enough, St. Martin made him a priest, and _himself_ cut off the young
man's hair in the way priests used to have it cut.

There are a great many more wonderful stories about St. Martin which I
haven't time to tell you now; but gradually, gradually he was
establishing the Christian Faith very firmly in France. God's great plan
was being fully worked out, for, you see, St. Martin had never resisted
God's will in any point; always he had done just what he felt God was
gently leading him to do, never mind what it cost him at the time. And
so he took each step that God arranged for him, and each one led on to
the next, and all led on to the wonderful life of building up the Church
of Christ, and making it bigger, stronger, purer, more healthy; and the
great work, too, of turning a heathen land into a powerful Christian
country.

At last came the day when the tired old Bishop felt, with unspeakable
joy, that he was to go and receive his reward at the hands of Christ,
Whom he had loved so faithfully and so long, and was to enter into his
rest.

One day, after a long journey, St. Martin was thinking of returning to
his beloved Marmontier, when a great weakness came over him.

"The moment of my deliverance is at hand," he said.

His monks and other faithful companions were nearly broken-hearted.

"Oh, Father, will you then leave us?" they cried. "Ravening wolves will
fall on your flock, and who will protect it when the shepherd is struck?
We know your longing to depart and to be with Christ, but your reward is
assured and will be greater by delay. Have pity on us who must remain."

So St. Martin prayed a beautiful prayer, because he loved his children
more than himself, and he was even willing to put off his reward and his
longed-for rest for love of them.

"Lord," he said, "if indeed I still be necessary to Thy people, I refuse
not the labour. Let only Thy will be done."

[Illustration: S. MARTIN, VICTORIUS AND THE BLIND BEGGAR.

_See page 39._ ]

But it was not Our Lord's will that His faithful soldier should fight
any longer. Christ was waiting for him, all ready to say, "Well done,
good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

And so, lying humbly upon a bed of sackcloth, St. Martin, Apostle of
France, finished the work that God had given him to do, and passed into
the glory and eternal rest of the Blessed.

THE FOURTH DAY

A gorgeous day of steady, hot sun that made the sea spark