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flying glimpses of its meaning； scope； and drift。
〃I seldom go to church；〃 said Falconer； 〃but when I do； I come here：
and always feel that I am in the presence of one of the holy
servants of God's great temple not made with hands。 I heartily
trust that man。 He is what he seems to be。〃
〃They say he is awfully heterodox。〃
〃They do。〃
〃How then can he remain in the church； if he is as honest as you
say？〃
〃In this way； as I humbly venture to think；〃 Falconer answered。 〃He
looks upon the formul？of the church as utterances of living
truthvital embodimentsto be regarded as one ought to regard
human faces。 In these human faces； others may see this or that
inferior expression； may find out the mean and the small and the
incomplete： he looks for and finds the ideal； the grand； sacred；
God…meant meaning； and by that he holds as the meaning of the human
countenances； for it is the meaning of him who made them。 So with
the confession of the Church of England： he believes that not man
only； but God also； and God first and chief； had to do with the
making of it； and therefore he looks in it for the Eternal and the
Divine； and he finds what he seeks。 And as no words can avoid
bearing in them the possibility of a variety of interpretations； he
would exclude whatever the words might mean； or； regarded merely as
words； do mean； in a narrow exposition： he thinks it would be
dishonest to take the low meaning as the meaning。 To return to the
faces： he passes by moods and tempers； and beholds the main
characterthat on whose surface the temporal and transient floats。
Both in faces and in formul？he loves the divine substance； with
his true； manly； brave heart； and as for the faults in bothfor
man； too； has his share in bothI believe he is ready to die by
them； if only in so doing he might die for them。I had a vision of
him this morning as I sat and listened to his voice； which always
seems to me to come immediately from his heart； as if his heart
spoke with lips of its own。 Shall I tell you my vision？
〃I saw a crowdpriests and laymenspeeding； hurrying； darting
away； up a steep； crumbling height。 Mitres； hoods； and hats rolled
behind them to the bottom。 Every one for himself； with hands and
feet they scramble and flee； to save their souls from the fires of
hell which come rolling in along the hollow below with the forward
'pointing spires' of billowy flame。 But beneath； right in the
course of the fire； stands one man upon a little rock which goes
down to the centre of the great world； and faces the approaching
flames。 He stands bareheaded； his eyes bright with faith in God；
and the mighty mouth that utters his truth； fixed in holy defiance。
His denial comes from no fear； or weak dislike to that which is
painful。 On neither side will he tell lies for peace。 He is ready
to be lost for his fellow…men。 In the name of God he rebukes the
flames of hell。 The fugitives pause on the top； look back； call him
lying prophet； and shout evil opprobrious names at the man who
counts not his own life dear to him； who has forgotten his own soul
in his sacred devotion to men； who fills up what is left behind of
the sufferings of Christ； for his body's sakefor the human race；
of which he is the head。 Be sure that； come what may of the rest；
let the flames of hell ebb or flow； that man is safe； for he is
delivered already from the only devil that can make hell itself a
torture； the devil of selfishnessthe only one that can possess a
man and make himself his own living hell。 He is out of all that
region of things； and already dwelling in the secret place of the
Almighty。〃
〃Go on； go on。〃
〃He trusts in God so absolutely； that he leaves his salvation to
himutterly； fearlessly； and； forgetting it； as being no concern of
his； sets himself to do the work that God has given him to do； even
as his Lord did before him； counting that alone worthy of his care。
Let God's will be done； and all is well。 If God's will be done； he
cannot fare ill。 To him； God is all in all。 If it be possible to
separate such things； it is the glory of God； even more than the
salvation of men； that he seeks。 He will not have it that his
Father in heaven is not perfect。 He believes entirely that God
loves； yea； is love； and； therefore； that hell itself must be
subservient to that love； and but an embodiment of it； that the
grand work of Justice is to make way for a Love which will give to
every man that which is right and ten times more； even if it should
be by means of awful sufferinga suffering which the Love of the
Father will not shun； either for himself or his children； but will
eagerly meet for their sakes； that he may give them all that is in
his heart。〃
〃Surely you speak your own opinions in describing thus warmly the
faith of the preacher。〃
〃I do。 He is accountable for nothing I say。 All I assert is； that
this is how I seem to myself to succeed in understanding him。〃
〃How is it that so many good people call him heterodox？〃
〃I do not mind that。 I am annoyed only when good…hearted people；
with small natures and cultivated intellects； patronise him； and
talk forgivingly of his warm heart and unsound judgment。 To these；
theology must be like a mapwith plenty of lines in it。 They
cannot trust their house on the high table…land of his theology；
because they cannot see the outlines bounding the said table…land。
It is not small enough for them。 They cannot take it in。 Such can
hardly be satisfied with the creation； one would think； seeing there
is no line of division anywhere in it。 They would take care there
should be no mistake。〃
〃Does God draw no lines； then？〃
〃When he does； they are pure lines； without breadth； and
consequently invisible to mortal eyes； not Chinese walls of
separation； such as these definers would construct。 Such minds are
？priori incapable of theorising upon his theories。 Or； to alter
the figure； they will discover a thousand faults in his drawing； but
they can never behold the figure constructed by his lines； and
containing the faults which they believe they discover。〃
〃But can those theories in religion be correct which are so hard to
see？〃
〃They are only hard to certain natures。〃
〃But those natures are above the average。〃
〃Yes； in intellect and its cultivationnothing more。〃
〃You have granted them heart。〃
〃Not much； but what there is； good。〃
〃That is allowing a great deal； though。 Is it not hard then to say
that such cannot understand him？〃
〃Why？ They will get to heaven； which is all they want。 And they
will understand him one day； which is more than they pray for。 Till
they have done being anxious about their own salvation； we must
forgive them that they can contemplate with calmness the damnation
of a universe； and believe that God is yet more indifferent than
they。〃
〃But do they not bring the charges likewise against you； of being
unable to understand them？〃
〃Yes。 And so it must remain； till the Spirit of God decide the
matter； which I presume must take place by slow degrees。 For this
decision can only consist in the enlightenment of souls to see the
truth； and therefore has to do with individuals only。 There is no
triumph for the Truth but that。 She knows no glorying over the
vanquished； for in her victory the vanquished is already of the
vanquishers。 Till then； the Right must be content to be called the
Wrong； andwhich is far harderto seem the Wrong。 There is no
spiritual victory gained by a verbal conquest； or by any kind of
torture； even should the rack employed be that of the purest logic。
Nay more： so long as the wicked themselves remain impenitent； there
is mourning in heaven； and when there is no longer any hope over one
last remaining sinner； heaven itself must confess its defeat； heap
upon that sinner what plagues you will。〃
Hugh pondered； and continued pondering till they reached Falconer's
chambers。 At the door Hugh paused。
〃Will you not come in？〃
〃I fear I shall become troublesome。〃
〃No fear of that。 I promise to get rid of you as soon as I find you
so。〃
〃Thank you。 Just let me know when you have had enough of me。〃
They entered。 Mrs。 Ashton； who； unlike her class； was never missing
when wanted； got them some bread and cheese； and Falconer's
Fortunatus…purse of a cellarthe bottom of his cupboardsupplied
its usual bottle of port； to which fare the friends sat down。
The conversation； like a bird descending in spirals； settled at last
upon the subject which had more or less occupied Hugh's thoughts
ever since his unsatisfactory conversation with Funkelstein； at
their first meeting； and still more since he had learned that this
man himself exercised an unlawful influence over Euphra。 He begged
Falconer； if he had any theory comprehending such things； to let him
know what kind of a relation it was； in which Miss Cameron stood to
Funkelstein； or Count von Halkar。
〃I have had occasion to think a good deal about those things；〃 said
Falconer。 〃The first thing evident is； that Miss Cameron is
peculiarly constituted； belonging to a class which is； however；
larger than is commonly supposed； circumstances rarely combining to
bring ou