erything wrong we
have done, or thought, or felt was a sin against God). And what is it to
have faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ? To believe in him as one
abundantly able and willing to save us--to save us from sin, from the
love of it, and the punishment due to us for it. We are all sinners; we
have all come short of the glory of God, neglecting many things that we
ought to have done, and doing very many things that we ought not to have
done. We are all born with a sinful nature, and God only can change it,
so that we will hate sin and love holiness: he only can give us true
faith in his dear Son the Lord Christ.

"'By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God.' We are saved by grace; it is only of God's undeserved
goodness, not because we have done or can do anything pleasing in his
sight. Paul speaks in this same chapter of the Gospel of the grace of
God. Gospel means good news, and what could be better news than that?
that God offers us salvation of his free, unmerited grace? What an offer
that is! salvation as his free, undeserved gift, without money, and
without price. His offer is, 'Come unto me and be ye saved all ye ends
of the earth.' No one is left out; this wonderful offer is to each one
of us, and to every other inhabitant of this world, so that if any one
fails to be saved, the fault will be all his own. For God has said, 'I
have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth: wherefore turn
yourselves and live ye.' And oh, how plain he has made it that he does
love us and would have us live! 'For God so loved the world that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.'"

The service was not a long one, and when it was over the captain
repaired to the school-room with Lulu and Grace to hear them recite
their Bible verses and catechism.

When that duty had been attended to, "Now, daughters," he said, "if you
have anything to say, or questions suitable to the sacredness of the day
to ask, I am ready to listen and reply to the best of my ability; but
even a child may ask a question that a grown person cannot answer," he
added with a smile.

"Indeed, papa," said Grace, putting an arm round his neck and laying her
cheek lovingly to his, "I think you do know 'most everything; and I'm
oh! so glad God gave you to me for my own father."

"I know you are, Gracie, I'm sure of it; but you can't be gladder than