to me extravagant.'

'Otherwise, fanatical!'

'I would not express it so. But what are clergymen for, if this is your
business?'

'To whom was the command given?'

'To the apostles and their successors.'

'No, it was given to the whole band of disciples; the order to go into
all the world and make disciples of every creature.'

'All the disciples!'

'And to all the disciples that other command was given,--"Whatsoever ye
would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." And of all the
things that a man can want and desire to have given him, there is
nothing comparable for preciousness to the knowledge of Christ.'

'But, Mr. Dallas, this is not the general way of thinking?'

'Among those who'--he paused--'who are glad in the love of Christ, I
think it must be.'

'Then what are those who are not "glad" in that way?'

'Greatly to be pitied!'

There was a little pause. Pitt went on busily with his work. Betty sat
and looked at him, and looked at the varieties of things he was putting
under shelter or out of the way. One after another, all bearing their
witness to the tastes and appetite for knowledge possessed by the
person who had gathered them together. Yes, if Pitt was not a
scientist, he was very fond of sciences; and if he were not to be
called an artist in some kinds, he was full of feeling for art. What an
anomaly he was! how very unlike this room looked to the abode of a
fanatic!

'What is to become of all these things?' she asked, pursuing her
thoughts.

'They will be safe here till I return.'

'But I mean-- You do not understand me. I was thinking rather, what
would become of all the tastes and likings to which they bear evidence?
How do they match with your new views of things?'

'How do they not match?' said Pitt, stopping short.

'You spoke of giving up all things, did you not?'

'The Bible does,' said Pitt, smiling. 'But that is, _if need be_ for
the service or honour of God. Did you think they were to be renounced
in all cases?'

'Then what did you mean?'

'The Bible means, evidently, that we are to be so minded, toward them
and toward God, that we are ready to give them up and do give them up
just so far and so fast as His service calls for it. That is all, and
it is enough!'

Betty watched him a little longer, and then began again.

'You say, it is to be the business of your life to--well, how shall I
put it?--to set people right, in short. Why don't you begin at the
be