not enough to believe; we must also openly avow our belief. Because
there are tares in the field we must not, therefore, stay out in the
desert. Because there are hypocrites in the church, we must not,
therefore, give ourselves up to evil."

"Oh, I don't mean that, aunt! We could be just as good Christians all
the time."

"No, Hugh. That is a fatal error. Men are weak, and God mercifully
helps them to conquer themselves by sending them the safeguards of
religious vows and duties. It is His appointed way, and we must not
question His wisdom. The dangers are ten times greater outside the
church than within it, and a blessing is given to obedience. God
requires obedience. He distinctly says, 'he that is not with me, is
against me, and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad.' And
as regards hypocrisy, Hugh, it is indeed a wretched fault; but, are
there not other faults equally bad?"

"No, aunt; not to me. I can never go to church in the winter without
a bitter feeling towards old Mr. Braine, who always leaves his poor
horse tied outside through the long service, during the severest
weather. Then there is Gideon Fish, too. How very, very good he is!
When he was a little boy he always took the highest place in school
for good conduct, and yet, there was not a meaner boy in town. He
copied the other scholars' exercises, peeped into the books, and had
a key to his Arithmetic. He never got into trouble at recess, and why?
Because he was too cowardly to take his share of the sport. As he grew
older, he grew to be more and more of a pattern. He was always talking
about his feelings. He always 'felt it to be his duty' to do just what
he most wished to do, and he always had some wonderfully