ter of an hour, and then they walked away, so we could see no more
of them in that situation.

I took this interval to say to the clergyman, first, that I was glad to
see the particulars we had both been witnesses to; that, though I was
hard enough of belief in such cases, yet that I began to think it was all
very sincere here, both in the man and his wife, however ignorant they
might both be, and I hoped such a beginning would yet have a more happy
end. "But, my friend," added I, "will you give me leave to start one
difficulty here? I cannot tell how to object the least thing against
that affectionate concern which you show for the turning of the poor
people from their paganism to the Christian religion; but how does this
comfort you, while these people are, in your account, out of the pale of
the Catholic Church, without which you believe there is no salvation? so
that you esteem these but heretics, as effectually lost as the pagans
themselves."

To this he answered, with abundance of candour, thus: "Sir, I am a
Catholic of the Roman Church, and a priest of the order of St. Benedict,
and I embrace all the principles of the Roman faith; but yet, if you will
believe me, and that I do not speak in compliment to you, or in respect
to my circumstances and your civilities; I say nevertheless, I do not
look upon you, who call yourselves reformed, without some charity. I
dare not say (though I know it is our opinion in general) that you cannot
be saved; I will by no means limit the mercy of Christ so far as think
that He cannot receive you into the bosom of His Church, in a manner to
us unperceivable; and I hope you have the same charity for us: I pray
daily for you being all restored to Christ's Church, by whatsoever method
He, who is all-wise, is pleased to direct. In the meantime, surely you
will allow it consists with me as a Roman to distinguish far between a
Protestant and a pagan; between one that calls on Jesus Christ, though in
a way which I do not think is according to the true faith, and a savage
or a barbarian, that knows no God, no Christ, no Redeemer; and if you are
not within the pale of the Catholic Church, we hope you are nearer being
restored to it than those who know nothing of God or of His Church: and I
rejoice, therefore, when I see this poor man, who you say has been a
profligate, and almost a murderer kneel down and pray to Jesus Christ, as
we suppose he did, though not fully enlightened; believing