rdinary feeling, before he took a seat by his side. The first inquiry
of the Recluse was, as usual, after Faith.

"She is out," answered her father, "but I expect her soon."

"The sight of Faith is to me as the beauty and fragrance of days long
gone," said Holden. "Unsinning Eve was not more lovely."

"She was early dedicated to her God, and is, indeed, a meet offering
for his altar," said Armstrong.

"Blessed are they," exclaimed Holden, "whose feet have never strayed
from the straight and narrow way. Where they tread spring up immortal
flowers, and they breathe the air of Paradise."

"And, alas!" said Armstrong, "how short is usually their stay. How
soon they depart for the celestial regions, to which they belong,
leaving breaking hearts behind!"

"Woe to the earth-born selfishness, that riseth up in opposition!
It is not agreeable to the law of God, nor can be. Down with the
rebellion of ignorance and unbelief."

"But is no allowance to be made for human weakness? May we not weep
over the calamities of life?"

"Aye, weep, if the tears wash out a sin, but not because the divine
will is different from thine own. What callest thou calamity? There is
no calamity, but sin."

"It is hard," sighed Armstrong, "to reach that height of abnegation
and faith to which you would have me aspire."

"Hard, but attainable, for without faith it is impossible to please
Him. There are examples set before us for imitation of what the
trusting spirit can achieve. By faith Abraham offered up Isaac when he
was tried, having confidence that God could raise him up even from
the dead. By faith--but why should I recount the deeds of those grand
souls, of whom the world was not worthy, who, through faith, subdued
kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths
of lions, quenched the violence of fire, even from Enoch, who tasted
not the bitterness of death, and Elijah, mounting on a fiery chariot,
in a whirlwind, to heaven, down to these latter days, when, as said
the apostle, 'faith should wax weak, and almost perish from the
earth?'"

Armstrong looked at Holden, with an expression like fear.

"Who is equal to these things?" said he.

"I knew a man once," said the Enthusiast, thinking of the peril he had
just escaped, and darkly shadowing forth its circumstances, "whom a
ravening lion sought to destroy, and the heart of the man sunk within
him, for, in view of the beast, he forgot that the Lord God omnipoten