"And you don't believe in eternal punishment?" cried Mrs. d.y.k.e, in a shrill voice of astonishment.

"Don't believe in eternal punishment?" echoed Mrs. Linberger.

"I did not say that. I _do_ think there is punishment so long as there is sin, but when we believe Christ has destroyed or can destroy sin, sickness, sorrow or death, which are the devil's works, they _will be_ destroyed. It _must_ be so if we trust the words of the gospel."

"Well, I am thankful to find Miss Turner in such Christian company at any rate," said Mrs. d.y.k.e, as she adjusted her veil, preparatory to her departure.

"Yes, indeed; it is a pleasure to see such an earnest young Christian,"

added Mrs. Linberger, with a sigh of satisfaction.

"But, ladies," began Grace, "I am not such a----"

"We shall be pleased to have you accompany Miss Turner to our meetings some time, Miss Hall," interrupted Mrs. d.y.k.e, not heeding what Grace was saying. "Here is a card announcing the regular weekly services, and here are some tracts for you to read." She dealt out a liberal supply, which Grace took as she again started to explain, but a sudden haste had seized her visitors, and they left, saying they would try and call some other time, when Miss Turner was at home.

As Grace turned to go back to her painting, she caught a glance of her reflection in the gla.s.s. After looking at it a moment with a quizzical expression, she suddenly burst into a merry laugh, saying: "I did not know you had turned Bible teacher. Well, well, it _was_ funny, but I could not help it, that she went away with the wrong impression of me, for she would not listen to my explanation."

When Kate came home she brought another letter from Mrs. Hayden, but before it was read Grace told her all about the call by the "church committee." Kate looked a little grave at first, but finally straightening up as she took off her gloves and hat, she said:

"Well, Grace, it is not very pleasant to be waited upon in this fashion, but I suppose if they take me in hand I can't help myself, and so I will be resigned to fate." She smiled and spoke cheerily, but a little tremor of the old fear touched her, notwithstanding.

"Let us read the letter now," suggested Grace, thinking that would be the best thing to revive Kate's dampened courage.

"Yes, I am anxious to read it; Mr. Hayden told me it is on the Bible, and very helpful."

"I am so glad!" she exclaimed, when it was finished. "Now I can interpret more freely myself, as I plainly see we must use our judgment about the Bible, as well as anything else. But what does it mean about the creeds?" she added suddenly, appealing to Grace with the old anxious look in her eyes.

"It means," said Grace, "that the ordinary orthodox interpretation of doctrinal points was voted upon by bishops, presbyters and laity generally, and because the majority of votes indicated a preference for a certain interpretation, it was adopted and became the established creed, and thus we have what is called the Apostles' Creed, which is the basis of all orthodox churches throughout Christendom. And so with all creeds; they are all established by majority vote."

"I should never have known anything about this," she continued, "if I had not been searching so eagerly for some religion that would satisfy, and in my rambles I came across this information."

"Are you sure it is reliable?" was Kate's almost feverish question. It seemed that she must hold on to something or the last straw that bound her to the teachings of childhood, would break.

"It is a matter of history, and you see Mrs. Hayden has touched upon it, though very lightly. But it is the grandest historical truth I ever read, for it gives personal liberty. I shall never forget how happy I was to learn that the creeds were simply man-made or man-expressed opinions, for in that case, I too, had liberty to read and think for myself, just as well as those who voted upon these various interpretations."

Grace was handsome when filled with enthusiasm, and as Kate looked at her at this moment she thought her face perfectly angelic, but one more question she must ask of this n.o.ble friend, who knew just what she needed to know and could tell it when she needed it most. "Do you think Christian Healing does away with the creeds of the church?"

"No, not necessarily. So far as I can see, it merely seeks truth, and whatever of truth is found anywhere is retained. It is only the husks that are thrown away. Indeed I can see more in the church than I ever could before I knew anything of Christian Healing," replied Grace, thoughtfully.

"Why, how is that?" asked Kate in surprise.

"The fundamental oneness in their search after G.o.d. What is back of the creed but a desire to reverence Deity? That was the origin, no matter into what it has degenerated now, and we must judge according to the spirit, not the letter. Oh, when will the world worship in the unity of the spirit?" sighed Grace, longing for the time when questionings and controversies would be at an end.

"Here is Mrs. d.y.k.e, for instance," she resumed, presently, "what is she striving for but to live the true religion as she understands it? I can respect any honest people who live up to their belief, and the Christian who moans and sighs and looks doleful because he thinks it is his duty to do so, is much higher in my estimation than the one who believes it to be right, but fails to live accordingly."

"The spirit of religion washes away all differences in the letter,"

concluded Kate, with a lighter heart than she had when they began their conversation.

The vague terror that had occasionally thrust itself upon her during these last few weeks had loosened its hold upon her, and she realized, as never before, that fear, more than anything else, had kept her back; fear of deviating from the traditional and accepted opinions. The Bible lesson was especially valuable, because it touched these very points, and after this little conversation with Grace on the subject she was like another person.

When Mrs. d.y.k.e called a few evenings later, after a similar interview to the one with Grace, she left the battlefield a wiser soldier than when she entered it, for Kate had so beautifully proven her religious earnestness, and more than all had shown such a Christ-like spirit, that the "sword was beaten into a plowshare and the spear into a pruning hook."

CHAPTER XXIII.

"More things are wrought by prayer Than this world dreams of. Wherefore let thy voice Rise like a fountain for me night and day, For what are men better than sheep or goats That nourish a blind life within the brain, If, knowing G.o.d, they lift not hands of prayer Both for themselves and those who call them friend?

For so the whole round world is every way Bound by gold chains about the feet of G.o.d."

--_Tennyson._

"MARLOW, September, ----.

"Dear Husband:

"Your letter was so full of interest. How glad, oh how rejoiced I am that we are privileged to know this beautiful truth. Don't you ever feel like stopping in the midst of your work and giving thanks that you were born in this age? As my eyes open more and more to G.o.d's goodness and love and power, I am so full of thanks, there is no room for pet.i.tions; indeed, I should feel as though I were begging, to ask G.o.d for what He has already given me, and of course He gives every child alike, being 'no respecter of persons.' Just think of it: 'Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, to conceive the things which G.o.d hath prepared for them that love Him.' Negative thought, carnal mind _can not_ know these things, but as we are cleansed and purified, the new baptism 'creates in us a new heart,' the loving child's heart turned to its father, and love shall teach us more and more to read the signs of love.

"Oh, divine mystery of childhood, of parenthood, that brings us into closer and sweeter knowledge of our Father whose love is infinite. Out of the deep silence around us, filled as it is with the all-abiding presence of G.o.d, may we ask for a manifestation of whatever gift we choose to have. These thoughts filled my mind as I went to cla.s.s this afternoon, and what was my surprise and pleasure to find the lesson to be on the subject of prayer.

"There is no theme or word so constantly in the mind and on the lips of the Christ follower as prayer. The oft-repeated injunction of Jesus was, 'watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation.' 'Pray without ceasing.'

As we study more closely into the life of the Master, we find him on all occasions communing with the Father in prayer. Thus we find that this is the most sacred and necessary of all branches of our daily work.

"Prayer is the natural turning of the better self to G.o.d, in the att.i.tude of thankfulness, praise, supplication or voiceless desire. 'It must be the spontaneous and almost irrepressible outpouring of the thoughts and feelings of the soul into the listening ear of a present G.o.d,' said an earnest thinker.

"To what wonderful depths and heights our prayers lead us when they are thus spontaneous and irrepressible! How well David has expressed the grat.i.tude, the holy trust and majestic praise common to every devout child of G.o.d. 'The Lord is my shepherd,' is blessed affirmation of supreme trust, the naming of G.o.d's glorious gifts, the grat.i.tude for peace, life, love, protection, friendship, all the heavenly blessings of G.o.d's presence in G.o.d's house. In this wonderful psalm we find, no doubt, no thought of waiting for future blessings, but a grand outpouring of thankfulness for the present. There are no pet.i.tions, no supplications, no reserves of praise, but simply the glad recognition and appreciation of the omnipresence and omnipotence of Good.

"It was the same feeling, tempered with a deeper solemnity, that prompted Jesus to say 'Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me,' as he was about to perform the mighty miracle of raising Lazarus.

"Thanks signify the accomplishment of the desire. His request of the Father was granted before he had even preferred it, for he knew the law and realized it--that G.o.d is life and knows not death--but the form of words was observed because that makes the law a visible fact.

"Father is the human naming for this divine Love that ever waits for the spoken word in order to be revealed. To Jesus it was the dearest and best name of all by which to address or speak to the one great Helper, Guide, Friend. 'Father, I thank thee,' was often on his lips, and it was to the 'Father who seeth in secret' that he bade his disciples pray.

"In the secret consciousness of oneness with the Father there may be no reservations, no concealments, no hypocritical bigotry, no thought of self, only a glad going out with all our heart and soul to the Father, a trustful acknowledgment of the Good. This is the att.i.tude of true prayer.

"The devout soul is always praying, because it _consciously_ lives with G.o.d. There are times of praise, adoration, extolment, when thankfulness is more exuberant, runs over into bursting joy, and times when longing desire carries us into the very bosom of G.o.d. We long for comfort, for love, for peace, with an unutterable agony of longing, and are met with an unutterable joy of satisfaction, if we but turn to Him and acknowledge, but an indispensable preliminary to prayer is fasting. The power of accomplishment in fasting and prayer equals a decree.

"The conditions upon which hinge our use of the divine power are, first,'putting away iniquity'--fasting; second, turning to G.o.d--prayer.

Then comes the power to decree; then we see the truth of Jesus' promise: 'All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have them.' Then we look into the face of the Almighty and reflect the same power, are able to do a like work, make visible the things of His creation by speaking the word of acknowledgment, that they are already established.

"It was this kind of prayer that enabled the disciples to heal the sick, cast out demons and do all the wonderful works. Failure was simply a sign of unfaithfulness in prayer. 'Oh, ye of little faith!' was the Master's explanatory exclamation.

"Here was a most essential requisite--faith in the Father, who alone is the power; faith and trust in the invisible All. Why do we pray so much with no answer to even our most devout aspirations? Because, like the disciples, we have too little faith.

"The heart-weary mother has prayed for her son, and he still goes the 'broad way that leadeth to destruction,' as she thinks; but for her heart-weariness, which is but lack of faith, he might have been turned into 'paths of righteousness.' With her mind continually burdened with fear, dire forebodings and anxious doubts, she has asked, begged, beseeched the mighty Ruler of destinies to soften the heart of her wayward boy. Thankfulness that G.o.d has given to her child the common inheritance to all possible blessings, a pure spiritual nature, the reflection of the All-Good, has never entered her thought to express.

Her mind is divided between a conception of good and a conception of its opposite--evil. The result is years of hopeless praying, years of hopeless waiting. 'A house divided against itself can not stand.'

"'Pray, believing that ye have received.' Thus, 'I thank Thee, Father, for the perfect reflection of Thyself in my son. He is whole because he lives in and of Thy wholeness. I thank Thee that Thou hast already done more than I could ask. 'It is finished.' Into Thy hands I commend my all.'