The Little Bedesman of Christ 177

sands of men had joined his Order of the
Lesser Brethren, he said: “God has gathered
us into this holy Order for the salvation of
the world, and between us and the world He
has made this compact, that we shall give the
world a good example, and the world shall
make provision for our necessities.”

Yet, though he preached repentance and
sorrow for sin, never was it his wish that men
and women who had other duties should
abandon those duties and their calling to
follow his example. Besides the Order of
the Lesser Brethren, he had founded an Order
of holy women who should pray and _ praise
while the men went forth to teach; but well
he knew that all could not do as these had
done, that the work of the world must be
carried on, the fields ploughed and reaped
and the vines dressed, and the nets cast and
drawn, and ships manned at sea, and markets
filled, and children reared, and aged people
nourished, and the dead laid in their graves ;
and when people were deeply moved by his
preaching and would fain have followed him,
he would say: “Nay, be in no unwise haste
to leave your homes; there, too, you may
serve God and be devout and holy;” and,

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