now had been but a very poor
representative of the Church of Christ, was deeply touched by the
death of the five, and his once half-sleeping conscience was awakened
into activity. He got possession of the battered bodies, and
resolving that he would have nothing further to do with the enemies of
Christianity, took them, and went back to his own country. As soon as
he arrived at Coimbra, King Alphonse came out to meet him, and with
great rejoicing the remains of the Missionary Martyrs were carried to
the Church.

[Sidenote: _Fernandez._]

Amongst those who followed in the train of the king was a young man
some twenty-five years old, of noble family, named Fernandez. This
young man was tremendously stirred by the story of the martyred five.
Their life and death spoke to his soul as nothing had ever done
before, he longed to follow in their steps. He had a great deal of
conversation with certain Franciscans who lived in a settlement hut
outside the town. They came sometimes and begged at his door, and he
used to question them.

One day he said--

"If I became one of you, would you send me to the country of the
Saracens, that like your holy martyrs I might shed my blood for the
faith?"

They replied, saying, it was the wish of Francis that his people
should go and preach to the infidels.

"If that is so," said Fernandez, "bring me the habit of your Order and
let me put it on."

Without any pomp or ceremony Fernandez put on the coarse robe, changed
his name to that of Anthony, and, bidding good-bye to his family,
joined the Franciscans. To go into all the details of his story would
take too much space, but Fernandez became one of the shining lights of
the Franciscan movement, and many rose up to call him blessed!

[Sidenote: _Father of Souls._]

He went to Africa, but it was not God's will that he should labor
there. A violent fever reduced him to such a degree of weakness that
he had to leave the country. He set sail, meaning to return to his
native land and get restored in body, but a storm drove the vessel on
to the coast of Italy. He preached there for a time and then went on
to the Portiuncula, where Francis was presiding over a gathering of
the brethren. There God showed him that Africa and a martyr's crown
were not for him, and cheerfully accepting the work that God meant for
him, he became the father of thousands of souls.

Oh, what, if we are Christ's,
Is earthly shame or loss?
B