The "petitioners" pointed out that persecution was coming swiftly at the hands of the mob; that the Government was not sincere in the promises of protection; they hinted that religious loyalty was already strained to breaking-point even in the case of the most faithful, and that with all but those it had already broken.
And as to his comments Percy was clear.

He would tell the authorities, as he had already told them fifty times, that it was not persecution that mattered; it was this new outburst of enthusiasm for Humanity--an enthusiasm which had waxed a hundredfold more hot since the coming of Felsenburgh and the publication of the Eastern news--which was melting the hearts of all but the very few.

Man had suddenly fallen in love with man.

The conventional were rubbing their eyes and wondering why they had ever believed, or even dreamed, that there was a God to love, asking one another what was the secret of the spell that had held them so long.
Christianity and Theism were passing together from the world's mind as a morning mist passes when the sun comes up.

His recommendations--?
Yes, he had those clear, and ran them over in his mind with a sense of despair.
For himself, he scarcely knew if he believed what he professed.