Part 2 Chapter 12 Summary

Harry attempts to give his inexperienced men a crash course in military procedures. He shows them how to load and use the Enfield rifles. Harry lectures the men on how to judge distances, but the information is met with uncomprehending looks or by rote repetition. Fleury's mind wanders during Harry's lecture. The Padre arrives, claiming that he needs to root out and remove the heresy that is attacking members under his ministry. He begins to think that Fleury harbors heretic ideas, and he deliberately questions the young man to elicit a renunciation of these sinful beliefs. While the priest lectures on God's powers and wonders, citing examples from nature that show perfect design, the men labor at loading the cannon. Fleury argues that God is more of a spiritual and moral force than an all-powerful designer of the physical realm.

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