ommendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us_.

"_Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea,
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ_?"

"If we could be sure that we are among the children of God," said Mrs
Lee, with a sigh. And soon after she added: "There are a great many
things in the Bible that are hard to understand."

"Yes; I suppose so--I am sure of it," said Christie, gravely. "But the
things most necessary for us to know and understand are easy for us; at
least, with the help of the Holy Spirit they grow easy, I think. It is
very plainly told us we are sinners and need a Saviour, that a Saviour
has been provided, and those who come to Him He will in no wise cast
out. These are the chief things; and besides these, we are assured of
help and guidance and peace, all the way through to the end."

Christie spoke slowly, striving to put into as few words as possible
these precious truths of the Bible.

"You seem to know a great deal about these things, and to take a
pleasure in them," said Mrs Lee.

Christie shook her head. "I take pleasure in them, but I know very
little. It is only lately that I have cared to learn. I am very
ignorant."

Ignorant though she was, the child knew more of God's truth than her
mistress; and many a word in season she spoke to her anxious heart
during the long watches that they shared together in the sad times that
followed that memorable day. They were words very simply and humbly
spoken--rarely Christie's own. They were passages of Scripture, or bits
from the catechism, or remembered comments upon them made, in her
hearing, by her father, or by Effie and her friends.

Nothing could have been farther from Christie's thoughts than any
intention of teaching. She did not dream how strange and new to her
listener were the blessed truths that were beginning to present
themselves so vividly to her own mind. She would have shrunk from the
thought of presuming to teach, or even to suggest new trains of thought.
In ordinary circumstances she might have found it difficult to converse
long on any subject with Mrs Lee. But watching and anxiety, shared in
the chamber over which hangs the shadow of a great dread, soon break
down the barr