“His supreme Holiness, the Pontiff, had been warned of God—as he is God’s Regent on earth—of the event that has happened in our midst. His priests were warned a few days ago, and in most of our churches, last Sunday, certain dark hints of the coming catastrophe were given. God therefore, now, calls upon you all, through me, to turn to the true church, the real church, the church of St. Peter’s, the church of Rome——.”
A storm of protesting murmurs rolled up from the people.
He waited, smiling confidently a moment. Then he went on:
“When all the inhabitants of the earth bear upon them the sign of the true church——”
“The Mark of the Beast!” yelled a voice.
Another instant and there would have been a hideous uproar, but that everything became forgotten in a new excitement.
From outside, in the street, there rose the roar of a multitude, crying “Fire!” Fortunately the packed congregation within the Cathedral, one and all realised that the alarming thing was outside, not inside the building, so that there was no panic.
In a few minutes the great place was cleared. The Bishop, the Great Nonconformist, and a dozen other ministers, and laymen, remained gathered together as by a common instinct, by the pulpit.
“What is coming, brethren?”