His gaiety, too, was in strange contrast to the
solemn Puritanism of his enemies. For instance, he was on the point that
Councils might err in matters of fact, but that the Scriptures could not.
"As for example," he said, his eyes twinkling out of his drawn face, "I
am bound under pain of damnation to believe that Toby's dog had a tail,
because it is written, he wagged it."
The Deans looked sternly at him, as the audience laughed.
"Now, now," said one of them, "it becomes not to deal so triflingly with
matters of weight."
Campion dropped his eyes, demurely, as if reproved.
"Why, then," he said, "if this example like you not, take another. I must
believe that Saint Paul had a cloak, because he willeth Timothy to bring
it with him."
Again the crowd laughed; and Anthony laughed, too, with a strange sob in
his throat at the gallant foolery, which, after all, was as much to the
point as a deal that the Deans were saying.
But the second day's debate, held in Hopton's Hall, was on more vital
matters; and Anthony again and again found himself leaning forward
breathlessly, as Drs. Goode and Fulke on the one side, and Campion on the
other, respectively attacked and defended the Doctrine of the Visible
Church; for this, for Anthony, was one of the crucial points of the
dispute between Catholicism and Protestantism. Anthony believed already
that the Church was one; and if it was visible, surely, he thought to
himself, it must be visibly one; and in that case, it is evident where
that Church is to be found.
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