Soon after their return, in the fall, Prof. Seabrook and his
family identified themselves with the Scientists of the city, and
also with "the Mother Church" in Boston. Some of the pupils
dropped out of Hilton, because of this step, but others came to
fill their places, and a year later both wings of the building had
been extended and a most flourishing condition of affairs
prevailed. Miss Reynolds had resigned her position at Hilton, at
the beginning of the year, and remained at home with her mother,
and where she also had taken up her work for Truth.
Sadie Minot, having attained her majority and come into possession
of her fortune, decided that she would be happier to locate near
her old friends, with whom she was in such close religious
sympathy, and she accordingly found a pleasant home in the city
and resumed the study of French, German and music.
One morning, late in February, she went up on the hill to spend
the day with Katherine, who often claimed her for such a visit,
for their friendship was one of the dearest things of their lives.
To-day, however, Sadie appeared to have some weighty subject on
her mind, for she was unusually thoughtful, and Katherine was
beginning to wonder if anything was troubling her, when she drew
forth a letter and, passing it to her, said:
"Read that, honey, and tell me what you think of it."
With a dim suspicion of what was coming, Katherine drew forth the
missive from its envelope and read:
"DEAR SADIE: When the prodigal faced about to go back to his home,
his father went forth to meet him. I have faced about; I have
returned to my father and--our Father. The one has welcomed and
forgiven, and Truth is teaching me what true forgiveness of sin
is--the destruction of sin in the human consciousness. Now I turn
to you to seek pardon--nay, I suppose I should 'know' that I am
already pardoned, since you also are learning to recognize man
only as his Father's 'image and likeness.' At the same time, some
acknowledgment is due for wrong that I have done you. Truth
compels me to confess that my motive in seeking you, two years
ago, was not good, and I am now ashamed of my later persecution--
it was unworthy of any man. And now, justice to myself prompts me
to say that, underneath, there was a real fondness for you, and I
find--now that I am clothed and in my right mind--that it had
acquired even a stronger hold upon me than I then realized. I
write this because I am soon to go abroad for an indefinite
period--have been appointed confidential secretary to----, who
goes, in March, as United States Minister to England. All I am,
together with the brighter prospects before me, I owe to Phillip
Stanley, who, next to her who has given to this sin-burdened world
the message of Love that has saved me, commands my deepest
gratitude and respect. Send me one word, Sadie--'forgiven'--and I
shall leave my country with a lighter heart than I have known for
years. NED."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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