the
Christian religion which Christianity has not accomplished?"

"Why, just look here, Tommy. There's what you call the angels' song,
`Glory to God in the highest! And on earth peace, good-will towards
men.' That's how it goes, I think. Now, Professor Tyndall, one of the
greatest scientific men of the day, says that you've only to look at the
wars that still go on between civilised nations to see that the angels'
song has not been fulfilled--that the gospel has failed to bring about
universal peace. And so you see the Christian Bible has not
accomplished what it professed to accomplish."

"Stop a bit--softly!" said the other; "let's take one thing at a time.
Professor Tyndall may understand a great deal about science, but it
don't follow that he knows much about the Bible. But now I'll make bold
to take the very wars that have been going on in your time and mine, and
call them up to give evidence just the other way. Mind you, I'm not
saying a word in favour of wars. I only wish people would be content to
fight with my weapons, and no others; and that's just simply with the
Bible itself--`the sword of the Spirit,' as the Scripture calls it. But
now, you just listen to this letter from a newspaper correspondent in
the war between the Prussians and the French. I cut it out, and here it
is:--

"`This afternoon I witnessed a very touching scene. A French soldier of
the Thirty-third Line Regiment, belonging to the corps of General
Frossard, had been made prisoner at the outposts. He is a native of
Jouy-aux-Arches, where his wife and children now reside. On his way to
Corny, where the head-quarters of the prince are now situated, he asked
permission to be allowed to see his wife and children. Need I say that
the request was immediately granted? The poor woman, half delirious
with joy, asked to be allowed to accompany her husband at least to
Corny. This was also acceded to. But then came the difficulty about
the bairns. The woman was weak, and could not carry her baby, and at
home there was no one to mind it. As for the little chap of five, he
could toddle along by his father's side. The difficulty was, however,
overcome by a great big Pomeranian soldier, who volunteered to act as
nurse. This man had been quartered close to the poor woman's house; and
the little ones knew him, for he had often played with them. When
therefore, bidding the poor wife be of good cheer, he held out his big
strong arms to