"Yes," said Kate, a moment later, "here in verses 17 and 18 of II. Cor.,
third chapter, it reads, 'Now the Lord is that spirit, and where the
spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.... But we all, beholding as in
a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.'"
"Why, Grace," exclaimed Kate, shutting the book in her eagerness, "I see
it all now. By denial we take away falsities that bar us from looking
into the face of God (Good), and by the affirmation we acknowledge Him,
which is turning an open face to Him and reflecting His glory. Isn't
that the way you understand it?"
Kate's face was all aglow with enthusiasm. A new light had come to her,
and she was lifted to a higher plane, both in conception and feeling.
"That is a beautiful interpretation, but I don't want to stop to think
about it now," said Grace, with a yawn, betraying fatigue for the first
time.
"Why, Grace, a little while ago you said you were 'so interested.' What
has come over you?" was Kate's rather discomfited answer.
"Oh, nothing, nothing!" rejoined Grace hastily, "only you know one _can_
be surfeited with good things, but never mind. I shall not stop till we
get through with this looking up, and then I must have a good long
think." She playfully chucked Kate under her chin, and asked her "to go
on," but the searching was not so spontaneous as before, and in the
spontaneity of study lies the acquisition of knowledge.
Grace, it must be confessed, was compelling herself to a thorough
intellectual investigation which, till now, had been a novel pleasure,
but was getting a little monotonous, although she was deeply interested
and more pleased with the Bible readings than she would have thought
possible, because, as she had said herself, the Bible had been a sealed
book to her before. She was very careful to conceal this new feeling
from Kate, for at least, she would not lay one obstacle in _her_ path,
and after a few moments' desultory conversation, they went on as before.
"The next affirmation is about the will, what can you find for that?"
asked Grace, as they had resumed their study again.
"I have found it already," replied Kate, with her finger on the passage.
"In Phil. ii: 13: 'For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to
do of his good pleasure.' That subordination to the will of God runs all
through the New Testament."
"Here is the last one," resumed Grace, referring to the letter again. "I
am subject to God's law and can not sin, suffer or die," she read.
"Oh, that does not sound right; I do _not_ see how it can be right to
say such things," interposed Kate, darkening again.
She looked up a reference to sin and turned to the sixth chapter of
Romans. "I don't see very clearly yet," she faltered, after she had
finished the chapter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account