e best of them--is it any good to
him now that he had some of these splendid buildings erected, or
marbles carved? Or that his armies conquered the world, and his
government held order wherever his arms went? If he is happy in the
presence of God, is it anything to him, now, that we look back and
admire his work?--and if he is unhappy, banished that Presence, is it
anything to him then?"

"Well, what _is_ greatness then?" said Rupert. "What is worth a man's
trying for, if these greatest things are worth nothing?"

"I do not think anything is really great or worth while," said Dolly,
"except those things that God likes."

"You come back to religion," said Rupert. "I did not mean religion.
What are those things?"

"I do not think anything is worth trying for, Rupert, except the things
that will last."

"What things will last?" said he half impatiently.

"Look here," said Dolly. "Step a little this way. Do you see the
Colosseum over yonder? Who do you think will remember, and do remember,
that with most pleasure; Vespasian and Titus who built it, or the
Christians who gave themselves to the lions there for Christ's sake?"

"Yes," said Rupert, "of course; but _that_ isn't the thing. There are
no lions here now."

"There are lions of another sort," said Dolly, standing still and with
her eyes fixed upon the wonderful old pile in the distance. "There is
always work to be done for God, Rupert, and dangers or difficulties to
be faced; and to the people who face _any_ lions for His sake, there is
a promise of praise and honour and blessing that will last for ever."

"Then you would make all a man's work to be work for God?" said Rupert,
not satisfied with this view of the question. "What is to become of all
the rest of the things that are to be done in the world?"

"There ought not to be anything else done in the world," said Dolly,
laughing, as she turned and began to walk on again. "It ought all to be
done for Him. Merchants ought to make money for His service; and
lawyers ought to strive to bring God's order between man and man, and
justice to every one, and that never wrong should be done or oppression
exercised by anybody. 'Break every yoke, and let the oppressed go
free.' And soldiers ought to fight for no other reason but to protect
weaker people from violence and wrong. And so on of everything else.
And, Rupert, God has promised a city, of His own preparing, for His
people; it will be a place of delights; and