The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-18

many virtues to II as the plous Roman
Catholic here In Stafford to the Christian
Cross. There is atlic very strongest evil
dence that tho origin Of the cross Va
nhnllic, The crux ansata was the Sign
of Venus. It appears beside Banl and
Astartc!"
VERY possibly. Mr.. schuabe,' said
Gortre, quietly. Your knowledge oil
such points Is far wider than mine: but
that does not affect Christianity In the
slightcst.i
cor course not! who ever said 1t did,
But this reverence for the cross, the
instrument OF execution on which m
excellent teacher. and, az far as we
know, 81 really good man, suffered angerg
me BECAUSE II reminds me Of the absurd
and unrcasonng superstitions which
clouds thu minds OF so many educated
men like YOURSELF
An said Gortrc, quietly. nov we
arc ..gripped. We have come to the
point"
III yo, clioose Mr.. Gortrc." schuabo
answered; you are an intellectual man.
and one intellectual man has q GER
tain right 10 chailange another I was
staying with Lord Haieybury the other
day. and spent two whole mornings
walking over the country with the Bishop
Of London. talking on these subjects. lie
very ably ondeavorcd TO bring physical
u
whole. But all lie seemed to me to prove
vas this. crystallised into An axiom or
nj least postulate. CONSCIOUS yolition liz
the ultimate source OF all force. 1t is his
belief that behind the sensuous and phe-
iiomena world which gives IL form,
existence. and activity. lies the ultimate
inyisibc. unreasonable power of Mind
conscious VIII Of Intelligence, analogous
10 our own. landmark this essential
coroilary-tlint man is in communication
with 1t. and that WAS positively all he
could do for me. / met him there easily
enough. but when he tried To prove
n-ChrIstianty-he utterly broke
down. We parted very good
friends. and gave him II thousand
pounds for the East London poor fund.
Bu' still. soy what you will to me. I
am here to listen"
He looked calmly at the young man
with his unsmiling eyes. He held Rus
aian cigarette in his fingers. and he
vltation as II from an Unreasonable SUI
Icriority.
And as Gortre watched him he knew
that that here was brain and inteli-
fence far keener and finer than his own.
But with all that certainty he felt en-
tirely undismayed. strangely upllftcd
II have massage for you. Mr..
Schuabe.H he began. and the other bowed
slightiy. without irony, at his words. II
Fave n message for you, one which !
have been sent here-I firmly beliove--to
deliver. but 1t is not the message or the
argument that you expect to hear
He stopped for n short time. marshall
ing his mental forces. and noticing a
slight hut perceptibIe look OF surprise in
his host'seyes.
Il know you better than you imagine,
sir. he said graveiy, "and not as many
other good and devout Christians see
YOU. j tell you here tonight with abso-
lutte certainty that you are the active
enemy OF Christi say active enemy
The face opposite became slightly
less tranquil, Int the voice was as calm
AZ ever.
You speak according to your lights
Mr.. Gortre,,' he said. II am no Chris
,ian but there is much good in Chris.
tianiy. Ny words and writings may
have helped to lift the veil OF supersti-
ton and hereditary influences from the
eyes OF many men, and in that sense
am an enemy of the Christian faith,
suppose. My sincerity is my only apoi-
ogy--if one were needed. You speak with
more harshness and less tolerance than
should have thought 1t your pleasure
or your duty to use"
Gortre rose Man. he cried, with sud
den sternness, II know. You hate on,
Lord and would work Him evil. lou
are as Judas was, for tonight 1t is
given mo to read far into your brain"
Schuabe rose quickly from his chair
and stood facing him. His face was
pallid. something looked out of his eyes
which almost frightened the other.
What do you KNOW he cried as II
In swift stroke of pain. Who" He
stopped as if by tremendous effort
Some thought came to reassure him.
Listen" he said. II tell you, paid
priest as you are, blind man leading
tho blind that n day Is coming when all
your Boosted fabric OF Christianity will
disappear. 1t will go suddenly, and be
swept utterly away. And you, you shall
see it. You shall be left naked OF your
faith, stripped and bare, with all Chris
tendon beside you. Your pale Nazarene
shall die amid the bitter laughter Of the
world, die as surely as He died two
thousand years ago. and no man or wo-
man shall resurrect Him. You know no
thing, but you will remember my words
OF tonight, until yon also become as
nothing and endure the inevitable fate OF
mankind"
He had spoken with extraordinary We
hemence, kissing the words out with a
venom and malice, general rather thar
particular. from which the Churchman
shrounk, shuddering There was srrh M
utterable conviction In the thin. evil voice
that for a moment the pain of 1t was
like spasm of physical agony.
schuabe had thrown down the mask
1t was even as Gortre said, the soul
of Iscariot looked out from those eyes
The man saw the clergyman's sudder
shrinking.
The smile of devil flashed over his
face. Gortre had turned to him once more
and he saw It. And as he watched al
awful certainty grew within him. 9
thought so appalling that beside it al
, that had gone before sank into utter In
significance.
He staggered for moment and the,
rose to his full height. feaful loath,
ing III his eyes. a scorn like whip OF