ess or sin, instead of teaching
him compassion, served but to harden his heart. Is this the man to whose
principles we are to pledge ourselves? Were his principles sound in
themselves, we could hardly take them from such a source. But they are
false. They are in the face of the spirit and letter of the gospel. What
is the character of the religion of Christ, if it be not mercy? Yet this
great Novatian, to those who like Peter have fallen--Peter whom his
master received and forgave--denies all mercy! and for one offence,
however penitence may wring the soul, cuts them off forever like a
rotten branch from the body of Christ! Is this the teacher whose
follower should appeal for us to the Roman Emperor?'

'I seek not,' Macer began to say, 'to defend the bishop of Rome--'

'Bishop!' cried the other, 'bishop! who ever heard that Novatian was
bishop of Rome? But who has not heard that that wicked and ambitious man
through envy of Cornelius, and resolved to supplant him, caused himself
to be ordained bishop by a few of that order, weak and corrupt men,
whom he bribed to the bad work, but who, corrupt as they were, and
bribed as they were, it was first needful to make drunk before
conscience would allow them by such act eternally to disgrace themselves
and the church--'

'Lies and slanders all,' cried Macer and others with him, in the same
breath and with their utmost voice. The greatest confusion prevailed. A
thousand contradictory cries were heard. In the midst of the uproar the
name of Macer was proclaimed by many as that of one who would best
assert and defend the Christian cause before Aurelian. But these were
soon overborne and silenced by a greater number, who now again called
upon Probus to fill that office.

Probus seemed not sorry that, his name being thus tumultuously called
out, he had it again in his power to speak to the assembly. Making a
sign accordingly that he would be heard, he said,

'That he coveted not the honorable office of appealing for them to the
Emperor of Rome. It would confer more happiness a thousand fold,
Christians, if I could by any words of mine put harmony and peace into
your hearts, than if I might even convert a Roman emperor. What a scene
of confusion and discord is this, at such an hour, when, if ever, our
hearts should be drawn closer together by this exposure to a common
calamity. Why is it that when at home, or moving abroad in the business
of life, your conversation so well becom