they were spoken. Look at this verse. I have been all the
week over it, and I don't see but I shall have to stay over it all my
life. 'Then said Jesus, If ye _continue_ in my word, then are ye my
disciples indeed.' Just think how far that reaches! All through the
words of Jesus. So many of them, so many things to do, and so many _not_
to do; and then not only to begin to follow them, but to _continue_; day
after day getting a little farther, and knowing a little more. After
all, it's very fascinating work, isn't it? If it _is_ hard, like
climbing a mountain, one gets nearer the top all the while; and when you
do really reach the top, how splendid it is! Or, doing a hard piece of
work, it's so nice to get nearer and nearer to the end of it, and feel
that you have done it."

One of the boys yawned. It was not so interesting as the description of
the miniature Jerusalem. One of them looked sarcastic. This was Rich.

"Do you suppose there ever was anybody like that?" he asked, and the
most lofty incredulity was in his voice.

"Like what?"

"Why, that followed out that kind of talk. I know enough about the Bible
to know they are mighty scarce. I'd go to Jerusalem on foot to see a
real one. Where's the folks, I'd like to know, that live up to half of
the things it says in the Bible? Why, they even say it _can't_ be done,
and that's why it seems all bosh to me. What was the use of putting it
in there if it can't be done?"

Here was one who had evidently thought, and thought seriously about
these things. Is there a boy of seventeen in our country who has not?
Flossy felt timid. How should she answer the sharp, sarcastic words? He
had been studying inconsistencies, and had grown bitter. The others
looked on curiously; they had a certain kind of pride in Rich. He was
their genius who held all the teachers at bay with his ingenious tongue.
But Flossy had been at a morning meeting in Chautauqua where there was
talk on this very subject. It came back to her now.

"As for being _able_ to do it," she said, quickly, "I don't feel sure
that we have anything to do with that, until we have convinced ourselves
that we have been just as good as we possibly could. Honestly, now, do
you think you have been?"

"No," said Rich., promptly; "of course not. And, what is more, I never
pretended that I was."

"Well, I know _I_ haven't been; I am perfectly certain that in a hundred
ways I could have done better. Why, there is nothing that I