"But do you not think, Mr. Bond, that we must take things as they are?
Granted that there is a great deal of unreality in the church, what are
we going to do about it? Can one man who sees the point work a
revolution in the whole church? Must we not just take conditions as
they are and make the best of them?"

"Perhaps we may not hope to revolutionize a whole church," replied Mr.
Bond, "but," and his face grew stern with an expression that told of a
battlefield already fought for and won, "he may refuse to add one unit
to the aggregation of untrue worshipers, or to uphold an organized
system of unreality. I sometimes fear, Mr. Gray," and there was a ring
of sadness in his voice, "that we too readily take conditions as they
are, and make the worst of them!"

"Yes, I am afraid you are right--you are right," said the merchant
slowly. Then he added, "but so far you have given us only a negative
remedy. My son here could go so far with you. He washes his hands of
the whole matter."

Mr. Bond turned to Hubert inquiringly.

"Really?" he questioned.

"Yes," said Hubert, thus thrust unwillingly into the discussion, "I am
no worshiper at all."

"And may I ask why?" queried Mr. Bond.

"Your book says that whoever comes to God must believe that He is, and
that He rewards those who seek Him. I am not sure of either
proposition, and so I do not pretend to come to Him."

The frank eyes looked through the eyeglasses pleasantly. "Are you sure
of the contrary?" he asked.

"No," said Hubert honestly.

"Admitting the supposition that He is, and is a rewarder of them that
seek Him, does it cover the ground of responsibility to ignore Him
because you are not sure?"

"Perhaps not," said Hubert. "But," he added doggedly, "if He is, and
wishes to be known and worshiped, He ought to be demonstrable."

Mrs. Gray looked a little frightened. She never liked to hear Hubert
talk about those things, and it was so mortifying to have him take such
a stand against the church and everything everybody--at least most
respectable people--believed. She was sure he was saying something
dreadful now. Mr. Gray looked apprehensive, too. Winifred's
self-revelation of the morning made her feel like casting no stones at
her brother.

Mr. Bond looked at Hubert mildly.

"I think you are quite right," he said.

Here the discussion seemed to end. Hubert could make no reply to the
man who agreed with him. An instinct to fight for hi