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would a man deny his own father or mother？〃
〃I don't know；〃 answered Davie； 〃I don't remember my mother。〃
〃I'll tell you what；〃 said Donal； with sudden inspiration： 〃I will
promise not to speak about God at any other time； if she will
promise to sit by when I do speak of himsay once a week。Perhaps
we shall do what he tells us all the better that we don't talk so
much about him！〃
〃Oh； thank you； Mr。 Grant！I will tell her；〃 cried Davie； jumping
up relieved。 〃Oh； thank you； Mr。 Grant！〃 he repeated； 〃I could not
bear you to go away。 I should never stop crying if you did。 And
you won't say any wicked things； will you？ for Arkie reads her Bible
every day。〃
〃So do I； Davie。〃
〃Do you？〃 returned Davie； 〃I'll tell her that too； and then she will
see she must have been mistaken。〃
He hurried to his cousin with Donal's suggestion。
It threw her into no small perplexityfirst from doubt as to the
propriety of the thing proposed； next because of the awkwardness of
it； then from a sudden fear lest his specious tongue should lead
herself into the bypaths of doubt； and to the castle of Giant
Despairat which； indeed； it was a gracious wonder she had not
arrived ere now。 What if she should be persuaded of things which it
was impossible to believe and be saved！ She did not see that such
belief as she desired to have was in itself essential damnation。
For what can there be in heaven or earth for a soul that believes
in an unjust God？ To rejoice in such a belief would be to be a
devil； and to believe what cannot be rejoiced in； is misery。 No
doubt a man may not see the true nature of the things he thinks she
believes； but that cannot save him from the loss of not knowing God；
whom to know is alone eternal life； for who can know him that
believes evil things of him？ That many a good man does believe such
things； only argues his heart not yet one towards him。 To make his
belief possible he must dwell on the good things he has learned
about God； and not think about the bad things。
And what would Sophia say？ Lady Arctura would have sped to her
friend for counsel before giving any answer to the audacious
proposal； but she was just then from home for a fortnight； and she
must resolve without her！ She reflected also that she had not yet
anything sufficiently definite to say to her uncle about the young
man's false doctrine； and； for herself； concluded that； as she was
well grounded for argument； knowing thoroughly the Shorter Catechism
with the proofs from scripture of every doctrine it contained； it
was foolish to fear anything from one who went in the strength of
his own ignorant and presumptuous will； regardless of the opinions
of the fathers of the church； and accepting only such things as were
pleasing to his unregenerate nature。
But she hesitated； and after waiting for a week without receiving
any answer to his proposal； Donal said to Davie；
〃We shall have a lesson in the New Testament to…morrow： you had
better mention it to your cousin。〃
The next morning he asked him if he had mentioned it。 The boy said
he had。
〃What did she say； Davie？〃
〃Nothingonly looked strange；〃 answered Davie。
When the hour of noon was past； and lady Arctura did not appear；
Donal said；
〃Davie； we'll have our New Testament lesson out of doors： that is
the best place for it！〃
〃It is the best place！〃 responded Davie； jumping up。 〃But you're not
taking your book； Mr。 Grant！〃
〃Never mind； I will give you a lesson or two without book first。〃
Just as they were leaving the room； appeared lady Arctura with Miss
Carmichael。
〃I understood；〃 said the former； with not a little haughtiness；
〃that you〃
She hesitated； and Miss Carmichael took up the word。
〃We wish to form our own judgment；〃 she said； 〃on the nature of the
religious instruction you give your pupil。〃
〃I invited lady Arctura to be present when I taught him about God；〃
said Donal。
〃Then are you not now going to do so？〃 said Arctura。
〃As your ladyship made no answer to my proposal； and school hours
were over； I concluded you were not coming。〃
〃And you would not give the lesson without her ladyship！〃 said Miss
Carmichael。 〃Very right！〃
〃Excuse me；〃 returned Donal； 〃we were going to have it out of
doors。〃
〃But you had agreed not to give him any so…called religious
instruction but in the presence of lady Arctura！〃
〃By no means。 I only offered to give it in her presence if she
chose。 There was no question of the lessons being given。〃
Miss Carmichael looked at lady Arctura as much as to say〃Is he
speaking the truth？〃 and if she replied； it was in the same fashion。
Donal looked at Miss Carmichael。 He did not at all relish her
interference。 He had never said he would give his lesson before any
who chose to be present！ But he did not see how to meet the
intrusion。 Neither could he turn back into the schoolroom； sit
down； and begin。 He put his hand on Davie's shoulder； and walked
slowly towards the lawn。 The ladies followed in silence。 He sought
to forget their presence； and be conscious only of his pupil's and
his master's。 On the lawn he stopped suddenly。
〃Davie；〃 he said； 〃where do you fancy the first lesson in the New
Testament ought to begin？〃
〃At the beginning；〃 replied Davie。
〃When a thing is perfect； Davie； it is difficult to say what is the
beginning of it： show me one of your marbles。〃
The boy produced from his pocket a pure white onea real marble。
〃That is a good one for the purpose；〃 remarked Donal； 〃very smooth
and white； with just one red streak in it！ Now where is the
beginning of this marble？〃
〃Nowhere；〃 answered Davie。
〃If I should say everywhere？〃 suggested Donal。
〃Ah； yes！〃 said the boy。
〃But I agree with you that it begins nowhere。〃
〃It can't do both！〃
〃Oh； yes； it can！ it begins nowhere for itself； but everywhere for
us。 Only all its beginnings are endings； and all its endings are
beginnings。 Look here： suppose we begin at this red streak； it is
just there we should end again。 That is because it is a perfect
thing。Well； there was one who said； 'I am Alpha and Omega；'the
first Greek letter and the last； you know'the beginning and the
end； the first and the last。' All the New Testament is about him。
He is perfect； and I may begin about him where I best can。 Listen
then as if you had never heard anything about him before。Many
years agoabout fifty or sixty grandfathers offthere appeared in
the world a few men who said that a certain man had been their
companion for some time and had just left them； that he was killed
by cruel men； and buried by his friends； but that； as he had told
them he would； he lay in the grave only three days； and left it on
the third alive and well； and that； after forty days； during which
they saw him several times； he went up into the sky； and
disappeared。It wasn't a very likely story； was it？〃
〃No；〃 replied Davie。
The ladies exchanged looks of horror。 Neither spoke； but each
leaned eagerly forward； in fascinated expectation of worse to
follow。
〃But； Davie；〃 Donal went on； 〃however unlikely it must have seemed
to those who heard it； I believe every word of it。〃
A ripple of contempt passed over Miss Carmichael's face。
〃For；〃 continued Donal； 〃the man said he was the son of God； come
down from his father to see his brothers； his father's children； and
take home with him to his father those who would go。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 interrupted Miss Carmichael； with a pungent smile：
〃what he said was； that if any man believed in him； he should be
saved。〃
〃Run along； Davie；〃 said Donal。 〃I will tell you more of what he
said next lesson。 Don't forget what I've told you now。〃
〃No； sir；〃 answered Davie； and ran off。
Donal lifted his hat； and would have gone towards the river。 But
Miss Carmichael； stepping forward； said；
〃Mr。 Grant； I cannot let you go till you answer me one question： do
you believe in the atonement？〃
〃I do；〃 answered Donal。
〃Favour me then with your views upon it；〃 she said。
〃Are you troubled in your mind on the subject？〃 asked Donal。
〃Not in the least；〃 she replied； with a slight curl of her lip。
〃Then I see no occasion for giving you my views。〃
〃But I insist。〃
Donald smiled。
〃Of what consequence can my opinions be to you； ma'am？ Why should
you compel a confession of my faith？〃
〃As the friend of this family； and the daughter of the clergyman of
this parish； I have a right to ask what your opinions are： you have
a most important charge committed to youa child for whose soul you
have to account！〃
〃For that I am accountable； but； pardon me； not to you。〃
〃You are accountable to lord Morven for what you teach his child。〃
〃I am not。〃
〃What！ He will turn you away at a moment's notice if you say so to
him。〃
〃I should be quite ready to go。 If I were accountable to him for
what I taught； I should of course teach only what he pleased。 But
do you suppose I would take any situation on such a condition？〃
〃It is nothing to me； or his lordship either； I presume； what you
would or would not do。〃
〃Then I see no reason why you should detain me。Lady Arctura； I did
not offer to give my lesson in the presence