y clearly. But I have seen it, aunt Caxton;--I know it makes
people safe and happy. I want it for myself."

"Safe from what?"

"From--all that I feared when I was dangerously ill last summer."

"What did you fear, Eleanor?"

"All the future, aunt Caxton. I was not ready, I knew, to go out of
this world. I am no better now."

They had not changed their relative positions. Eleanor's face still lay
on her aunt's bosom; Mrs. Caxton's arms still enfolded her.

"Bless the Lord! there is such a helmet," she said; "but we cannot
manufacture it, Eleanor, nor even buy it. If you have it at all, you
must take it as a free gift."

"How do you mean?"

"If you are willing to be a soldier of Christ, he will give you his
armour."

"Aunt Caxton, I do not understand."

"It is only to take the promises of God, my dear, if you will take them
obediently. Jesus has declared that 'whosoever believeth on him, hath
everlasting life.'"

"But I cannot exactly understand what believing in him means. I am very
stupid." Eleanor raised her head and looked now in her aunt's face.

"Do you understand his work for us?"

"I do not know, ma'am."

"My dear, it is the work of love that was not willing to let us be
miserable. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He gave
himself a ransom for all. He suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God."

"Yes, I believe I understand that," said Eleanor wearily.

"The only question is, whether we will let him bring us. The question
is, whether we are willing to accept this substitution of the innocent
One for our guilty selves, and be his obedient children. If we are--if
we rely on him and his blood only, and are willing to give up ourselves
to him, then the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. No
matter though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. There is
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh but after the Spirit."

"But I do not walk so," said Eleanor.

"Do you want to walk so?"

"O yes, ma'am! yes!" said Eleanor clasping her hands. "I desire it
above all possible things. I want to be such a one."

"If you truly desire it, my dear, it is certain that you may have what
you want; for the Lord's will is not different. He died for this very
thing, that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth
in Jesus. There is an open door before you; all things are ready; you
have only to