a veritable brotherhood of man--to
replace the caricatures of those doctrines that Christianity submits."

"Our young friend seems to think exceeding well of human nature,"
chirped Father Riley.

"Yes," rejoined Bernal. "Isn't it droll that this poor, fallen human
nature, despised and reviled, 'conceived in sin and born in iniquity,'
should at last call the Christian God and Saviour to account, weigh them
by its own standard, find them wanting, and replace them with a greater
God born of itself? Is not that an eloquent proof of the living God that
abides in us?"

"Has it ever occurred to you, young man, that human nature has its
selfish moments?" asked the high-church rector--between sips of claret
and water.

"Has it ever occurred to you that human nature has _any_ but selfish
moments?" replied Bernal. "If so, your impression was incorrect."

"Really, Mr. Linford, have you not just been telling us how glorious is
this nature of man--"

"I know--I will explain to you," he went on, moving Father Riley to
another indulgent smile by his willingness to instruct the gray-bearded
Congregationalist who had interrupted.

"When I saw that there must be a hell for all so long as there is a hell
for one--even for Spencer--I suddenly saw there was nothing in any man
to merit the place--unless it were the ignorance of immaturity. For I
saw that man by the very first law of his being can never have any but a
selfish motive. Here again practical psychology sustains me. You cannot
so much as raise your hand without an intention to promote your
happiness--nor are you less selfish if you give your all to the
needy--you are still equally doing that which promotes your happiness.
That it is more blessed to give than to receive is a terse statement of
a law scientifically demonstrable. You all know how far more exquisite
is the pleasure that comes from giving than that which comes from
receiving. Is not one who prefers to give then simply selfish with a
greater wisdom, a finer skill for the result desired--his own pleasure?
The man we call good is not less selfish than the man we call bad--only
wiser in the ways that bring his happiness--riper in that divine
sensitiveness to the feelings of his brother. Selfish happiness is
equally a law with all, though it send one of us to thieving and another
to the cross.

"Ignorance of this primary truth has kept the world in spiritual
darkness--it has nurtured belief in sin--in a devil, in a