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that she would list, and might be suffered so to do, I would thank God to the end of my days." "Anentis what should she list, good Mistress?" "Phyllis, she hath never yet made acquaintance with Christ our Lord. He is to her but a dead name set to the end of her prayers--an image nailed to a cross--a man whom she has heard tell of, but never saw. The living, loving Lord, who died and rose for her--who is ready at this hour to be her best Friend and dearest Comforter--who is holding forth His hands to her, as to all of us, and entreating her to come to Him and be saved--she looketh on Him as she doth on Constantine the Great, as man that was good and powerful once, but long ago, and 'tis all over and done with. I would fain have her hear man speak of Him that knoweth Him." "Father Jordan, Mistress?" "No. Father Jordan knows about Him. He knoweth Him not--at the least not so well as I want. Ay, I count he doth know Him after a fashion; but 'tis a poor fashion. I want a better man than he, and I want leave for him to come at her. And me feareth very sore that I shall win neither." "Shall we ask our Lord for it?" said Amphillis, shyly. "So do, dear maid. Thy faith shameth mine unbelief." "What shall I say, Mistress?" "Say, `Lord, send hither man that knoweth Thee, and incline the hearts of them in authority to suffer him to come at our Lady.' I will speak yet again with Sir Godfrey, but I might well-nigh as good speak to the door-post: he is as hard, and he knows as little. And her time is very near." There were tears in Perrote's eyes as she went away, and Amphillis entirely sympathised with her. She was coming to realise the paramount importance to every human soul of that personal acquaintance with Jesus Christ, which is the one matter of consequence to all who have felt the power of an endless life. The natural result of this was that lesser matters fell into their right place without any difficulty. There was no troubling "May I do this?" or "How far is it allowable to enjoy that?" If this were contrary to the mind of God, or if that grated on the spiritual taste, it simply could not be done, any more than something could be done which would grieve a beloved human friend, or could be eaten with relish if it were ill-flavoured and disgusting. But suppose the relish does remain? Then, either the conscience is ill-informed and scrupulous, requiring enlightenment by the Word of God, an
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