"Not even a minister?"
"Perhaps he would. But you have asked enough questions. Now try and go
to sleep."
Cyrus obeyed, and slept. But that evening when his father came up and
was sitting by the bed he made further efforts to get light on the
darkest of all subjects. Dr. Alton, however, saw signs of a feverish
excitement in the usually calm eyes of the invalid, and he decided
upon a soothing course of religious instruction. He knew that this
sudden thirst for knowledge in a fresh field could not be allayed by
any off-hand advice to forget and slumber. So with a smiling face
he answered questions as if the matter in hand was of no immediate
importance.
"Father, was Jesus so very good?" Cyrus began.
"Yes, indeed! The best of men!"
"He wasn't better than you, I bet."
"Indeed he was, Cyrus; very, very much better."
"Ho!" said the boy; "I don't believe it."
Dr. Alton explained, in few words, certain important differences
between Our Savior and other men. Cyrus listened, and understood; then
inquired:
"Was He a Congregashalist?"
Dr. Alton smiled, and shook his head. "Never, Cyrus! Never! He couldn't
have been if he tried. And He was not the man to try. There was no
cruelty in him. He was all forgiveness."
"Then he must have been a Unitarian, a Piscopalian, or Baptist or
Methodist--or something like that."
Dr. Alton closed his eyes and stroked his chin.
"No--I should say not. He might possibly have been a Universalist, or a
Unitarian. But why are you so interested in religion all of a sudden?
Afraid you are going to die?"
"No, not now. But all lost night I was afraid."
His father took one of the small hands in both his own and smiled into
the invalid's adoring face. "There's no hurry about choosing your
creed, little man. Benevolent Creators are not punishing children for
theological errors. But we can talk it all over later, when you are
well."
Cyrus also smiled--"But tell me, father, just for fun, what religion is
the best?"
"Well, Cyrus, that's hard to say. There are many to choose from."
"Why, I thought the Christian religion was the only real one."
"Well, that's what the Christians think--naturally."