The Zeit-Geist

to another. Both broad levels were covered with forest of ash and maple, spruce and tamarack; but long ago, some time in

en green woods, and all about the town there are breezy pastures where the stumps are still standing, and arable lands well cleared. The little town itself ha

n a large and ambitious plan for so small a place. When the meeting was over, I came out into the street on a mild September afternoon. The other membe

been so much consulted, was not here

mething of that sort. He's in delicate health. Ah-of course, you know, it is na

spoken of as a

y desires in the way of knowledge without leading him into the Church, where

. "Certainly," I replied, "to see all things in right proportion

what is right. Every one cries up his generosity; for instance, one of my church-wardens tells him that we need a new organ in the church and the people won't give a penny-piece towards it, so Toyner says, with his benevolent smile, 'They must be taught to give. Tell them I will give half if they

much then concerning the classification of Christians among themselves: but I think that I am not wrong in saying that this young man belonged to that movement in the Anglican Church w

ously meet him on common ground, and I can respect him if he conscientiously holds that he is right and I am wrong: but these fellows that are n

on of outstanding gardens and pleasure-grounds, in which the wooden villas of the citizens stood among lux

He was an older man, with a genial, bearded face. I think he belonged to that party w

d Mrs. Toyner are giving?" The cordiality of his

e going

known Mr. Toyner more or less all that time. I do not know how I shall be able to work on the same Coun

f the new schools. I ple

ll be able to judge for yourself. I do not hesitate to say that I consider his influence, especially with the young people, of a most dangerous kind. For a long time, you know, he and his wife were quite ostracised

is too ofte

e streets, whether the son of clergyman or beggar, who is not free to go to that man's house every evening and have the run of his rooms and his books. And Toyner and his wife will sit down and play cards with them; or the

ew something of his life; he was giving it day by day to save the men of who

talking about God, and using his influence to make people pray to God. Such men are not ready to pray until they are prepared to give up the world! The God tha

ivers

d, and his wife is the daughter of a murderer! Still less do I understand how such people can claim to be religious at all, and yet not see to what awful evil the small beginnings of vice must lead. I tell you, if a man is allowed by Providence to lead an easy life, and remains unfaithful, he may still have some good metal in him which adversity

d irregular line of shrubs, where the delicate forms of acacias and crab-apples lifted themselves high in comparison to the lower lilac and elderberry-bushes. I watched the sunlit acacias as they fluttered, spread

tness and perfection about his dress, in the extreme gravity and clearness of his grey eyes, even in the fine texture of

ntment; the speaker looked wistfully at the form of the retreati

hed him

that he might come in." Then he added a word of cordia

of direct speech. "I have been walking with two clergymen. I unde

say in so many words he did not see that this difference of opinion was a sufficient r

it in being without their society. They

ake pleasure in the soci

ing to learn from those from whom w

h without letting go what we alrea

nd untruth of them. There was a grave earnestness in his speech which made his opinion on this subject suddenly become of moment to me, and h

disagree with us we can obtain no new light, and that when we are willing to reach after their light we become also willing to let go what we have had, s

how my difficulty may be overcome, and then let

s appearance, betrayed a strong,

r so. Now to say that to submit willingly to God's law of growth is to produce chaos must certainly be a fallacy. It must then be a fallacy to argue that to keep a mind open to all influences is antagonistic to the truest religious life; we cannot-whether we wish or not, we cannot-let go any truth that has been assimilated into our lives; and what truth we have not assimilated it is no advantage to hold without agitation. We know better where we are when

ur mind there was a more real ob

n knew so nearly what Toyner meant when he only partially expressed his thoug

tly upon my arm, as though

h we see united in the life of our great Example, have become divorced. It is their union again that we must have-that we shall have; but at present there is the difficulty for every man of us-the men who lead us in either path are different men a

ly in the sun, and a pair of bickering sparrows rose from the fountain near which they

of every one of these sparrows, foresees the fall and ordains it-the God whose character is expressed in physical law? The texts of Jesus have become so trite that we f

ed by young people dressed in quaintly fashioned frocks of calico; there was good music too-one or two instruments, to which they danced. Round the other side of the grass an avenue of stately Canadian maples shut in the view, except where the river or the pale blue of the eastern horizon was seen in glimpses through t

alking with me said si

women have of making all those whom they gather round th

o be attained without toil; but it gives this one advantage-room for growth; whatever

about her for so many years, and to which she gave a genuine brilliance, however raw the mater

them I remembered the little children that had died in her arms, and I knew that her hopes had not died with them, but

ow among her black ones were almost like a reflection of his white hair. I felt that in some curious way, although each had so distinct and strong a personality, they were only perfect as a part of the character whic

ghter of a murderer, and he has come up from the lowest, vilest life." Some indistinct thought worked

ll what I know. His was a life which shows that a man cut off from all contact with his brother-thinkers may still be worked up