“Never got any dividends on that other insurance you put me up to taking, partner—that ’gainst fire risks in the next world, you know. ’Twill be tough if there’s any mistake—church does take a sight of money.” [Illustration: JOE AND HIS VENERABLE PARTNER TALKING OVER INSURANCE MATTERS. ] “Joseph,” said the Squire, in a sorrowful tone, “I’ve always been afeard they didn’t look enough into your evidences when they took you into that church. How can a man expect to escape on the day of wrath if he’s all the time grumbling at the cost of his salvation? Mistake? If you don’t know in your heart the truth of what you profess, there’s mighty little hope for you, church or no church.” “Know in my heart!” cried Joe. “That’s a pretty kind of security. Is that what I’ve been paying church dues for? Better have known it in my heart in the first place, and saved the money. What’s the use of believing all these knotty points, if they don’t make a sure thing for a man?” “If your belief don’t make you any better or happier, Joseph,” rejoined the Squire, “you’d better look again and see if you’ve got a good hold of it; those that’s got a clear title don’t find their investment as slow in making returns, while those that find fault are generally the ones that’s made a mistake.” Poor Joe! He thought he had settled this whole matter; but now, if his partner was right, he was worse off than if he hadn’t begun. He believed in justification by faith; now, wasn’t his faith strong—first-class, he might say? To be sure of being safe, hadn’t he believed everything that _all_ the ministers had insisted upon as essential? And what _was_ faith, if it wasn’t believing? He would ask his partner; the old man had got him into this scrape—now he must see him through. “Squire,” said he, “isn’t faith the same thing as believing?” “Well,” said the Squire, adjusting his glasses, and taking from the desk the little Testament upon which he administered oaths, “that depends on how you believe. Here’s a verse on the subject: ‘Thou believest in God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble.’” Ugh! Joe shivered. He wasn’t an aristocrat, but would _any_ one fancy such companionship as the Squire referred to? “Here,” said the Squire, turning the leaves, “is another passage bearin’ on the subject. ‘O, generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, _fruits_ meet for repentance.’” Vipers! Joe uncomfortably wondered who else the Squire was going to introduce into the brotherhood of the faith. “Now, see what it says in another place,” continued the Squire, “Not every one that saith unto Me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” “Yes,” said Joe, grateful for hearing of no more horrible believers, “but what _is_ his will but believing on him? Don’t the Bible say that they that believe shall be saved?”