ow that you were to suffer," she replied. "Jackson,
without such terrible punishment as he brought upon himself, might
eventually have become contrite, and have restored you to your friends
as well as enabled you to obtain your grandfather's property. God
frequently performs marvellous things with such humble instruments; for
he hath said, `there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that
repenteth, than over ninety-nine just men.'"

"Surely, this is raising the wicked man over the good," I cried.

"Not at all," she replied. "The repentant is one gained from the ranks
of the great enemy--it is as one that was lost and is found again--it is
a soul added to the blessed. Therefore the joy in heaven is abundant at
such a conversion. The just are the natural heirs of heaven--their
rights are acknowledged without dispute--their claim is at once
recognised and allowed, and they receive their portion of eternal joy as
a matter of course, without there being any necessity for exciting those
demonstrations of satisfaction which hail the advent of a sinner saved."

"I don't think such a villain as Jackson would ever go to heaven," I
observed.

"`Judge not, lest ye be judged,'" she answered; "that is a text that
cannot be too often impressed upon persons anxious to condemn to eternal
torment all those they believe to be worse than themselves. It is great
presumption in us poor creatures of clay, to anticipate the proceedings
of the Infinite Wisdom. Let us leave the high prerogative of judgment
to the Almighty Power, by whom only it is exercised, and in our opinions
of even the worst of our fellow-creatures, let us exercise a
comprehensive charity, mingled with a prayer that even at the eleventh
hour, they may have turned from the evil of their ways, and embraced the
prospect of salvation, which the mercy of their Creator has held out to
them."

In this and similar conversations, Mrs Reichardt would endeavour to
plant in my mind the soundest views of religion; and she spoke so well,
and so convincingly, that I had little trouble in understanding her
meaning, or in retaining it after it had been uttered.

It was not, as I have before stated, to religion only that she led my
thoughts, although that certainly was the most frequent subject of our
conversation. She sought to instruct me in the various branches of
knowledge into which she had acquired some insight, and in this way I
picked up as much information respecting g