e in the sense of the
Articles."

Charles assented for peace-sake. But his concession availed not; the
Vice-Principal pursued his advantage.

"They must not interpret each other, Mr. Reding, else you revolve in a
circle. Let me repeat my question. In what sense do you interpret the
Articles?"

"I wish to take them," Reding answered, "in the general and received
sense of our Church, as all our divines and present Bishops take them."

The Vice-Principal looked pleased. Charles could not help being candid,
and said in a lower tone, as if words of course, "That is, on faith."

This put all wrong again. Jennings would not allow this; it was a blind,
Popish reliance; it was very well, when he first came to the University,
before he had read the Articles, to take them on trust; but a young man
who had had the advantages of Mr. Reding, who had been three years at
St. Saviour's College, and had attended the Article-lectures, ought to
hold the received view, not only as being received, but as his own, with
a free intellectual assent. He went on to ask him by what texts he
proved the Protestant doctrine of justification. Charles gave two or
three of the usual passages with such success, that the Vice-Principal
was secretly beginning to relent, when, unhappily, on asking a last
question as a matter of course, he received an answer which confirmed
all his former surmises.

"What is our Church's doctrine concerning the intercession of Saints?"

Charles said that he did not recollect that it had expressed any opinion
on the subject. Jennings bade him think again; Charles thought in vain.

"Well, what is your opinion of it, Mr. Reding?"

Charles, believing it to be an open point, thought he should be safe in
imitating "our Church's" moderation. "There are different opinions on
the subject," he said: "some persons think they intercede for us,
others, that they do not. It is easy to go into extremes; perhaps better
to avoid such questions altogether; better to go by Scripture; the book
of Revelation speaks of the intercession of Saints, but does not
expressly say that they intercede for us," &c., &c.

Jennings sat upright in his easy-chair, with indignation mounting into
his forehead. At length his face became like night. "_That_ is your
opinion, Mr. Reding."

Charles began to be frightened.

"Please to take up that Prayer Book and turn to the 22nd Article. Now
begin reading it."

"The Romish doctrine," said Charles,--"th