CHAPTER XXII.
"Not in Jerusalem alone, God hears and answers prayer, Nor on Samaria's mountain lone, Dispenses blessings there. But in the secrecy of thought, Our silent souls may pray; Or round the household altar brought, Begin and close the day."
--_James Montgomery._
Grace was busily engaged with "Hypatia." She felt for the first time shecould bring out the peace and reposeful strength of character Kate hadthought so sadly lacking, and one afternoon, a few days after thememorable walk, she sat down to her work with a pleasurable anticipationof bringing out her ideal. As she put the touches here and there thatchanged the expression, now adding to this feature, now taking fromthat, she was thinking of the changes needed in herself, and wonderinghow or by what process they would be wrought by the invisible Artist.
She was mixing some paint on her palette, when a rap was heard at thedoor. Before she had time to say or do anything, in walked Mrs. Dykewith a timid little woman who came in like a martyr, but one resolved todie at her post if necessary. Grace was too astonished to speak for aninstant, then rising, she put down her palette, wiped her hands and wentforward with an invitation to the ladies to be seated.
"Is this Miss Turner?" began Mrs. Dyke, with a critical glance about theapartment, and then at Grace.
"No, madam, Miss Turner is not in. She generally returns about five, butto-day--"
"Very well, we can come again, for it is very important business. Areyou the young woman who lives with her?" asked Mrs. Dyke, as she seatedherself with deliberate dignity. "This is Mrs. Linberger, and we havecalled as the church committee to look after Miss Turner's soul," shecontinued, waving her hand majestically toward her companion-in-arms.
"Indeed," gasped Grace, bowing slightly toward Mrs. Linberger, andcoughing a little as she put her handkerchief to her mouth to hide asmile.
"She belongs to our church, and we have heard she is being led astray bythis blasphemous kind of healing," pursued Mrs. Dyke, looking severelyat Grace from under her thick grey veil which hung like a lowering cloudjust above her eyes. "Mr. Narrow requested me and Mrs. Linberger to calland examine into the matter. I hope _you_ don't encourage suchwickedness, young woman?"
"Certainly I am at enmity with any kind of wickedness, but I am notaware of any particular wickedness in Christian Healing," replied Grace,bracing herself for the storm she saw brewing.
"What! you don't see anything wrong in such awful heresy!" exclaimedMrs. Dyke, again pushing her veil up, and looking with horrified eyes,first at Grace, then at Mrs. Linberger. "Perhaps you don't understandabout it," she added, softening a little as she settled back in herchair.
"I must confess I know but very little about it, but what I do know onlyincreases my desire to know more," said Grace, flushing, as she sat downin the nearest chair.
"Let me warn you not to read or hear another word about it then, for itwill simply be the means of worse than death to you," continued Mrs.Dyke, raising her finger solemnly.
"It destroys the most important doctrines in the Bible, even taking awaythe belief in the devil and hell," added Mrs. Linberger, speaking forthe first time.
"Yes; they even deny there ever was a devil or that there ever will beany future punishment. Just think of it," reiterated Mrs. Dyke. "I guessthey will see, some time!" she added with a sort of steely satisfaction.
"Do you really believe they lay aside all future punishment?" askedGrace, willing to waive the application to herself, and anxious to hearMrs. Dyke's views.
"Yes, they say there is no evil and no devil, so of course there is noneed for punishment."
"But do they not regard the devil as Jesus did, after all?" asked Grace,again pursuing her advantage.
"U-m, well, Jesus recognized him and talked to him, telling him to getout, and he often referred to the everlasting punishment," added Mrs.Dyke again, with a solemn face.
"But, he did not mean a literal fire, did he, when He spoke ofeverlasting punishment?"
Mrs. Dyke was the catechized instead of the catechizer, and it was anunaccustomed _role_, but she bore it like a soldier.
"Of course he did; several places in Matthew he described the lot of thewicked, and referred to the danger of hell-fire. Haven't you studied theBible, Miss Hall?" suddenly turning to look straight at Grace with someseverity.
"I am very much interested in it, Mrs. Dyke, but when I read that 'God'smercy endureth forever,' and that 'Jesus came to destroy the works ofthe devil,' I am inclined to think there must be some mistake about thedreadful wrath that is to last forever," calmly replied Grace.
"And you don't believe in eternal punishment?" cried Mrs. Dyke, in ashrill 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 thereis 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 atany rate," said Mrs. Dyke, as she adjusted her veil, preparatory to herdeparture.
"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 meetingssome time, Miss Hall," interrupted Mrs. Dyke, not heeding what Grace wassaying. "Here is a card announcing the regular weekly services, and hereare some tracts for you to read." She dealt out a liberal supply, whichGrace took as she again started to explain, but a sudden haste hadseized her visitors, and they left, saying they would try and call someother time, when Miss Turner was at home.
As Grace turned to go back to her painting, she caught a glance of herreflection in the glass. After looking at it a moment with a quizzicalexpression, she suddenly burst into a merry laugh, saying: "I did notknow you had turned Bible teacher. Well, well, it _was_ funny, but Icould 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, butbefore it was read Grace told her all about the call by the "churchcommittee." Kate looked a little grave at first, but finallystraightening 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 willbe resigned to fate." She smiled and spoke cheerily, but a little tremorof the old fear touched her, notwithstanding.
"Let us read the letter now," suggested Grace, thinking that would bethe 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 caninterpret more freely myself, as I plainly see we must use our judgmentabout the Bible, as well as anything else. But what does it mean aboutthe creeds?" she added suddenly, appealing to Grace with the old anxiouslook in her eyes.
"It means," said Grace, "that the ordinary orthodox interpretation ofdoctrinal points was voted upon by bishops, presbyters and laitygenerally, and because the majority of votes indicated a preference fora certain interpretation, it was adopted and became the establishedcreed, and thus we have what is called the Apostles' Creed, which is thebasis of all orthodox churches throughout Christendom. And so with allcreeds; they are all established by majority vote."
"I should never have known anything about this," she continued, "if Ihad 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. Itseemed that she must hold on to something or the last straw that boundher to the teachings of childhood, would break.
"It is a matter of history, and yo
u see Mrs. Hayden has touched upon it,though very lightly. But it is the grandest historical truth I everread, for it gives personal liberty. I shall never forget how happy Iwas to learn that the creeds were simply man-made or man-expressedopinions, for in that case, I too, had liberty to read and think formyself, just as well as those who voted upon these variousinterpretations."
Grace was handsome when filled with enthusiasm, and as Kate looked ather at this moment she thought her face perfectly angelic, but one morequestion she must ask of this noble friend, who knew just what sheneeded to know and could tell it when she needed it most. "Do you thinkChristian Healing does away with the creeds of the church?"
"No, not necessarily. So far as I can see, it merely seeks truth, andwhatever of truth is found anywhere is retained. It is only the husksthat are thrown away. Indeed I can see more in the church than I evercould 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 God. What is back of thecreed but a desire to reverence Deity? That was the origin, no matterinto what it has degenerated now, and we must judge according to thespirit, not the letter. Oh, when will the world worship in the unity ofthe spirit?" sighed Grace, longing for the time when questionings andcontroversies would be at an end.
"Here is Mrs. Dyke, for instance," she resumed, presently, "what is shestriving for but to live the true religion as she understands it? I canrespect any honest people who live up to their belief, and the Christianwho moans and sighs and looks doleful because he thinks it is his dutyto do so, is much higher in my estimation than the one who believes itto 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 theirconversation.
The vague terror that had occasionally thrust itself upon her duringthese 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 Biblelesson was especially valuable, because it touched these very points,and after this little conversation with Grace on the subject she waslike another person.
When Mrs. Dyke called a few evenings later, after a similar interview tothe one with Grace, she left the battlefield a wiser soldier than whenshe entered it, for Kate had so beautifully proven her religiousearnestness, and more than all had shown such a Christ-like spirit, thatthe "sword was beaten into a plowshare and the spear into a pruninghook."