ries which
would persuade them that Christ allows a human being to stand in His
stead between Himself and the sinner. It is one of the numberless
devices of Satan to rob Him of the honour and love which are His due.
We are told when we have offended a fellow mortal to confess our fault,
and to ask pardon; but we are emphatically charged to confess our sins
to God alone, trusting to the all-sufficient atonement made once for all
for us by Christ on Calvary, and through His mediation we are assured of
perfect forgiveness. These impious sacerdotalists, for the sake of
gaining influence over the minds of those they hope to deceive, step in,
and daringly arrogate to themselves the position which our loving Lord
desires alone to hold. But I must not continue the subject--I know that
it is not necessary to say this to you. Should you ever be perplexed,
or require assistance, I am sure that you will apply to my kind and
excellent father, who is ever anxious to treat you as a beloved
daughter."

Clara read the letter with burning cheek.

"Oh, what have I done!" she exclaimed; "I am unworthy of the confidence
he places in me." Directly afterwards she tried to find an excuse for
herself. "Perhaps he is mistaken in his ideas; and Mr Lerew says that
the general is a schismatic, and Harry has imbibed his views. I dare
not refuse to obey the voice of the Church, and Mr Lerew tells me that
that insists on confession before absolution can be granted, and without
absolution we cannot partake of the Holy Eucharist."

Such was her line of thought, and she determined to try and persuade
Harry to agree with her. She sat down and wrote to him, quoting several
passages from the books lent to her by the vicar. She implored him
seriously to consider the matter, and not to imperil his soul by
refusing obedience to the Church. So eager did she become as she warmed
in her subject, that she forgot to put in those affectionate expressions
which her previous letter had contained. No sooner had the epistle been
despatched than she began to regret having said some things in it and
omitted others. She tried to think over its contents; as she did so she
became more and more dissatisfied. At last she resolved to write
another, to confess that she was sorry she had written the first, to
tell Harry of her difficulties, and to ask his advice. Her aunt came in
just as she had closed it, and offered to post it for her. That letter
never reache