The letter, why, of course; where is it?"

"Here; shall I read it?"

"Certainly."

Grace grew more interested as the reading went on. "That is decidedly
the most reasonable explanation of the atonement I have ever heard," she
exclaimed at the close.

"Yes, it is reasonable and beautiful I must admit," said Kate, "but when
I first read the letter my old fear came back for a moment that possibly
it was all wrong, but I remembered my right to an interpretation. That
one thought has been more helpful to me than any other, for it has
brought such a sense of liberty. Then I looked up the quotation about
the 'word of reconciliation,' and I must say it is so perfectly plain I
can not see why it has been so overlooked and neglected before."

"Where is it? I did not catch that," said Grace, following Kate's finger
as she pointed to the passage in the Bible.

"There is something so sacred in these meanings," resumed Kate, "and if
I may only get the truth, I care not what any one says about it. I see
now wherein lies the whole misconception or misinterpretation rather. It
is in the idea of God. If we conceive of Him as limited to human ways
and capacities, as the ancient Hebrews did, we naturally ascribe such
works to Him."

"In other words," added Grace, "we judge God entirely by ourselves. If
we are broad and loving in our nature and character it is easy for us to
regard God as love. If we are vindictive and revengeful, we can readily
see Him as angry and unrelenting."

"Yes, we are so apt to judge the whole world and God, too, by our
moods," replied Kate, thoughtfully.

"As Emerson says, 'we see in others what we are ourselves,'" quoted
Grace, removing her jacket which until now she had retained in order to
get warm after her evening journey.

"Oh! what do you think of what Mrs. Hayden says about marriage?" asked
Kate, putting her pencil in her mouth as she held both hands out to
assist Grace.

"She doesn't say enough to give an opinion," replied Grace, "but there
must be something in her mind or she would not write about it now."

"Her ideas must be very exalted, and I hope to know what they are, for
it is a very important question," said Kate, with a casual glance toward
her companion, as she bit the end of the pencil.

"Mrs. Hayden decidedly denies the imputation laid to Christian Healing,
that it is opposed to marriage, or that it tends to separate families,"
said Grace, with more interest than Kate would hav