t. He'll give us the rest next Sabbath."

Christie sighed. The chances were very much against her hearing what
was to be said next Sabbath. In a moment she repeated, musingly:

"`Pardoneth all our sins; accepteth us as righteous.' I never thought
about that before. `The righteousness of Christ imputed to us.' What
is `imputed,' Effie?"

"It means put to our credit, as if it were our own," said Effie. "I
have read that somewhere."

"Do you understand all the catechism, Effie?" asked Christie, looking
wonderingly into her face. Effie laughed a little, and shook her head.

"I don't understand it all, as the minister does, but I think I know
something about every question. There is so much in the catechism."

"Yes, I suppose so," assented Christie. "But it's a pity that all good
books are so dull and so hard to understand."

"Why, I don't suppose they _are_ all dull. I am sure they are not,"
said Effie, gravely.

"Well, _I_ find them so," said Christie. "Do you mind the book that
Andrew Graham brought to my father--the one, you know, that he said his
mother was never weary of reading? And my father liked it too--and my
aunt; though I don't really think she liked it so much. Well, I tried,
on two different Sabbaths, to read it. I thought I would try and find
out what was wonderful about it. But I couldna. It seemed to me just
like all the rest of the books. Did _you_ like it, Effie?"

"I didna read it. It was sent home too soon. But, Christie, you are
but a little girl. It's no' to be supposed that you could understand
all father can, or that you should like all that he likes. And
besides," she added, after a pause, "I suppose God's people are
different from other people. They have something that others have not--
a power to understand and enjoy what is hidden from the rest of the
world."

Christie looked at her sister with undisguised astonishment.

"What _do_ you mean, Effie?" she asked.

"I don't know that I can make it quite clear to you. But don't you mind
how we smiled at wee Willie for wanting to give his bonny picture-book
to Mrs Grey's blind Allie? It was a treasure to him; but to the poor
wee blind lassie it was no better than an old copybook would have been.
And don't you mind that David prays: `Open Thou mine eyes, that I may
behold wondrous things out of Thy law'? That must mean something. I am
afraid most of those who read God's Word fail to see `wondrous things'
in it."