ask of you is that you think me as sincere in my belief as I think
you in yours. I do ask for your toleration, your charity.
Everything else between us will be easy, if you can see that I have
done only what I could. The faith of the world grows, changes. Sons
cannot always agree with their fathers; otherwise the world would
stand still. You do not believe many things your own grandfather
believed--the man of whose memory you are so proud. The faith you
hold did not even exist among men in his day. I can no longer agree
with you: I do not think the less of you because I believe
differently; do not think the less of me!"

The young man could not enter into any argument with the old one.
He would not have disturbed if he could his father's faith: it was
too late in life for that. Neither could he defend his own views
without attacking his father's: that also would have been cruelty
in itself and would have been accepted as insulting. Still David
could not leave his case without witnesses.

"There are things in the old Bible that no scholar now believes."

"The Almighty declares they are true; you say they are not: I
prefer to believe the Almighty. Perhaps He knows better than you
and the scholars."

David fell into sorrowful silence. "There are some other matters
about which I should like to speak with you, father," he said,
changing the subject. "I recall one thing you said to me the day I
came home. You asked me why I had come back here: do you still feel
that way?"