“Why, that is plain enough.  It means just what it says.  When people are ugly to you, and act as though they hated you, you must be very good and kind to them, and pray for them, and love them.”

“Ester, does God really mean for us to love people who are ugly to us, and to be good to them?”

“Of course.”

“Well, then, why don’t we, if God says so?  Ester, why don’t you?”

“That’s the point!” exclaimed Sadie, in her most roguish tone.  “I’m glad you’ve made the application, Julia.”

Now Ester’s heart had been softening under the influence of these peaceful Bible words.  She believed them; and in her heart was a real, earnest desire to teach her brother and sister Bible truths.  Left alone, she would have explained that those who loved Jesus were struggling, in a weak feeble way, to obey these directions; that she herself was trying, trying hard sometimes; that they ought to.  But there was this against Ester—­her whole life was so at variance with those plain, searching Bible rules, that the youngest child could not but see it; and Sadie’s mischievous tones and evident relish of her embarrassment at Julia’s question, destroyed the self-searching thoughts.  She answered, with severe dignity: 

“Sadie, if I were you, I wouldn’t try to make the children as irreverent as I was myself.”  Then she went dignifiedly from the room.

Dr. Van Anden paused for a moment before Sadie, as she sat alone in the sitting-room that same Sabbath-evening.

“Sadie,” said he, “is there one verse in the Bible which you have never read?”

“Plenty of them, Doctor.  I commenced reading the Bible through once; but I stopped at some chapter in Numbers—­the thirtieth, I think it is, isn’t it? or somewhere along there where all those hard names are, you know.  But why do you ask?”

The doctor opened a large Bible which lay on the stand before them, and read aloud:  “Ye have perverted the words of the living God.”

Sadie looked puzzled.  “Now, Doctor, what ever possessed you to think that I had never read that verse?”

“God counts that a solemn thing, Sadie.”

“Very likely; what then?”

“I was reading on the piazza when the children came to you for an explanation of their lesson.”

Sadie laughed.  “Did you hear that conversation, Doctor?  I hope you were benefited.”  Then, more gravely:  “Dr. Van Anden, do you really mean me to think that I was perverting Scripture?”

“I certainly think so, Sadie.  Were you not giving the children wrong ideas concerning the teachings of our Savior?”

Sadie was quite sober now.  “I told the truth at last, Doctor.  I don’t know any thing about these matters.  People who profess to be Christians do not live according to our Savior’s teaching.  At least I don’t see any who do; and it sometimes seems to me that those verses which the children were studying, can not mean what they say, or Christian people would surely try to follow them.”