"Well, that remains to be seen. You have disclaimed all belief in death-bed repentance bringing salvation, and you are, as well, a disbeliever in salvation without baptism. Now to the law and the testimony once more. Examine the account of the crucifixion, as recorded in Luke 23rd chapter, beginning with the 39th verse. Christ upon that occasion had a male factor on either side of Him; one railed on Him saying, 'If though be Christ, save thyself and us,' while the other, being filled with repentance and being converted, rebuked his companion in sin and implored the blessed Redeemer: 'Lord remember me when thou comest to thy kingdom.' Christ, witnessing the repentance of this malefactor, even at the last moment of his life, presented him with the gift of salvation before giving up the ghost: 'Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.' These were the words used by the Captain of our salvation; the promise was granted without baptism, and he was carried to heaven with our Savior; and yet in the very face of this testimony you proclaim the doctrine that without baptism salvation cannot be obtained." "Christ did not offer that malefactor salvation on that occasion, neither was he carried to heaven with the Redeemer. I desire to convince you, Mr. Williams, if you will accept the statement in the Bible, and I believe you will, that Christ did not go to His Father until some time after this, and that the paradise referred to is not the haven of salvation that we all hope to reach." "Mr. Durant, if you convince me of this, I will have nothing more to say," replied Mr. Williams. "Very well, then, pay strict attention to the words you have just quoted which contain the promise that in your opinion insures the penitent malefactor entrance to the presence of the Father: 'Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.' Three days after these words were spoken, we discover Mary weeping as she bowed down at the sepulcher where Christ's remains had been deposited, and upon recognizing her Lord, who stood by her side and addressed her, she received this command, 'Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.' Rather a strange and startling declaration for the Savior to make, was it not, when the promise to the thief, made three days previously was to the effect that upon that day they should both be in His presence?" "Why, Mr. Durant," exclaimed Claire, "I can't understand it at all; He did certainly make the promise, and yet from His words, spoken three days after, it appears that He had not yet been to His Father. Can it be that one of our Savior's promises has really fallen to the ground unfulfilled?"