mutual honor and
love, be the badge of our discipleship, as it was in the first age of
the church. Soon, very soon, will you be called to bear testimony to the
cause you have espoused, and perhaps seal it with your blood. Be not
less ready to show your love to those around you by the promptness with
which you lend your sympathy, or counsel, or aid, as this new flood of
adversity flows in upon them. But why do I exhort you? The thousand acts
of kindness, of charity, of brotherly love, which flow outwards from you
in a perpetual stream toward Heathen not less than Christian, and have
drawn upon you the admiration even of the Pagan world, is sufficient
assurance that your hearts will not be cold when the necessities of this
heavier time shall lay upon you their claims. It is only in the public
assembly, and in the ardor of debate, that love seems cold and dead.
Forget then, now and tomorrow, that you are followers of any other than
Christ. Forget that you call yourselves after one teacher or another,
and remember only that you are brethren, members of one family, of the
same household of faith, owning one master, worshipping one and the same
God and Father of us all. And now, Christians, if you would rather that
Felix should defend you before Aurelian, I would also. There is none
among us who loves Christ more or better than he, or would more readily
lay down his life for his sake.'

Felix however joined with all the others--for all now, after these few
words of Probus, seemed of one opinion--in desiring that Probus should
appear for the Christians before the Emperor; which he then consented to
do. Harmony was once more restored. The differences of opinion, which
separated them, seemed to be forgotten, and they mingled as friends and
fellow-laborers in the great cause of truth. They who had been harshest
in the debate--which was at much greater length, and conducted with much
more vehemence than as I have described it--were among the most forward
to meet with urbanity those who were in faith the most distantly removed
from them. A long and friendly interview then took place, in which each
communed with each, and by words of faith or affection helped to supply
the strength which all needed for the approaching conflict. One saw no
longer and heard no longer the enthusiastic disputant more bent upon
victory than truth, and heedless of the wounds he gave to the heart,
provided he convinced the head or silenced the tongue, but i