and superstitious we may hold it to be, was nevertheless partially Protestant in its opposition to sacerdotalism, while on this occasion the protestor stood for the rights and powers of the priests. Such a situation is unique in history. It is tantalising to know too little of the motives of the chief actors in it for adequate judgment of its true inwardness. When bishops champion the rights of the laity against the priestly claims of presbyters, the inference is that since some of them are men of culture and reading, while the lower clergy are steeped in ignorance, the reason is disciplinary rather than doctrinal. The ignorant priests were not fit to be trusted with the machinery of the confessional. Some of them were men of no character. Discerning bishops might well discourage confession to such men, because they saw that it was safer for simple souls to confess to the smoking censer, which, if it could not give ghostly advice, was at least free from any corrupting influence.
In the earlier part of his reign Saladin removed the Christians from public offices and laid upon them many vexatious restrictions, such as the prohibition of bell-ringing, crosses on churches, procession on Palm Sundays, chanting of services in a loud voice. He directed the churches to be painted black. Nevertheless, he was a large-minded, strong ruler, who secured good order in his dominions. If the Christians were shut out of office they were also spared the fines that his mean predecessors had too often attached to public functions, so that it really seemed that the posts were allotted for the sake of the backshish. In his later days Saladin readmitted Christians to the government service. It is not surprising that under these circumstances there were some Christians who apostasised to Mohammedanism, favour drawing them where persecution had failed to drive. But when a certain monk who had joined Islam returned to his monastery, a soldier was sent with orders to put him to death unless he came back to the religion of the Prophet. This was quite in accordance with Mussulman law. A Christian might
