had never seen the devil, for the which we burnt her, the idea stirred
me to the roots of my heart, for what uncertainties we often commit a
certain wrong. All our errors arise from our thinking too much of God's
honor, too little of his law, speak too much of the invisible world,
too little of the visible. We were pious because we murdered for the
sake of another world; we were pleasing in God's sight because for the
other world we lied, deceived and led men astray, and because we made
our love of power and right the affair of the Deity, all our other sins
should therefore be pardoned. Our care for that unknown world has led
us to despise this visible one. To become angels in heaven, we were
ravening wolves on earth. Only when I thought over the word which the
heretic had called out to me: 'The spirit is nowhere visible but in the
life,' then only did the scales fall from my eyes, and I determined to
commit the doctrines of God into God's own hands, and to do in this
life, what he had plainly revealed to me in heart and by word."

Erastus returned no answer, as Herr Belier came in with Xylander who
wished to greet Erastus. After a time they were joined by Felix, who
within the last few days had looked less cheerful than usual. "Our
friend would leave us," said the Huguenot. "He goes first to Innsbruck
to visit Master Colins and then returns to Naples. In vain I have
begged him to renounce papistry; he declares that he will not cut
himself off from his people, and that art-loving Italy will never raise
itself to our worship of God in Spirit and in Truth."

"You are right," said Erastus kindly. "We cannot make use of the Papal
Church as it now is and the Italians cannot use our churches as they
now are. It is sufficient for us to think out our thoughts and to act
accordingly, the Italians wish them represented before them sensuously.
Perhaps the time may come when this dissonance solves itself into a
higher harmony, as Lydia once said, in which the white surplices and
black gowns will be as much things of the past as are to-day Garizim
und Moriah, or the disputes of the Levites and Samaritans, nevertheless
I fear that the day is much further off than Lydia thinks. But we have
indeed the promises of a time, when there will be no temple and no
priest and I believe that the world will give a sigh of relief when the
last Theologian has been buried." "I should myself like to be standing
by that grave," said Xylander vivacio