"And what," resumed Pryer, "does all this point to? Firstly, to
the duty of confession- the outcry against which is absurd as an
outcry would be against dissection as part of the training of
medical students. Granted these young men must see and do a great deal
we do not ourselves like even to think of, but they should adopt
some other profession unless they are prepared for this; they may even
get inoculated with poison from a dead body and lose their lives,
but they must stand their chance. So if we aspire to be priests in
deed as well as name, we must familiarise ourselves with the
minutest and most repulsive details of all kinds of sin, so that we
may recognise it in all its stages. Some of us must doubtless perish
spiritually in such investigations. We cannot help it; all science
must have its martyrs, and none of these will deserve better of
humanity than those who have fallen in the pursuit of spiritual
pathology."
Ernest grew more and more interested, but in the meekness of his
soul said nothing.
"I do not desire this martyrdom for myself," continued the other;
"on the contrary I will avoid it to the very utmost of my power, but
if it be God's will that I should fall while studying while what I
believe most calculated to advance his glory- then, I say, not my
will, O Lord, but thine be done.
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