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Page 60
Into this church came Elizabeth, the sweet heathen, eager to learn all
that could be learned about the things of the soul. She sat beside her
grandmother, and drank in the sermon, and bowed her lovely, reverent head
when she became aware that God was in the room and was being spoken to by
His servant. After the last echo of the recessional had died away, and the
bowed hush of the congregation had grown into a quiet, well-bred commotion
of the putting on of wraps and the low Sabbath greetings, Elizabeth turned
to her grandmother.
"Grandmother, may I please go and ask that man some questions? He said
just what I have been longing and longing to know, and I must ask him
more. Nobody else ever told me these things. Who is he? How does he know
it is all true?"
The elder woman watched the eager, flushed face of the girl; and her heart
throbbed with pride that this beautiful young thing belonged to her. She
smiled indulgently.
"The rector, you mean? Why, I'll invite him to dinner if you wish to talk
with him. It's perfectly proper that a young girl should understand about
religion. It has a most refining influence, and the Doctor is a charming
man. I'll invite his wife and daughter too. They move in the best circles,
and I have been meaning to ask them for a long time. You might like to be
confirmed. Some do. It's a very pretty service. I was confirmed myself
when I was about your age. My mother thought it a good thing for a girl
before she went into society. Now, just as you are a schoolgirl, is the
proper time. I'll send for him this week. He'll be pleased to know you are
interested in these things. He has some kind of a young people's club that
meets on Sunday. 'Christian Something' he calls it; I don't know just
what, but he talks a great deal about it, and wants every young person to
join. You might pay the dues, whatever they are, anyway. I suppose it's
for charity. It wouldn't be necessary for you to attend the meetings, but
it would please the Doctor."
"Is it Christian Endeavor?" asked Elizabeth, with her eyes sparkling.
"Something like that, I believe. Good morning, Mrs. Schuyler. Lovely day,
isn't it? for December. No, I haven't been very well. No, I haven't been
out for several weeks. Charming service, wasn't it? The Doctor grows more
and more brilliant, I think. Mrs. Schuyler, this is my granddaughter,
Elizabeth. She has just come from the West to live with me and complete
her education. I want her to know your daughter."
Elizabeth passed through the introduction as a necessary interruption to
her train of thought. As soon as they were out upon the street again she
began.
"Grandmother, was God in that church?"
"Dear me, child! What strange questions you do ask! Why, yes, I suppose He
was, in a way. God is everywhere, they say. Elizabeth, you had better wait
until you can talk these things over with a person whose business it is. I
never understood much about such questions. You look very nice in that
shade of green, and your hat is most becoming."
So was the question closed for the time, but not put out of the girl's
thoughts.
The Christmas time had come and passed without much notice on the part of
Elizabeth, to whom it was an unfamiliar festival. Mrs. Bailey had
suggested that she select some gifts for her "relatives on her mother's
side," as she always spoke of the Bradys; and Elizabeth had done so with
alacrity, showing good sense and good taste in her choice of gifts, as
well as deference to the wishes of the one to whom they were to be given.
Lizzie, it is true, was a trifle disappointed that her present was not a
gold watch or a diamond ring; but on the whole she was pleased.
A new world opened before the feet of Elizabeth. School was filled with
wonder and delight. She absorbed knowledge like a sponge in the water, and
rushed eagerly from one study to another, showing marvellous aptitude, and
bringing to every task the enthusiasm of a pleasure-seeker.
Her growing intimacy with Jesus Christ through the influence of the pastor
who knew Him so well caused her joy in life to blossom into loveliness.
The Bible she studied with the zest of a novel-reader, for it was a novel
to her; and daily, as she took her rides in the park on Robin, now groomed
into self-respecting sleekness, and wearing a saddle of the latest
approved style, she marvelled over God's wonderful goodness to her, just a
maid of the wilderness.
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