."

"Oh, brother, that doesn't appeal to me at all. I dare not take another
person's word for what this Bible teaches. I can take his counsel and
the counsel of everybody else that I can secure, but I must give the
final decision, I must study this Book for myself. Dr. Vincent is a good
and wise man, of course, but I cannot look into his heart for all the
thoughts that have led him to his decision. The question before me is
not what church does Mr. Vincent think comes nearest the Bible, but what
church do I think comes the nearest."

"Daughter," said Mr. Page, "you are on the right track. You can get all
the light possible from Dr. Vincent and anybody else you choose, but you
are the judge that must bring in the verdict, and when you make the
decision there is no court of appeals. But you have a huge job on your
hands. You must first study all the denominations and then you've got to
master your Bible to see which one of all the denominations squares with
the Book."

"Oh," said Dorothy in a tone of despair, "how can I ever decide such a
big question? Won't you help me, Mr. Sterling?"

Sterling felt that he would like to spend several centuries, beginning
with that very second, in the single matter of helping her. He remarked
with a smile: "Miss Dorothy, I think you need not be alarmed; you are
not as much in the wilderness as you imagine. Suppose on examination you
find that the doctrines of our church are in accord with the teachings
of the Bible, then your duty is plain, is it not?"

"Yes," she replied with a sigh of relief, "and won't you tell me what
are the doctrines of your church?"

His eyes answered her request before his lips had an opportunity to
respond.

"Now you are getting out into the road," said the father. "Tell it to
her, Friend Sterling, and I guess she will find that your church plumbs
the track. In fact, I reckon most of them do."

"Dinner is ready," called the mother.

"There, now," said the father, "that breaks up the meeting at the
critical point, but come in to dinner, Sterling, and we will open the
campaign again after dinner."

"Yes, please do come, Mr. Sterling," said Dorothy. "I am so anxious to
know what are the doctrines of your church."

Sterling was compelled to decline, inasmuch as he had promised to be at
home for dinner to meet a business friend of his father's, but he
assured them that he would be on hand for the discussion very soon after
dinner.

CHAPTER III.