"Ah, well, Mr. Henderson, perhaps we are wrong there--I cannot say. I know there are many churches and many dear, good souls in all; it is only to _me_ that mine is _the_ church; if that is an illusion, it is a happy one." "Now," said I, "what a dreary picture should we have of New York Christianity, if we judged it by the few morning worshipers at Lenten services!" "Yes, indeed," she said. "I am often sorry for our rector--he is so earnest, and so few care to come; and yet he told us in his sermon, last Sunday, that these Lenten services were an act of union with our Saviour's self-denials and sufferings." "Well, Miss Van Arsdel," said I, "I doubt not there are hundreds of thousands in this city who do really, in spirit, unite with the Saviour in self-denials and sufferings, daily, who do not express it in this form. If all who really love the Saviour, and are living in his spirit, _should_ make a point of early morning service in Lent, I verily believe the churches would be crowded to overflowing." "You do really think so?" "I do. In spite of all that appears, I think ours is really, at heart, a religious age--it is only that we do not agree in the same external forms of expression." "But how beautiful! oh, how beautiful it would be if we could!" she said. "Oh, it would be lovely if all the good and true could see each other, and stand side by side! I long for _visible_ unity--and do you think, Mr. Henderson, we could unite in _more_ beautiful forms than ours?" "No; I do not," said I; "for me, for you, for many like us, these are the true forms, and the best; but we must remember that others have just as sacred associations, and are as dearly attached to other modes of worship as we to these." "Then you really do prefer them yourself?" "Well, Miss Van Arsdel, I unite with the church of my father and mother, because I was brought up in it; yet if I were to choose another, it would be yours." She looked pleased, and I added: "It seems to me one of the most beautiful things about it is a daily service." "Yes," she said, "and it is pleasant to have churches where you feel that worship is daily offered, whether people attend or not. There was something sacred and beautiful about the Church of St. Peter's in Rome--to think that at every hour of day or night worship was going on in it. I used to like to think of it when I awoke nights--that they were praying and adoring there--in this cold, dreary world; it seems as if it was like a Father's house, always light, and warm, and open." "There is a beauty and use in all these forms and images," I said; "and I think if we are wise, we may take comfort in them all, without being enslaved by any." Here our interview closed, as with a graceful salutation she left me at the door of her house.