Our young theologian was disconcerted, for a moment, at this puzzling question, which has excited doubts and difficulties in wiser heads than his, end to which Scripture gives no direct reply.  He paused awhile; and then he remembered that passage in the second chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, where the Apostle is speaking of the requirements of the law, and goes on to say, ’When the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:  which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.’  ’If St. Paul could say this of the severe and uncompromising law, surely,’ thought Henrich ’the Gospel of love and mercy must hold out equal hope for those heathen who perish in involuntary ignorance, but who have acted up to that law of conscience which was their only guide.’  He also recollected that Jesus himself, when on earth, declared, that ’He that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes’:  and, therefore, he felt justified in permitting the young Indian to hope that, hereafter, he might again behold that brother whose virtues and whose affection were the object of his pride and his regret.

‘I believe,’ he replied, ’that your brother—­who you say was always kind, and just, and upright while he lived on earth—­is now, through the mercy of God, in a state of happiness:  and I believe that, if you also act up to what you know to be right, you will join him there, and dwell with him for ever.  But I can tell you how to attain a more perfect happiness, and to share the highest joys of heaven in the kingdom that God has prepared for His own son.  I can tell you what He has declared to be His will with regard to all His human creatures; even that they should love that Son, and look to Him as their Savior and their King.  O, Jyanough, ask Oriana if she is not happier since she learnt to love and worship the God of the Christians!—­the only God who can be just, and yet most merciful!’

In the vehemence of his feelings, Henrich bad rather outstripped his companion’s powers of following and comprehending him.  He saw this in Jyanough’s wandering and incredulous eyes; and he carefully and patiently proceeded to explain to him the first rudiments of religion, as he had done to Oriana:  and to reply to all his doubts and questions according to the ability that God gave him.  A willing learner is generally a quick one; and Henrich was well pleased with his second pupil.  If he was not ready to relinquish his old ideas and superstitions, he was, at least, well inclined to listen to the doctrines of his new friend, and even to receive them in connection with many of his heathen opinions.  Time, and the grace of God, Henrich knew, could only cause these to give place to a purer belief, and entirely banish the ’unclean birds’ that dwelt in the ‘cage’ of the young Indian’s mind.  But the fallow ground had already been, in a manner, broken up, and some good seed scattered on the surface:  and Henrich lay down to rest with a fervent prayer that the dew of the Spirit might fall upon it, and cause it to grow, and to bring forth fruit.