ce seemed like a
curse--has turned out to be a blessing, as is so often the case. I have
learned a great lesson, doctor."

"What lesson?" queried Rose.

"God's," responded the minister, quietly. "It may seem strange to you,
my dear, but, although I was reared in a religious family, went through
a great theological school, and was the rector of a city church for ten
years, I never fully knew Him until I came here."

"Why, Mr. Talmadge!" gasped the girl in astonishment, while Donald said
bluntly, "Do you really believe that you know Him, now?"

"I do. Not, of course, in all the fullness of His mysterious majesty,
but as a friend whose ways are no longer hidden from my eyes."

"Frankly, I wish I might say as much," said the doctor. "I, too, was
brought up in a religious household, but small good it did me, for, when
I became old enough to think for myself, the glaring errors and
inconsistencies in my childhood belief became so apparent that I became
hopeless of ever understanding the truth which might lie within that
astonishing maze. I quit going to church long ago."

"Doctors are generally regarded as an atheistic lot," smiled the
minister.

"That's slander. We may--in the aggregate--be agnostic.... I suppose
that I am."

"I ... I don't understand," said Rose in distress, "but I don't like for
to hear yo' say that, Dr. Mac."

"It may not be as bad as it sounds, my child," laughed Mr. Talmadge. "An
atheist is indeed a terrible person, who doesn't believe in our heavenly
Father, but an agnostic is only one who confesses that he doesn't know
... but may be quite willing to learn."

"Oh, learn ... I mean teach him, then," she said earnestly. "You are
God's man and know everything about Him, Mr. Talmadge."

"Indeed I don't--far from it, and I imagine that your friend doesn't
want to hear a sermon on the mount."

"_I_ do," she cried, "there's lot of things I want to hear about, but
I've always been afraid to ask you, till now."

Rather gruffly Donald added his word, "I hope that I am broad-minded
enough not only to receive, but to welcome, any light on a subject which
is, I imagine, the most vitally important one in life."

"Well, then, suppose we hold a little spiritual clinic for our Rose's
benefit primarily, remembering that where two or three are gathered
together in His name, God will be with them. And, after all, what time
could be more fitting than this silent, holy night; what place more
suitable than