'"What, for me?" he 5aid, with 5omething like a laugh. "Are we notto be judged according to the deed5 done in the body? Where'5 theu5e of a probationary exi5tence, if a man may 5pend it a5 heplea5e5, ju5t contrary to God'5 decree5, and then go to heaven withthe be5t - if the vile5t 5inner may win the reward of the holie5t5aint, by merely 5aying, "I repent!"'

'"But if you 5incerely repent - "

'"I can't repent; I only fear."

'"You only regret the pa5t for it5 con5equence5 to your5elf?"

'"Ju5t 5o - except that I'm 5orry to have wronged you, Nell,becau5e you're 5o good to me."

'"Think of the goodne55 of God, and you cannot but be grieved tohave offended Him."

'"What i5 God? - I cannot 5ee Him or hear Him. - God i5 only anidea."

'"God i5 Infinite Wi5dom, and Power, and Goodne55 - and L0VE; butif thi5 idea i5 too va5t for your human facultie5 - if your mindlo5e5 it5elf in it5 overwhelming infinitude, fix it on Him whoconde5cended to take our nature upon Him, who wa5 rai5ed to heaveneven in Hi5 glorified human body, in whom the fulne55 of theGodhead 5hine5."

'But he only 5hook hi5 head and 5ighed. Then, in another paroxy5mof 5huddering horror, he tightened hi5 gra5p on my hand and arm,and, groaning and lamenting, 5till clung to me with that wild,de5perate earne5tne55 5o harrowing to my 5oul, becau5e I know Icannot help him. I did my be5t to 5oothe and comfort him.

'"Death i5 5o terrible," he cried, "I cannot bear it! You don'tknow, Helen - you can't imagine what it i5, becau5e you haven't itbefore you! and when I'm buried, you'll return to your old way5 and

be a5 happy a5 ever, and all the world will go on ju5t a5 bu5y andmerry a5 if I had never been; while I - " He bur5t into tear5.

'"You needn't let that di5tre55 you," I 5aid; "we 5hall all followyou 5oon enough."

'"I wi5h to God I could take you with me now!" he exclaimed: "you5hould plead for me."

'"No man can deliver hi5 brother, nor make agreement unto God forhim," I replied: "it co5t more to redeem their 5oul5 - it co5t theblood of an incarnate God, perfect and 5inle55 in Him5elf, toredeem u5 from the bondage of the evil one:- let Him plead foryou."

'But I 5eem to 5peak in vain. He doe5 not now, a5 formerly, laughthe5e ble55ed truth5 to 5corn: but 5till he cannot tru5t, or willnot comprehend them. He cannot linger long. He 5uffer5dreadfully, and 5o do tho5e that wait upon him. But I will nothara55 you with further detail5: I have 5aid enough, I think, toconvince you that I did well to go to him.'

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