she continued," let me, my dear Lady Flemming, join with you in offering praise and thanksgiving to that adorable Saviour, who has, with the affliction, sent such mercy; and brought your husband out of darkness into light. Oh! what a blessing for you, no longer to be alone, but to have him to walk with you on your heavenly way!"

The disappointment, both to Lady Flemming and Agnes, was real: they, however, comforted themselves with the hope of meeting during the next Christmas vacation; but such was not to be the case. Before that period, Sir Richard's health failing, he was ordered to the south of France, a distance too great for Agnes to think of undertaking.

128

NO CHRISTIAN COMMUNION.

CHAPTER XVIII.

IT was Saturday evening. Agnes had been nearly a week at B- -; during which time, she had been as lonely, regarding Christian communion, as ever she had been since her beloved father's death. Determining to make an effort, at length, towards introducing serious subjects, she now asked the ladies, which church she could attend, the next day.

"Whichever you like, Miss Hope; or, if you choose, you may come with us, as, although you do not belong to us, you will find a place set apart for those who are not of the church."

"How do you mean, ma'am?" asked Agnes. "We, who are members, that is to say believers""Will you excuse me for interrupting you," said Agnes, "but whom do you call believers? I thought all sincere followers of Jesus, were such."

"All true followers, certainly; but how are we to know that they are such?" asked Mrs. Martin.

"The Bible says, 'By their fruits ye shall know them ;' and Jesus says again, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.'

"Yes, but now we come to the point. What are

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those commandments? I fancy, Miss Hope, that your ideas and mine vary greatly on this subject." "Do you not, Mrs. Martin, take the Word of God as your rule of conduct?"

"Certainly."

"So do I: then why should we differ?"

"I will answer you from that Word; 'Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.'"*

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Yes," said Agnes, "and the second verse of the same chapter, goes on to say how we are to know the spirit that is of God. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.' This is very plain. I believe, as does my church, that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh; yet I hardly feel sure that you will allow me to be a Christian."

:

"I can only trust you may be one, but cannot positively know it, unless you joined our church. And that was what I was going to say just now, that we who call ourselves believers, will not join in prayer with any out of our community, not knowing that they are Christians, and not considering it in accordance with Scripture, for believers and unbelievers to be thus united."

"But why may not others but those of your own church be real Christians?"

"I think in every case it is a matter of strong

*1 John iv. 1.

K

doubt if they are, for were they, they would act in accordance with the rules of the Bible, as we believe that we do ourselves."

"Then, do you not think that any out of your sect know and keep God's will?"

"I have found no others as yet."

There was a pause. Agnes was musing.

At

length Mrs. Martin asked her of what she was

thinking.

"I am afraid to say freely," she replied.

"Lest you may consider me impertinent."

"I will not do this, rest assured; therefore, if you like, tell me what was passing in your mind."

"I was thinking there was a want of charity in confining Christianity solely to one body of people. Surely to do that, is to be as exclusive as the Church of Rome."

The lady did not at first reply; in fact she could say nothing against Agnes's remark, so, after a hesitation of a few seconds, she said good-naturedly,

"I promised not to think you impertinent, and indeed you were not so. But now do you wish to hear anything more of our ideas?"

"Yes, if you please, I should be much obliged to you for any other information," replied Agnes. In return, Mrs. Martin continued,

"You remember what my little boy said the other night about not being allowed to say prayers? Our opinion is this; that none but a believer can pray;

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therefore, we do not permit our young children to mock God with empty words."

"Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; '" murmured Agnes in a musing way, and looking absently on the ground; then raising her expressive eyes to those of her patroness, she asked, "Does it say anywhere in the Bible, that children may not pray? I think not; but I know that it is there written, 'Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise !'"

Once more, Mrs. Martin could make no reply; and Agnes, out of politeness, would not press the question, but presently resumed,

"If you are not already tired, ma'am, will you give me some further insight into the tenets and practices of your religionists?"

"Readily. We hold that the Only True is made. known to men exclusively in the Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ-that the sinner can do nothing to obtain forgiveness of his sins, but that Christ Jesus by His death made propitiation for sin;—that His resurrection proved that to have been complete and divinely accepted. We hold that the forgiveness of all sin, acceptance in the sight of God, and eternal life-come to the guiltiest of sinful men, as such; and are assured to every one, who believes the testimony there delivered, concerning Jesus of Nazareth. We believe that salvation is, from first to last, the exclusive work of God the Saviour. We understand by true repentance, the new mind which faith produces.