ThiswastheaverageattitudeoffairlyeducatedyoungmenandwomentowardstheMosaiccosmogonyfifty，forty，oreventwentyyearsago。
Thecombatingofinfidelity，therefore，offeredlittlescopeforenterprisingyoungclergymen，norhadtheChurchawakenedtotheactivitywhichshehassincedisplayedamongthepoorinourlargetowns。Thesewerethenleftalmostwithoutaneffortatresistanceorco-operationtothelaboursofthosewhohadsucceededWesley。
Missionaryworkindeedinheathencountrieswasbeingcarriedonwithsomeenergy，butTheobalddidnotfeelanycalltobeamissionary。Christinasuggestedthistohimmorethanonce，andassuredhimoftheunspeakablehappinessitwouldbetohertobethewifeofamissionary，andtosharehisdangers；sheandTheobaldmightevenbemartyred；ofcoursetheywouldbemartyredsimultaneously，andmartyrdommanyyearshenceasregardedfromthearbourintheRectorygardenwasnotpainful，itwouldensurethemagloriousfutureinthenextworld，andatanyrateposthumousrenowninthis——eveniftheywerenotmiraculouslyrestoredtolifeagain——
andsuchthingshadhappenederenowinthecaseofmartyrs。
Theobald，however，hadnotbeenkindledbyChristina’senthusiasm，soshefellbackupontheChurchofRome——anenemymoredangerous，ifpossible，thanpaganismitself。AcombatwithRomanismmightevenyetwinforherandTheobaldthecrownofmartyrdom。True，theChurchofRomewastolerablyquietjustthen，butitwasthecalmbeforethestorm，ofthisshewasassured，withaconvictiondeeperthanshecouldhaveattainedbyanyargumentfoundeduponmerereason。