain in our
Church, and are using sweet w