"Think of that. And whence came that boon of religious liberty which the new Chinese president is so generously offering to his great nation?" asked Mr. Walton. "Who deserves the largest credit? I believe the Baptists, who suffered, who fought, who died that they might win it and bequeath it to the world, and but for the Baptists I doubt whether there would be any absolute religious liberty--and I had almost said no pure democracy--in the world today. At least that is my conviction, and I believe that had it not been for the Baptists we would be having today a state religion in Europe and in America in the sections which are not dominated by the Catholic Church. The Baptists refused to creep under the shelter of the government or to receive any benefits whatever from it, but declared themselves in their religion absolutely independent of the government." "Well, gentlemen," said the father, "if all these statements are facts of history--and of course I do not deny them--then this is the biggest eye-opener that I have ever encountered. I could only wish that the Baptists in this part of the country--present company excepted, of course, Mr. Walton--had only remained true, in quality, to the original stock. But maybe my opinion, Mr. Walton, may also be due to my ignorance; don't you reckon so?" Mr. Page spoke with a smile, and Mr. Walton smiled back. "Another interesting thing I found in my reading--" Dorothy remarked. "Hello, is there something else?" asked the father. "I guess this time we will be told that the Baptists took part in the creation of the world and in the illumination of most of the stars." "Father, don't make fun of me. These facts deserve serious consideration." "Good, daughter, go ahead. I really feel very solemn about it all." "The other thing I found about them was their fearful suffering." "Yes, that has already been alluded to." "I know, but you have no idea what a chapter in the world's history these sufferings make. I saw two volumes filled simply with an account of the persecutions and sufferings of the Baptists of Holland. They were subjected to all manner of cruelties and tortures to make them give up their faith, but they stood firm and thousands and thousands in Holland alone were put to death. John Milton and John Bunyan were both imprisoned for their faith. It was a time when the governments were bitter in their punishments and the Catholic Church, and later on the other denominations also, were back of these persecutions."