the Son's death on the cross. But what if I err in making my faith too
simple? Even now I am almost persuaded that a priest ordained into the
Episcopal Church cannot consecrate the elements of the Eucharist in a
sacrificial sense. Doubts like these are tragedies to an honest man,
Aunt Bell--they try his soul--they bring him each day to the foot of
that cross whereon the Son of God suffers his agony in order to ransom
our souls from God's wrath with us--and there are times, Aunt Bell, when
I find myself gazing longingly, like a little tired child, at the open
arms of the mother Church--on whose loving bosom of authority a man may
lay all his doubts and be never again troubled in his mind."

Aunt Bell sighed cheerfully.

"After all," she said briskly, "isn't Christianity the most fascinating
of all beliefs, if one comes into it from the higher unbelief? Isn't it
fine, Allan--doesn't the very thought excite you--that not only the
souls of thousands now living, but thousands yet unborn, will be
affected through all eternity for good or bad, by the clearness with
which you, here at this moment, perceive and reason out these spiritual
values--and the honesty with which you act upon your conclusions. How
truly God has made us responsible for the souls of one another!"

The rector of St. Antipas shrugged modestly at this bald wording of his
responsibility; then he sighed and bent his head as one honestly
conscious of the situation's gravity.




CHAPTER X