Is not that rational, sir ?" "Yes, and theological--what, however, is one to do if the said love and faith sink and disappear--are drowned in tears, or burnt up in the fires of anguish and despair." "Pray, sir," said Redbud, softly.
The lawyer growled.
"To whom?
To a Being whom we have no faith in--whom such a man has no faith in, I mean to say--to the hand that struck--which we can only think of as armed with an avenging sword, or an all-consuming firebrand! Pray to one who stands before us as a Nemesis of wrath and terror, hating and ready to crush us ?--humph!" And the lawyer wiped his brow.
"Can't we think of the Creator differently," said Redbud, earnestly.
"How ?" "As the Being who came down upon the earth, and suffered, and wept tears of blood, was buffeted and crowned with thorns, and crucified like a common, degraded slave--all because he loved us, and would not see us perish?
Oh! Mr.Rushton, if there are men who shrink from the terrible God--who cannot love _that_ phase of the Almighty, why should they not turn to the Saviour, who, God as he was, came down and suffered an ignominious death, because he loved them--so dearly loved them!" Mr.Rushton was silent for a moment; then he said, coldly: "I did not intend to talk upon these subjects--I only intended to say, that trusting in Providence, as the phrase is, sounds very grand; and has only the disadvantage of not being very easy.

Come, Miss Redbud, suppose we converse on the subject of flowers, or something that is more light and cheerful." "Yes, sir, I will; but I don't think anything is more cheerful than Christianity, and I love to talk about it.

I know what you say about the difficulty of trusting wholly in God, is true; it is very hard.
But oh! Mr.Rushton, believe me, that such trust will not be in vain; even in this world Our Father often shows us that he pities our sufferings, and His hand heals the wound, or turns aside the blow.

Oh, yes, sir! even in this world the clouds are swept away, and the sun shines again; and the heart which has trusted in God finds that its trust was not in vain in the Lord.

Oh! I'm sure of it, sir!--I feel it--I know that it is _true_!" And Redbud, buried in thought, looked through the window--silent, after these words which we have recorded.
The lawyer only looked strangely at her--muttered his "humph," and turned away.