e were young men with honest doubts who
sometimes slid through nowadays, but a mean little silly man like that?
How ever did he get in? What a lot of ridiculous things he had said! He
was one of those described in the Bible who "darken counsel with words."
He was not worth noticing. And yet, what a lot of harm he could do in an
unlearned community. Just see how Mrs. Tanner hung upon his words, as
though they were law and gospel! How _could_ she?

Margaret found herself trembling yet over the words he had spoken about
Christ, the atonement, and the faith. They meant so much to her and to
her mother and father. They were not mere empty words of tradition that
she believed because she had been taught. She had lived her faith and
proved it; and she could not help feeling it like a personal insult to
have him speak so of her Saviour. She turned away and took her Bible to
try and get a bit of calmness.

She fluttered the leaves for something--she could not just tell
what--and her eye caught some of the verses that her father had marked
for her before she left home for college, in the days when he was
troubled for her going forth into the world of unbelief.

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in
him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as
ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after
the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not
after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily....

How the verses crowded upon one another, standing out clearly from the
pages as she turned them, marked with her father's own hand in clear ink
underlinings. It almost seemed as if God had looked ahead to these times
and set these words down just for the encouragement of his troubled
servants who couldn't understand why faith was growing dim. God knew
about it, had known it would be, all this doubt, and had put words here
just for troubled hearts to be comforted thereby.

For I know whom I have believed [How her heart echoed to that
statement!], and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I
have committed unto him against that day.

And on a little further:

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal,
The Lord knoweth them that are his.

There was a triumphant look to the word