46 CALVINISM 



excepting the girl I was fond of; and naturally — - 

 seeing that all her merits, her beautiful disposition 

 and crystal purity and goodness of heart, her love of 

 them all and of all living things, were nothing but 

 " filthy rags " in their God's sight — until she was 

 regenerated and the original sin, derived by inherit- 

 ance from our first parents, was washed away in the 

 blood of the Redeemer, they could not regard her 

 as " saved." Sudden death at any moment might 

 precipitate her into the burning pit out of which the 

 smoke of the torment would ascend everlastingly. 

 A sad fate for that beautiful, innocent soul! 



There are still people in England who hold this 

 form of Christianity. I know it, because I have 

 associated and discussed these subjects with them. 

 And when I live with people, although only a lodger, 

 I like to be one with them. When staying with this 

 family I loved them, for they were all lovable, and 

 I elected to be religious too, as far as outward obser- 

 vances went, and attended meetings, and insisted on 

 getting up at half-past six on winter mornings to 

 attend family prayers before breakfast at seven by 

 candle-light. At the same time it was a pleasure to 

 know from her own lips that my loved girl was not 

 going to be converted, because, as she explained to 

 me, there was nothing the matter with her. She went 

 to church and said her prayers, and thought that 

 was enough. But I did not know, for this she kept 

 from me, that the pressure which had been brought 

 to bear on her had become increasingly painful until 

 the breaking-point was reached. 



