176 RAMBLES AND REVERIES. 



There are, of course, laws which, like their Author, 

 are immutable, and it is for the good of the whole 

 universe that these laws should never fail. But 

 even here there is room for the Divine tenderness 

 to show itself in giving us help in our feeble 

 endeavours to live in harmony with what is true 

 and right. It is this feature in God's character 

 which touches most deeply the universal heart of 

 mankind, and awakens in us the holiest aspirations. 

 In one of the principal cathedrals of Europe I 

 witnessed a simple act which thrilled me as many 

 a more illustrious deed would have failed to do. 

 Vast crowds of people had thronged to the temple 

 to take part in one of the chief religious festivals 

 of the year, and through the multitude a prince 

 of the Catholic Church, followed by a long line of 

 dignitaries all magnificently arrayed, walked in 

 solemn procession. But not even the gorgeous vest- 

 ments of the ecclesiastics, or the swelling cadences 

 of the organ and choristers which reverberated 

 through the edifice, had such an effect upon the 

 congregation as was produced when the stately 

 cardinal paused for a moment on his march, and 

 stroked the hair of a chubby-faced child that knelt 

 close by upon his father's knee. Every eye moistened 

 as it beheld that gracious act, the most beautiful 

 and natural thing in the whole service. And yet 

 what condescension of man's can be so great as that 

 of God, " Who became poor, that we through His 

 poverty might be rich," and Who still dwells with 

 the " humble and contrite," that He may destroy 

 within their souls all that is discordant with His 



