It was a little rectangular paper, some four or five inches long; bearing
a figure of Christ, wounded, with His hands bound together before Him,
and the Cross with the superscription rising behind. In compartments on
either side were instruments of the Passion, the spear, and the reed with
the sponge, with other figures and emblems. Anthony spelt out the
inscription.
"Read it aloud, Mr. Norris," said the Archbishop.
"'To them,'" read Anthony, "'that before this image of pity devoutly say
five paternosters, five aves and a credo, piteously beholding these arms
of Christ's Passion, are granted thirty-two thousand seven hundred and
fifty-five years of pardon.'"
"Now, Mr. Norris," said the Archbishop, "have you considered that it is
to that kind of religion that you are attracted? I will not comment on
it; there is no need."
"Your Grace," said Anthony slowly, laying the paper down, "I need not
say, I think, that this kind of thing is deeply distasteful to me too.
Your Grace cannot dislike it more than I do. But then I do not understand
it; I do not know what indulgences mean; I only know that were they as
mad and foolish as we Protestants think them, no truthful or good man
could remain a Papist for a day; but then there are many thoughtful and
good men Papists; and I conclude from that that what we think the
indulgences to be, cannot be what they really are. There must be some
other explanation.
"And again, my lord, may I add this? If I were a Turk I should find many
things in the Christian religion quite as repellent to me; for example,
how can it be just, I should ask, that the death of an innocent man, such
as Christ was, should be my salvation? How, again, is it just that faith
should save? Surely one who has sinned greatly ought to do something
towards his forgiveness, and not merely trust to another.
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