the bowls
and platters which they had used. The book-hawker with a smile observed
her anxiety, and placing his pack on the table, opened it, and exhibited
to the admiring eyes of the spectators a number of volumes. "This," he
said, taking out one, "is the Old Testament, or God's first message to
man; and this is the New Testament, His last message, in which He shows
Himself to us as a God of love, mercy, and pity, though by no means less
a God of justice than He does in the Old Testament. But here He shows
us clearly how His justice can be amply satisfied, without the sinner
being punished as he deserves; how our sins may be blotted out by the
One great Sacrifice offered up. Do you understand me, my friends? The
sacrifice has been offered up, the debt has been paid, the obedience has
been fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who came on earth and took upon Himself
the body and nature of man, sin excepted. He was obedient in all
things--first by God's wish coming on earth, and then dutiful and loving
to His parents, merciful and forgiving to those who persecuted Him, ever
going about and healing their infirmities, and teaching them the way of
salvation. The good Saviour allowed Himself to be hung upon the cross;
His hands and feet and sides were pierced; His blood was poured out for
us,--ay, for us,--for you and me,--for the vilest of sinners. All this
was done by the Just One for the unjust. God tells us to believe in
Jesus, and that through believing we are saved,--in other words, that we
should take hold of it by faith, and thus accomplish what that loving
God, through the Holy Spirit, said: `The just shall live by faith.'"

The young people drew in their breath, and gazed steadfastly at the
speaker. To hear of sin and the cross was not new to them, for they had
been at churches sometimes at holy days; but it was all a mummery and
spectacle, with which the priests alone seemed to have to do. The
truths now uttered were assuredly gaining some entrance into their
minds.

"I do not understand quite what you say, friend Spena," said the old
man; "but surely God does not intend to give us the blessings of heaven
without our doing anything to merit it? He intends us to labour, and
toil, and pay the priests, and perform penances, and go to mass, and
make confession of our sins to the priests, before He could think of
letting us into that blessed place."

"I once thought as you do," answered the book-hawker. "When I read