at is nearer still; but listen to that that comes next:

"'Then will I go unto the altar of God,
Unto God my exceeding joy.'

"I think this is the reason why I am so happy. His light and His truth
have led me to His holy precincts and I have gone to His altar--to the
altar of burnt offering. And, Adele,"--her eyes filled with tears of
an inexpressible gladness--"it is _there_ we find Him to be our
'exceeding joy.' I cannot explain it--I cannot even tell it--but He is
'_my exceeding joy_!'"

"I know," said Adele, her own eyes filling. "I have found Him there.
And I think one reason why so many Christians seem to have no joy is
because they have not come to His altar in the sense you mean. Perhaps
they have seen Christ there for them in some sense, but have never
quite taken their place there with Him. Do you remember, too,
Winifred, that it was when the burnt offering began on that great
occasion in Hezekiah's time that 'the song of the Lord began also?'"

"Oh, yes!" Winifred responded. "'The song of the Lord!' It has surely
begun here, Adele."

And so it had, indeed. That evening as Hubert returned from a busy day
in town he found his sister singing;

"'O joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.'"

"Singing, little sister?" was his greeting.

"Yes, Hubert. That has been much of my occupation to-day."

"That is good," he replied. "By the way, I heard some news in town
to-day." He endeavored to speak carelessly, but looked at her
apprehensively.

"Yes? What is it?"

He walked to the window and examined a flower with apparent interest.

"I hear that George Frothingham's engagement to Miss Randolph, the
banker's daughter, is announced."

"Yes," said Winifred calmly, "I saw that in the morning paper. You
need not have been afraid to tell me, Hubert. His engagement is a
matter of perfect indifference to me."

"Thank the Lord!" Hubert exclaimed impulsively.

"Amen," she responded, still calmly.

On another evening Hubert returned with still another piece of news.
He had gone to the Cleary Street Mission to speak, and was late in
returning. Winifred, who loved to hear accounts of all his meetings,
waited up for him. She was in her little sitting-room when he
returned. He came straight to her door and answered her ready "come
in" with a light step and