hrough God's gracious
teaching, sought for by prayer earnestly. It is the blessed gospel of
peace which alone can put to flight debasing superstition, gross
customs, murderous propensities, cruel dispositions, barbarism in its
varied forms, and all the works of darkness instigated by Satan and his
angels. Again, I say that the Bible, and the Bible alone, is the true
crusader's weapon; armed with that sword of the Spirit, with the shield
of faith on his arm, and under the guidance (never to be withdrawn while
he seeks it) of God's Holy Spirit, he may go boldly forth conquering and
to conquer the numberless hosts of heathenism arrayed for battle against
the truth. These weapons are dreaded by the spirit of evil more than
all those iron implements of warfare on which man in his folly and
blindness relies. The victories won by the Bible are lasting in this
world, and not only in this world, but through eternity.

"To drop metaphor, what is, and what long has been the condition of
those lands the crusaders vainly boasted they had won from the followers
of Mohammed? In what state do we find those vast territories of the New
World conquered by Spain? both gained by sword and spear, under a banner
falsely called the `banner of the cross.' Compare these and similar
conquests over heathenism with those victories won in pagan lands by the
Bible--the sword of the Spirit. How great the contrast!"

Our father spoke with far more animation than was his wont. I listened
respectfully, though I confess that at first I did not comprehend the
full meaning of his remarks. Still, they considerably dimmed the bright
halo with which my imagination had surrounded the crusades. My second
brother, John, however, fixing his eyes attentively on our father, drank
in every word he uttered. "Yes, glorious indeed are the victories
gained by the gospel of peace in heathen lands, and happy are those
permitted to fight them," he whispered, with a sigh, after a few
minutes' silence. John was less robust in health than were most of us,
and it was intended that he should devote himself to mercantile
pursuits, for which I had long suspected that he had no great taste;
still, at the call, as he believed, of duty, he had begun the task of
acquiring the necessary knowledge.

"I suppose, father, that you are alluding to the labours of missionaries
in foreign lands?" I observed. "But I have heard it said, that in
spite of all the money expended, th