To be popular in the religious world today, one must smile upon any
creed; believe nothing absolutely, and regard "Truth" as too delicate a
thing to be handled.
The next day did bring a storm. It was just after lunch, and Venna was
sitting in the living-room with the two preachers, earnestly discussing
points of doctrine. Baby Anna sat in her high chair, happily surveying
the party, as each one of whom gave her occasional amusement.
"Just think of a dear babe like that being considered a sinner,"
remarked Brother Johnson with a tender smile at Anna.
Anna smiled her approval at this remark and held out her chubby hand to
be kissed.
"You're right," returned Venna, kissing the tiny fingers. "She's a
little angel--all babes are. It's a repulsive thought to connect them
with the sins of this world."
"Then it won't be hard for you to accept our doctrine of
pre-existence," said Brother Hallock. "It is a beautiful revelation,
given to us, I think, to inspire us to live up to our origin. We know
that we are the spirit children of our heavenly Father and that we come
to this world fresh from His loving care. Babies need no baptism. The
early Church never thought of such a thing. Infant baptism came along
with other man-made doctrines, when the Church began to apostatize from
the truth."
"You will not have to persuade me of that doctrine. It is so natural
and you have given me enough verses in the Bible to prove it. Let us
take up the future existence."
At this moment, the bell rang and Stella opened the door to Mr. Soffy.
He entered with a genial smile to all. Venna was delighted. How
fair-minded he was not to share everyone's prejudice concerning the
Mormons!
"We're so glad you have come, Mr. Soffy," she exclaimed happily, after
the usual introductions. "We are just discussing doctrines."
"Don't let me disturb you; I shall enjoy listening."
Both young men looked pleased.
"Now," said Venna, "we were talking of the _future_ existence. You say
there is more than one heaven? Was that a revelation, too?"
"Yes, but the Bible substantiates this revelation as it does the
others." Brother Hallock gave a number of scriptural texts, and then
turned to Mr. Soffy for his opinion.
"Your arguments are good," Mr. Soffy answered, "but I couldn't conceive
of more than one heaven. I think I would have to see them to believe."
"Couldn't you take the word of St. Paul who did see? You know the Bible
tells us that Paul not only saw _Paradise_, but was carried to the
_third_ heaven. Have you ever thought of that statement of Paul's?"
"Yes, I have," returned Mr. Soffy seriously "But when it comes to
those mystical experiences couldn't those early Christians have had
delusions?"
"You don't believe, then, that the Bible is the inspired Word of God?"
"Not entirely--no, that is rather an old-fashioned belief."
"Then," said Brother Hallock, seriously, "it is no use for us to
discuss. If one believes in the inspiration of the Bible, he can easily
believe in revelation. Those two beliefs coupled together lay the
foundation for our proofs. There is only one other way that you could
accept our truths. That is by the testimony of the Holy Ghost."
"That is rather vague testimony," returned Mr. Soffy, smiling. "I must
confess, much as I like to hear your beliefs, there is small chance of
my accepting any of them. I belong to the new class of thinkers who pin
their understanding to very little."
Venna was watching the two and feeling the contrast of character.
Brother Hallock's face shone with the power of strong convictions. Mr.
Soffy smiled with the tolerance of a wandering faith.
"However," added Mr. Soffy pleasantly, "Mrs. Hadly is a firm believer
in the inspiration of the Bible from cover to cover, so she will be
more apt to grasp your ideas."
"Yes, indeed," Venna said with a quiet reverence; "the Bible is God's
Word to me. I have a testimony within me of that truth. I can't
entirely explain it, but I know that testimony is of God, too."
"Spiritual things are spiritually discerned," returned Brother Hallock.
"Thank God, you have that testimony to build upon."
Again the bell rang and Stella opened the door to the girls. They were
all together, a pretty, laughing bunch. On seeing Mr. Soffy, they
stopped at the door, suddenly quiet.
"You're not afraid of him?" Bessie disdainfully whispered.
"Come in, girls," called Mr. Soffy, pleasantly. So the girls came in,
feeling somewhat abashed, now that they were really there.
Venna welcomed them, and introduced them one by one.
"We hope we are not intruding," said Bessie demurely.
"Oh, no," returned Venna, "I want you to meet my friends. We were
discussing doctrines of their Church. You may learn something."
"Oh, how interesting!" returned Bessie, the other girls remaining
bashfully silent.
"The storm has made it very dark. Let us pull down the shades and light
up," said Venna.
They were soon all cozily seated, oblivious to the storm without.
"Mrs. Hadly," said Brother Hallock, earnestly, "we are all Christians
here. Would you not like us to have a little cottage prayer-meeting? I
think it would help us all to discern truth."
"Yes, indeed," answered Venna.
And so the girls came for fun and found only two very earnest young
men whose very presence seemed to bring one nearer to God. Mr. Soffy
opened the meeting with prayer, after which Brother Hallock and Brother
Johnson spoke alternately upon the faith of the Mormons. Venna listened
hungrily. Every word they uttered fell with a decision which spoke
of absolute conviction. There were no "may-bes" or waverings here.
Inspired by their religion, their words flowed easily and surely.
The girls listened with wonder, not understanding everything perfectly
but feeling the power of the speakers.
Mr. Soffy watched them in pleased surprise, appreciating their
personalities, but scarcely considering their beliefs.
"The Spirit of God is with them," Venna said within her heart. She was
the only one who was searching the truth of their words. But with this
eagerness for truth, came the powerful testimony to her soul, that here
at last she was to find it.
God works in mysterious ways. The searcher for truth may follow
Reason until he is lost in a maze of doctrines. Hopeless he stands,
but if the Faith of God is in his heart the everlasting promise is
fulfilled at last, and the testimony of the Holy Ghost carries the soul
beyond all of Reason's confusion. Then the soul looks back upon the
intricate trodden paths, and from its heights it views Reason in a true
perspective, and can choose the way to be retrodden in safety.
Oh, if the world could only realize the value of that spiritual uplift
that illumines Reason, and without which Reason is a snare.
When the closing prayer had been said by Brother Johnson, there was a
hushed silence for a few moments. All felt in some measure the power of
the moment.
Mr. Soffy was the first to speak. He held out his hand to Brother
Hallock.
"Faith like yours is worth having," he said earnestly. "I hope you can
always keep it. I could never possess it, but it commands admiration."
Both the young men flushed with pleasure as they took his hand.
"This from a minister of the orthodox church is indeed a happy
surprise," returned Brother Hallock.
"We are not all narrow," returned Mr. Soffy, even more pleasantly as he
noticed Venna's evident approval.
Meantime, out in the storm, returning from some parish calls, were Miss
Mary and Miss Harriet in their buggy. As they neared Mrs. Hadly's home,
both peered out curiously.
"All the shades are drawn. I wonder what's going on inside," remarked
Mary.
"I've a good mind to drop in accidentally and see for myself," returned
Miss Harriet briskly. "You just hold the reins, Mary."
For an old lady, she was unusually spry. She jumped from her carriage
and ascended the steps with her head held high. Sharply she rang the
bell. Stella opened rather cautiously. She didn't like the tone of the
bell.
"Oh, it's you, Miss Haskell, is it? Come right in," said Stella.
"Who did you think it was?" queried Miss Harriet suspiciously.
"I don't know," returned Stella nervously. "They're all in the living
room. Go right in, Miss Haskell."
"All! Who's all?" thought Miss Harriet.
But she lost no time in conjecture. She reached the door of the
sitting-room, and there she stood, dum-founded. "She could hardly
believe her senses," she told Miss Mary afterwards.
Mr. Soffy was holding the hands of both Mormons, Mrs. Hadly and the
girls were beaming upon them, while _her_ boy was saying,
"We are not all narrow."
"Evidently!" came sharply from the thin lips.
The little group turned. The thin face of Miss Harriet looked down upon
them with a spirit in sharp contrast to what they had been enjoying.
Anger, disgust, intolerance were expressed in her cutting glance.
Mr. Soffy flushed like a truant school-boy. The girls looked pleased,
the young strangers serious.
Venna controlled herself with an effort.
"Won't you come in. Miss Haskell? I want to introduce you to my
_friends_."
With this the girls smiled outright.
Miss Harriet eyed them with increased anger.
"I don't care to meet your _friends_" she returned, icily. "Mr. Soffy,
will you kindly escort me home?"
Mr. Soffy turned to Venna. "Will you kindly excuse me, Mrs. Hadly?"
"Certainly," returned Venna, thinking how wonderfully kind he was to
Miss Harriet when she was so rude.
Miss Harriet turned without another word, and majestically sailed out
of the house, followed by Mr. Soffy.
Brother Hallock followed the minister with a keen glance.
As the door outside closed, Venna turned to the girls who were
exchanging glances.
"I guess, dears, you had better go now. It is getting late, and your
mothers might be looking for you."
Bessie spoke up indignantly, "It's a perfect shame for that old fogie
to insult you and your friends. _We_ will tell our mothers all about it
and she'll be treated cool by _us_, anyway."
"Don't make trouble, dear. Just act as though nothing happened. After
such a lovely meeting we must bear no ill-will."
"Not on _our_ account, surely," said Brother Hallock. "We are so used
to such treatment, we feel only pity for our enemies."
So the girls left, promising to come again.
Outside, Bessie turned to her companions.
"I thought it would be a great lark to have just this happen, but
somehow it's not much fun to have those men treated so. Aren't they
wonderful? Let's defend them all over town."
"We sure will!" the girls answered.
And so youth and old age started at precisely the same moment, to
arouse opposite sentiments in Ashfield, for Venna's Mormon friends.