ery
happy. He lived apart with God, and yet had work to do in training his
monks in the way of perfection and teaching the Faith to the ignorant
pagans. But he had not yet arrived at the end of God's great plan for
him. And if God now called him away from the life he loved to a life he
did not want at all, we must not be surprised, for Christ said that
those who would be His disciples must _deny themselves_ and take up
their _cross_ and follow Him, and that is what all good Christians must
be ready to do--that is, live according to _the way God wants_ instead
of according to the way _they want_ themselves.

Well, the change came when St. Hilary died; for of course the people
wanted St. Martin to become Bishop in his place. To be Bishop was a very
great honour, and one that many men would have been glad to accept. But
St. Martin was humble, like all Saints; and he also felt that if he was
to remain pure of heart and close to God he must live in the quiet
solitude and silence of his monastery, so he refused to become Bishop.
But that he should be Bishop was God's will, and also the people were
quite determined to have him. They got him by making him think there was
a poor sick woman who wanted him to come to her. He came out of his
monastery, all unsuspecting, and the people carried him off by force to
Poitiers, and he had to consent to be consecrated Bishop.

He did not look very like a Bishop as he was brought into the city. He
was clad in a poor, thin old habit, and his head was closely shaved, as
the monks were accustomed to do, and he was thin and pale with fasting
and his hard life. But even his humble appearance made the people cheer
him all the more; and the church was absolutely packed at the solemn
service of his consecration as Bishop.

Now began a life in which his own will was altogether given up to that
of God. He lived in a poor little hut adjoining the church--the poorness
of it pleased him; but all day he was at it, doing things for
people--now visiting a sick man to pray over him, now making peace
between quarrelsome people, now blessing oils, that they might bring
healing to the sick; preaching sermons, talking to people, and
explaining Holy Scripture in the way he could do so wonderfully;
visiting his priests, or listening to the worries and troubles they came
to tell him; and when there was nothing else, there was always a crowd
of people waiting just to see their beloved Bishop's holy face and go