unhappy and disgusted
because he is fighting? I trow not. I am reading the history of the
Oxford Conference; [5] there is a great deal in it to like, but what do
you think of this saying of its leader? "Did it ever strike you, dear
Christian, that if the poor world could know what we are in Christ, it
would worship us?" [6] _I_ say _Pshaw!_ What a fallacy! _Why_ should it
worship us when it rejects Christ? Well, we have to take even the best
people as they are.

A few weeks later she met a company of the young ladies of Dr. Ludlow's
church and gave them a familiar talk on the Christian life. The
following letter from Dr. L. will show how much they were interested:

DEAR MRS. PRENTISS:--I find that you have so taken hold of the young
ladies of my church that it will be hard for you to relieve yourself
of them. They insist on meeting you again. The hesitancy to ask you
questions last Thursday was due to the large number present. I have
asked _only the younger ones_ to come this week--those who are either
"seeking the way," or are just at its beginning. _Five_ of those you
addressed last week have announced their purpose of confessing Christ at
the coming Communion.

Several questions have come from those silent lips which I am requested
to submit to you:

"What is it to believe?"

"How much feeling of love must I have before I can count myself Jesus'
disciple?"

"I am troubled with my lack of feeling. I know that sin is heinous, but
do not feel deep abhorrence of it. I know that Jesus will save me, but I
have no enthusiasm of gratitude. Am I a Christian?"

"I am afraid to confess Christ lest I should not honor Him in my
life, for I am naturally impulsive and easily fall into religious
thoughtlessness. Should I wait for an inward assurance of strength, or
begin a Christian life trusting Him to help me?"

Any of these topics will be very pertinent. I trust that nothing will
prevent you from being present on Thursday afternoon. I will call for
you. The limited number who will be present will give you a better
working basis than you had last week. The _older young_ ladies have
assented to their exclusion this week on the condition that at some time
they too can come.

Very gratefully yours, JAMES M. LUDLOW.

In a letter dated May 3, 1880, Dr. Ludlow thus refers to these meetings:

I regret that I can not speak more definitely of Mrs. Prentiss'
conversations with the young ladies of my charge, as it was my custom