tin felt! But besides the joy in him, there
was a feeling that Our Lord was a little disappointed because he was
only a catechumen still, and not yet baptized and made a real part of
His Church, a real child of God. And so, feeling that God wished him to
have the great honour of Baptism, he went to the priests, and started on
the long, hard preparation that they used to have in those days. No meat
might he have, nor wine, and he must pray a lot, and often watch in the
church the whole night, and in many other ways practise not giving in to
himself. Only at Easter and Whitsun were the catechumens baptized; and
then they were clothed in white garments, which they wore for a week.
These were meant to show the perfect purity of their souls, from which
all stain of sin had been washed away by the waters of Baptism.

At last the great day came, and Martin received the wonderful Sacrament
with great love and humility. But now he felt that he simply couldn't
let his hands be stained with the blood of his fellow-men, and that the
soldier's life was not for him. And so, when the Emperor came one day
and inspected his regiment, which was shortly to go into battle, he
asked him if he might leave the army. "Until now I have fought for you,"
he said; "let me henceforth fight for God. . . . I am a soldier of
Christ, and it is not lawful for me to take part in a bloody battle."
The Emperor was very angry. "Coward!" he cried. "It is not religion that
causes you to refuse to fight--you are _afraid_."

So, to show them he was not afraid, Martin offered to go into battle in
the very front rank, but to go unarmed (since he would not shed human
blood). And, to show that he trusted in Christ as his protector, he said
he would go without armour or helmet.

His challenge was accepted, and he was put under arrest, lest he might
try to escape.

Of course, he spent the night praying, and the next day everyone was
astonished by some strange news. The enemy had sent a despatch to sue
for peace, and to say they would agree to the Emperor's terms. So there
was no battle; and not only was Martin's life saved, but the lives of
many other brave men. Probably the Emperor saw God's hand in the
unexpected action of his powerful enemy, for he at once gave Martin
leave to go free.

At last Martin found himself at liberty to follow the life he had always
felt called to; and once again God sent him where things should happen
to him which would finally lead