Through forests in which he almost lost
his way, across rivers difficult and dangerous to ford--still he
followed on. At length Melchoir's star seemed to tarry over the spire
of a gothic church, into which the people were going in throngs.
Waiting a moment, to be sure that the star was actually standing
still, Melchoir went in with the rest. In this place was no altar,
such as Gaspard saw; no image on the cross; no white-robed priests; no
swinging censers. But, as Melchoir entered he heard strains from the
organ, and a chorus of voices was singing an anthem beginning with
the words, "Te Deum Laudamus." And when the anthem came to a close, a
man clothed in a black robe, such as scholars were wont to wear, rose
in his place upon a platform elevated above the people, and began to
speak to them about the kingdom of Christ. Melchoir listened in eager
expectancy. [Sidenote: The Truth Shall Make You Free] "The kingdom of
the Christ," the preacher said, "is the kingdom of the truth, and the
truth is to be continued and kept alive by the strength of man's belief.
Those things which have been handed down by holy men and sacred oracles
since Christ was here upon the earth, are the truths by which we live.
How can Christ live except He live in our beliefs? Why did the Father
of all intrust us with our reasons, unless it were that we should
make them the instruments of our faith and our salvation? Let us
therefore stand in our places, while we recite together the articles
of our holy faith.
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