replace the caricatures of those doctrines that Christianity submits."

"Our young friend seems to think exceeding well of human nature,"
chirped Father Riley.

"Yes," rejoined Bernal. "Isn't it droll that this poor, fallen human
nature, despised and reviled, 'conceived in sin and born in iniquity,'
should at last call the Christian God and Saviour to account, weigh them
by its own standard, find them wanting, and replace them with a greater
God born of itself? Is not that an eloquent proof of the living God that
abides in us?"

"Has it ever occurred to you, young man, that human nature has its
selfish moments?" asked the high-church rector--between sips of claret
and water.

"Has it ever occurred to you that human nature has _any_ but selfish
moments?" replied Bernal. "If so, your impression was incorrect."

"Really, Mr. Linford, have you not just been telling us how glorious is
this nature of man--"

"I know--I will explain to you," he went on, moving Father Riley to
another indulgent smile by his willingness to instruct the gray-bearded
Congregationalist who had interrupted.

"When I saw that there must be a hell for all so long as there is a hell
for one--even for Spencer--I suddenly saw there was nothing in any man
to merit the place--unless it were the ignorance of immaturity. For I
saw that man by the very first law of his being can never have any but a