nversation which I shall relate in due time.

The service was concluded in about an hour, and then the congregation
was dismissed. All but the party that came in the boat went out by a
side door which led into the other apartments of the convent. The boat
party went down to the shore, and getting into the boat were rowed back
across the water.

After dinner, Mr. George and Rollo set out to walk up the river to
Remagen, in order to attend church there. It was during this walk that
they had the conversation I have referred to on the subject of the
service which they had witnessed in the little chapel at the nunnery.

"You must understand," said Mr. George, "that the nature and design of
the ceremonies of public worship in a Protestant and in a Catholic
church are essentially and totally distinct. The Protestants meet to
offer up their common prayers and supplications to God, and to listen to
the instructions which the minister gives them in respect to their
duties. The Catholics, on the other hand, meet to have a sacrifice
performed, as an atonement for their sins. The Protestants think that
all the atonement which is necessary for the sins of the whole world has
already been made by the sufferings and death of Christ. The Catholics
think that a new sacrifice must be made for them from time to time by
the priest; and they come together to kneel before the altar while he
makes it, in order that they may have a share in the benefits of it.
Thus the Protestant comes to church to hear something said; the Catholic
to witness something done. This is one reason, in fact, why the Catholic
churches may very properly be enormously large. The people who assemble
in them do not come to hear, so much as to see, or rather to be present
and know what is going on, and to take part in it in heart.

"The great thing that is done," continued Mr. George, "is the receiving
of the communion, that is, of the bread and wine of the Lord's supper,
which they suppose is renewing the sacrifice of Christ, for the benefit
of those who are present at the ceremony. Did you see the man who was
kneeling at the foot of the steps of the altar while the priest was
performing, and who brought two little silver vessels, out of which he
poured something into the priest's cup?"

"Yes," said Rollo. "The silver vessels were on a little shelf at first,
at the side of the altar, and he went at the proper time and kneeled
with them by the side of the priest, unti