e only motive which
is sufficient to justify such an act, is the conviction that one's
salvation depends on it. Now, I speak sincerely, my dear Carlton, in
saying that I don't think I shall be saved if I remain in the English
Church."

"Do you mean that there is no salvation in our Church?" said Carlton,
rather coldly.

"I am talking of myself; it's not my place to judge others. I only say,
God calls _me_, and I must follow at the risk of my soul."

"God '_calls_' you!" said Carlton; "what does that mean? I don't like
it; it's dissenting language."

"You know it is Scripture language," answered Reding.

"Yes, but people don't in Scripture _say_ 'I'm called;' the calling was
an act from without, the act of others, not an inward feeling."

"But, my dear Carlton, how _is_ a person to get at truth, now, when
there can be no simple outward call?"

"That seems to me a pretty good intimation," answered Carlton, "that we
are to remain where Providence has placed us."

"Now this is just one of the points on which I can't get at the bottom
of the Church of England's doctrine," Reding replied. "But it's so on so
many other subjects! it's always so. Are members of the Church of
England to seek the truth, or have they it given them from the first? do
they seek it for themselves, or is it ready provided for them?"

Carlton thought a moment, and seemed doubtful what to answer; then he
said that we must, of course, seek it. It was a part of our moral
probation to seek the truth.

"Then don't talk to me about our position," said Charles; "I hardly
expected _you_ to make this answer; but it is what the majority of
Church-of-England people say. They tell us to seek, they give us rules
for seeking, they make us exert our private judgment; but directly we
come to any conclusion but theirs, they turn round and talk to us of our
'providential position.' But there's another thing. Tell me, supposing
we ought all to seek the truth, do you think that members of the English
Church do seek it in that way which Scripture enjoins upon all seekers?
Think how very seriously Scripture speaks of the arduousness of finding,
the labour of seeking, the duty of thirsting after the truth? I don't
believe the bulk of the English clergy, the bulk of Oxford residents,
Heads of houses, Fellows of Colleges (with all their good points, which
I am not the man to deny), have ever sought the truth. They have taken
what they found, and have used no private