our head. I have
been cowardly and lazy long enough about my religion, now I shall stand
up for what I think is right, and I love Mrs. Hayden too well not to
warn her of what I believe to be a most dangerous heresy."

She had evidently nerved herself to say this, but her voice trembled
with earnestness, and when she finished there were tears in her eyes.

"I thank you, dear Kate, for your sincere regard, and appreciate your
motive most deeply, but of course, that can not change my mind now,"
said Mrs. Hayden, much touched.

"That, of course, is for you to decide, but I have suddenly realized my
religious responsibility as never before, and have been earnestly
considering this matter. At first it seemed all right and very
beautiful, but I believe it is only the work of the devil to get people
into his net of wickedness."

Grace was too astonished for speech; now she understood what Kate had
meant by her disinclination to talk on the subject since that night they
had heard Miss Greening. _Now_ her thoughtful spells were explained, as
well as her eager desire to come here to-night.

"I do not see why the ministers should oppose it as they do," said Mr.
Hayden, after a short silence.

"If you look back over the history you will find they opposed giving
freedom to the slaves; they opposed the temperance movement until it was
forced upon them. Many of them now oppose woman's suffrage, though their
audiences are often composed almost entirely of women. It seems a great
mystery why they should oppose any of these good and necessary reforms,
but I think it is because they are only mortal men, and have many mortal
faults and a great deal of mortal ignorance," said Grace, recovering her
tongue at last.

"It seems to me if everybody would read the words of Jesus and follow
his example they would never be harsh, or critical, or uncharitable, and
above all, they would not judge anybody or anything without a righteous
reason. The whole burden of his teaching is expressed in the sentence:
'Little children, love one another,'" was Mrs. Hayden's opinion. Kate
looked at her gratefully.

"We would have a very different world if every one followed that law,
and we have never heard a better one. The only difficulty is to know
_how_ to follow it," added Mr. Hayden.

"We must know the whole truth if we would be free from all error, and we
can only get truth by earnestly seeking for it, is my firm conviction,"
said his wife.

"If t