nstead,
those who now appeared no other than a company of neighbors and friends
engaged in the promotion of some common object of overwhelming interest.

When in this manner and for a considerable space of time a fit offering
had been laid upon the altar of love, the whole assembly again joined
together in acts of prayer, and again lifted up their voices in song of
praise. This duty being performed, we separated and sought the streets.
The storm which had begun in violence, had increased, and it was with
difficulty that beset by darkness, wind, and rain, I succeeded without
injury in finding my way to the Coelian.

Julia was waiting for me with anxious impatience.

After relating to her the events of the evening, she said,

'How strange, Lucius, the conduct of such men at such a time! How could
Christians, with the Christian's faith in their hearts, so lose the
possession of themselves--and so violate all that they profess as
followers of Jesus! I confess, if this be the manner in which
Christianity is intended to operate upon the character, I am as yet
wholly ignorant of it, and desire ever to remain so. But it is not
possible that they are right. Nay, they seem in some sort to have
acknowledged themselves to have been in the wrong by the last acts of
the meeting. This brings to my mind what Paul has often told me of the
Christians of the same kind, at which I was then amazed, but had
forgotten. I do not comprehend it. I have read and studied the character
and the teachings of Jesus, and it seems to me I have arrived at some
true understanding--for surely there is little difficulty in doing
so--of what he himself was, and of what he wished his followers to be.
Would he have recognized his likeness in those of whom you have now told
me?'

'Yet,' I replied, 'there was more of it there in those very persons than
at first we might be inclined to think; and in the great multitude of
those who were present, it may have been all there, and was in most, I
cannot doubt. We ought not to judge of this community by the leaders of
the several divisions which compose it. They are by no means just
specimens, from which to infer the character of all. They are but too
often restless, ambitious, selfish men; seeking their own aggrandizement
and their party's, rather than the glory of Christ and his truth. I can
conceive of a reception of Christian precept and of the Christian spirit
being but little more perfect and complete, than