Crusade of Tears: A Novel of the Children's Crusade by C. D. Baker

before my feet. Sons of shepherds and daughters of ploughmen … come, come you all… all my dear children come.”
    Karl was as stunned as the others but quickly snatched Maria by her hand and squeezed his way into the sanctuary. Flushed with excitement and nearly trembling with anticipation, the boy and his sister joined their peers near the front of the church.
    The legate called twice more for the children to come and, at last, nearly a third of the church was filled with their awestruck faces. The displaced nobility crowded to the margins and viewed the spectacle with notable annoyance, but Paulus smiled kindly. “My precious lambs,” he said softly, “thank you, every one, for hearing the Word of thy Lord … for a great task lies before you. It may be that some already know of those Christian youth who have begun a march to carry the good news of our Savior to the heathen occupiers of Palestine.”
    The children stirred, few having heard any such report.
    “’Tis true. An army of children is gathering in the Empire and in France to rescue Jerusalem. They are marching now and need you, each and every one. Perhaps this sad manor might be rid of its evil presence should such piety be found midst you as well? By faith, I do believe bounteous blessings await this manor should it join its lambs to the flock preparing for Palestine.
    “Indeed. God has granted visions of you crossing into Palestine on dry land. Ja , as did the Hebrews cross the Red Sea. Oh, dear ones, offer thyselves to the will of thy loving Father in heaven. You depart not with bow or spear or dagger, but rather with gentleness and meekness and simple faith … weapons against which stands no defense.”
    The cleric was contented by the immediate enthusiasm evident on the faces of the innocents, but he became alarmed at an uneasiness spreading among their parents now crowding every portal. Sensing reluctance, the man turned his attention to the murmuring elders. He set his face squarely on those eyes narrowing toward him and stretched his open hands over the heads of the little ones at his feet. “He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.”
    The man paused to stand his hooked staff against the pulpit. He clutched his heart and cried to the congregants, “I am convinced that neither life nor death, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation is able to separate these little ones from the love of God that is in Christ, our Lord.”
    He lifted his chin high and shouted, “I trust not in my bow, my sword does not bring us victory, but thou shalt grant us victory over our enemies, thou shalt surely put our adversaries to shame.”
    He bent toward the children near his feet and placed his hands on his knees. “You little ones were once in darkness, but now you are in the light. Live as children of the light so that you may be found blameless and pure, children without fault in a crooked and depraved generation. Shine like stars in the universe so that you may boast on the Day of Christ that you did not march in vain.”
    Karl was speechless. It was as if his heart had been lifted to the heavenly realm. He was convinced that God was speaking to him through this holy man.
    Paulus continued as he returned to his pulpit. “Dear children, this is the last hour, a new age is dawning. Now is a time for the innocents of Christendom to claim dominion. Our own emperor, Friederich II, is but himself a child, and the visions have been granted to mere boys of ten and twelve. The words of our Lord ring true to me: ‘I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to … little children.’”
    Paulus paused, then raised his eyes again to the elders. “Thy children shall be mighty in the land, ’tis true, and the generation of the upright