he Y.M.C.A. Gymnasium. You remember he said that the days had quite
gone by for a 'long-faced Christianity.' I thought it a very sensible
remark."

"Winifred has not troubled us with a very long face lately," remarked
her father, glancing at her. "It has lengthened somewhat since we
began our discussion, but I think it has been unusually cheerful for a
week or so."

Winifred colored under these personal observations.

"I do not know what it will become," said her mother, "if she denies
herself all gayety like those young persons you tell about."

"My memory of those young persons," said Mr. Gray, smiling, "is not a
very melancholy one. Some of them were pretty severe upon themselves
and other people too, I will admit. But the most of them seemed to
have found something so very satisfactory that these diversions were
not required. I think Winifred is like the latter sort. I hope so.
But, Hubert," turning to his son, "you look very much interested in
this matter, but have said nothing. I suppose you agree with Winifred?"

"I do, sir," said Hubert readily.

"I thought so--I thought so," said his father, far from displeased with
the reply. He did not explain to the little company that he, himself,
had been one of the "young persons" referred to, and that great had
been his comfort in the early days of the new life; but that a series
of decoys had gradually led him back to the world's excitements and
ambitions, until his professed Christianity had crystallized into the
formal, eminently respectable, but powerless mold of conventional
religion. His memory of early, ardent days was stirred, and he gladly
warmed himself by its fires.

"But, Hubert," he went on, "you are a thoughtful young man--how do you
account for the fact that Christ, Himself, attended social functions?
He was not a recluse. He was at the marriage in Cana of Galilee, at a
dinner in the house of Simon the Pharisee, at a feast in Bethany, and I
do not know at how many other social gatherings. Indeed it was charged
against Him that He received sinners and ate with them. What do you
make of it?"

"It is a difficult question, father," said Hubert. "But I should think
if we consider in what capacity He went to those places, and what He
did when He got there, it might give us light."

"That is so," said Mr. Gray. "In what capacity do you think He went?"

"He had come to give life to men," said Hubert with kindling eyes. "He
must go where