rawn false conclusions. How can we
know spiritual truth without spiritual knowledge? How can we have
spiritual knowledge without spiritual perception; how can we have
spiritual perception without recognizing Spirit, Substance, God, as the
supreme Essence back of all visible forms?

"This is the fundamental principle of healing--this recognition of
spiritual being and spiritual law. Grasping only the surface meaning of
this grand truth, we recognize and admire the mental power which
produces cures, hence it is frequently called mind-cure, because,
through the agency of mind, the cure is wrought, as we say, water-cure
or sun-cure for the same reason; but as we proceed in the study, we will
go beyond an intellectual to a spiritual perception of what is meant by
_met-a-physical_, which pertains not only to a science of mental
phenomena, but the science of real being, and has to do with the
spiritual or real self of man.

"Now John, if you don't understand, just wait and study, for really we
must study these statements, without prejudice, too, for that is the
only way, and of course we cannot expect to understand at once. The
great essential is to keep uppermost the _desire_ for truth, but I need
not tell you that, for what an earnest truth-seeker you are, nobody
knows better than myself.

"This is the best I can do toward giving the first lesson, but you must
think well upon it and get a good foundation laid for what is to come
next. This science is to be developed rather than learned.

"I want to put in every moment I can get for study, so must close. Hand
this to Kate and Grace. I do hope they will be interested.

"Tell me all about your progress, and the precious little ones--how are
they?

"Your loving MARION."

CHAPTER XIV.

"How shall I know if I do choose the right?"--_Shakespeare._

"Truth is one,
And in all lands beneath the sun,
Whoso hath eyes to see may see
The tokens of its unity."

--_Whittier._

"That is a very clear statement," said Mr. Hayden, as he handed the
letter to Grace when she called the next evening.

"Do you think we can get much of an idea from it?"

"O yes, indeed we can; but you take it home and read it with Kate."

Grace went straight home with her prize for she was more interested than
she cared to admit just yet, and Kate was still reluctant and fearful
about the possible wrong.

Grace had awakened in the night, just after Mrs. Hayden had gone an