moted. And both the girls were much interested in looking out passages to prove this. They read of the overthrow of the Egyptians in the fifteenth chapter of Exodus, where it is said that the "right hand of the Lord had become glorious in power," and the "right hand of the Lord had dashed in pieces the enemy." They turned also to some of the most striking verses in the Psalms, which tell of the power of the "right hand" of God, both to defend and to punish; how by it the righteous are saved and upholden, and the wicked taught terrible things. And then, turning to other passages, they saw how to "sit at God's right hand was to enjoy all honour, and glory, and happiness." Jesus had sat down for ever at the right hand of his Father, and thither would He bring all his faithful followers. They, too, would one day be set at the right hand of God, and then would they understand all that was meant by that verse, in thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for

Mrs. Stancombe made the children repeat this verse twice, and then she said, very solemnly, "Only think for a moment what happiness that must be— 'fulness of joy!' There is no such thing here as 'fulness of joy.' No one ever has been, and no one ever will be so happy in this world as to have nothing wanting; even if perfect happiness could be on earth, there must always be one thing to mar its complete enjoyment-the knowledge that it could not possibly last; that, however delicious for the time, it was only for a time, it must soon be over,

and might never come again. At God's right hand there is fulness of joy,' and 'for evermore.""

Both children were listening attentively, and Mrs. Stancombe perceiving this, said very gravely, "But we must remember that all will not be exalted thus with Jesus to the right hand of God. The very next sentence in the Creed speaks of that solemn time when the division will be made between those who are to inherit this fulness of joy,' and those who are to be deprived of it for ever. What does that sentence say ?" And looking at Ellen, she added, "It is a very important joint in our belief."

Ellen repeated the sentence, "From thence He shall come to judge the quick and dead."" "And who are meant by the quick?"

"Those who shall be found alive when Jesus comes again."

'Yes, and all these and all the dead will be judged, and when judged, separated-separated for ever," said Mrs. Stancombe. "It is a very solemn thought, this thought of the judgment-day of Christ, when the Lord shall come again in the clouds of heaven, and hold his last great judgment. Then the righteous shall enter into life eternal, and the wicked go away-oh, what will be their feelings when they hear themselves condemned thusgo away into everlasting punishment."

Mrs. Stancombe spoke so gravely, that Nellie shuddered, and felt as if that day were almost now upon her. She was not accustomed to hear such solemn subjects spoken of as the great realities they

108 really are, and it made an impression on her-so great an impression, that when Mrs. Stancombe said

“But I must not ask any more questions now. We have talked so much about this first part of the Creed that it is time for Nellie to go home, and next week we will explain the concluding part," she was glad, for she felt that she would rather not learn any more now. It had all been so new to her, so solemn, and so interesting, she did not wish to forget any part of it, and was glad to go back to the farm, and think it all over.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE ARTICLES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

EXT week came, and Nellie Morton went to receive her lesson on the Church Cate

chism with a mind full of interest in the

subject of the Creed. She was afraid, however, that the last sentences would be very difficult, for she had looked them over at home without being able to understand much about them.

But no sooner had the lesson begun, than half Nellie's fears concerning its difficulty vanished, so simple do even the hardest matters seem when simply explained. Mrs. Stancombe began by saying that she would not detain them long over the first sentence, "I believe in the Holy Ghost," since it would be necessary in one of their next lessons to go fully into this subject, and consider at some length the work of the Holy Ghost, the third Person in the Trinity.

"We shall then," she said, "have to explain this fully to you, that you may understand what is the work of the Holy Ghost-what He does in the hearts and lives of all God's people, just as we shall have also to try and understand the work of

the Son of God. So that we will leave this sentence till then, and go on now to see what is meant by the term "holy Catholic Church."

As Mrs. Stancombe expected, Nellie had a very confused idea of the word "catholic."

"I'm sure I don't know what it means," she said, simply; "but I thought it must be something good, until I heard Mrs. Stokes say that the young lady at the park had got a 'Catholic' for her governess, and that it was a downright wickedness to get a Catholic to teach a lady that had been born in a Christian land, and that ought to be properly brought up by Christian folk. She said she wondered that the squire wasn't ashamed to have a governess in his house to teach his daughter, who never so much as set her foot in the parish church."

"And after that, Nellie," said Mrs. Stancombe, "I do not wonder that you could not understand what was meant by believing in the 'holy Catholic Church. Now, if you will listen to me, I think I can make it all very easy. And, first of all, our good friend Mrs. Stokes has made a mistake in what she told you, for the foreign lady at the park, who is Miss Audley's governess, is not a Catholic."

"Mrs Stokes said she was," persisted Nellie.

"Mrs. Stokes was mistaken, then. Miss Audley's governess is a Romanist, which is a very different thing indeed from being a Catholic. You do not know the meaning of this long word, Nellie. My little girl can tell you, for she has often been told."