ould not allow this; he said they received the Scripture on
the testimony of the Church, that at least they were believing the word
of God, and the like.

Presently Charles said, "It is to me a great mystery how the English
people, as a whole, is ever to have faith again; is there evidence
enough for faith?"

His new friend looked surprised and not over-pleased; "Surely," he said,
"in matter of fact, a man may have more _evidence_ for believing the
Church to be the messenger of God, than he has for believing the four
Gospels to be from God. If, then, he already believes the latter, why
should he not believe the former?"

"But the belief in the Gospels is a traditional belief," said Charles;
"that makes all the difference. I cannot see how a nation like England,
which has lost the faith, ever can recover it. Hence, in the matter of
conversion, Providence has generally visited simple and barbarous
nations."

"The converts of the Roman Empire were, I suppose, a considerable
exception," said the priest.

"Still, it seems to me a great difficulty," answered Charles; "I do not
see, when the dogmatic structure is once broken down, how it is ever to
be built up again. I fancy there is a passage somewhere in Carlyle's
'French Revolution' on the subject, in which the author laments over the
madness of men's destroying what they could not replace, what it would
take centuries and a strange combination of fortunate circumstances to
reproduce, an external received creed. I am not denying, God forbid! the
objectivity of revelation, or saying that faith is a sort of happy and
expedient delusion; but, really, the evidence for revealed doctrine is
so built up on probabilities that I do not see what is to introduce it
into a civilized community, where reason has been cultivated to the
utmost, and argument is the test of truth. Many a man will say, 'Oh,
that I had been educated a Catholic!' but he has not so been; and he
finds himself unable, though wishing, to believe, for he has not
evidence enough to subdue his reason. What is to make him believe?"

His fellow-traveller had for some time shown signs of uneasiness; when
Charles stopped, he said, shortly, but quietly, "What is to make him
believe! the _will_, his _will_."

Charles hesitated; he proceeded; "If there is evidence enough to believe
Scripture, and we see that there is, I repeat, there is more than enough
to believe the Church. The evidence is not in fault; all it requ