If he had not been the great and brilliant preacher of an old established

church, and revered by all denominations as well as his own, the minister

would have been called eccentric and have been asked to resign, because

his religion was so very personal that it became embarrassing to some.

However, his rare gifts, and his remarkable consecration and independence

in doing what he thought right, had produced a most unusual church for a

fashionable neighborhood.

Most of his church-members were in sympathy with him, and a wonderful work

was going forward right in the heart of Sodom, unhampered by fashion or

form or class distinctions. It is true there were some who, like Madam

Advertisement..

Bailey sat calmly in their seats, and let the minister attend to the

preaching end of the service without ever bothering their thoughts as to

what he was saying. It was all one to them whether he prayed three times

or once, so the service got done at the usual hour. But the majority were

being led to see that there is such a thing as a close and intimate walk

with God upon this earth.

Into this church came Elizabeth, the sweet heathen, eager to learn all

that could be learned about the things of the soul. She sat beside her

grandmother, and drank in the sermon, and bowed her lovely, reverent head

when she became aware that God was in the room and was being spoken to by

His servant. After the last echo of the recessional had died away, and the

bowed hush of the congregation had grown into a quiet, well-bred commotion

of the putting on of wraps and the low Sabbath greetings, Elizabeth turned

to her grandmother.

"Grandmother, may I please go and ask that man some questions? He said

just what I have been longing and longing to know, and I must ask him

more. Nobody else ever told me these things. Who is he? How does he know

it is all true?"

The elder woman watched the eager, flushed face of the girl; and her heart

throbbed with pride that this beautiful young thing belonged to her. She

smiled indulgently.

"The rector, you mean? Why, I'll invite him to dinner if you wish to talk

with him. It's perfectly proper that a young girl should understand about

religion. It has a most refining influence, and the Doctor is a charming

man. I'll invite his wife and daughter too. They move in the best circles,

and I have been meaning to ask them for a long time. You might like to be

confirmed. Some do. It's a very pretty service. I was confirmed myself

when I was about your age. My mother thought it a good thing for a girl

before she went into society. Now, just as you are a schoolgirl, is the

proper time. I'll send for him this week. He'll be pleased to know you are

interested in these things. He has some kind of a young people's club that

meets on Sunday. 'Christian Something' he calls it; I don't know just

what, but he talks a great deal about it, and wants every young person to

join. You might pay the dues, whatever they are, anyway. I suppose it's

for charity. It wouldn't be necessary for you to attend the meetings, but

it would please the Doctor."




Most Popular