great honour of being made one of the
children of God; and during this time of waiting they were called
catechumens.

It was at this time, while Martin's regiment was stationed in France,
that a very wonderful thing happened to him--for God was still planning
his life and giving him chances; and, if he took them, rewarding him
with special graces which should turn him gradually into a brave
"soldier of Jesus Christ."

One cold wintry day, as the wind whistled down the narrow streets of
Amiens, Martin's troop came clattering through the old gateway, the
soldiers wrapping their great military cloaks close round them, for the
bitter French winter seemed to freeze their Southern blood. By the gate
of the city they noticed, as they swung by, an old, ragged man. The wind
fluttered his tattered rags about, and he stretched out his thin hands,
all blue with cold, hoping for a few pence to buy himself some food. The
soldiers, however, passed him by and gave him nothing. But when Martin
reached the corner and saw the piteous sight his heart was touched, and
he reined in his horse. He felt in his pockets, but, alas! they were
empty, for he had given away all he had to some other poor person. He
was very sad, because he always felt the poor were a kind of _chance_
given him by God of showing his love for the Lord Christ, Who had said
that if you served the poor and naked and hungry and unhappy you really
served _Him_. Well, Martin felt he simply _couldn't_ pass on and give
the old man nothing. And suddenly the idea came to him that he was warm
in his big cloak, and the old man very cold. What if he gave his cloak?
But it was his uniform, and he knew that he must not ride out without it
altogether, so he took it off, drew his sword, slashed it in half, and
then, bending down with a smile, put the warm folds about the old man's
cowering shoulders.

Of course, the soldiers and other officers laughed; but Martin didn't
care--he was willing to be what St. Paul calls "a fool for Christ's
sake."

And now comes the wonderful thing. That night as Martin lay in bed,
asleep, a wonderful vision came to him. Suddenly his room seemed full of
angels, and in the midst of them was Christ. _And_--on His shoulders was
Martin's half-cloak! Then Our Lord spoke. "Martin," He said, "dost thou
know this mantle?" And then He turned to the angels, and He said:
"Martin, yet a catechumen, hath clothed Me with this garment."

You can imagine what St. Mar