“Was manifested in the flesh,
    Justified in the spirit,
    Seen of the angels,
      Preached among the Gentiles,
        Believed on in the world,
          Received up in glory.”

If some fell away from the gathering, there were new hearers, brought through the good report of those interested, and the company numbered rather more than before.  Adele’s “anarchist” was again there, fastening his pale, strange eyes upon the face of the lecturer whether he spoke or was quietly sitting; at times half crediting its look of candor, then relapsing into sneering hopelessness of finding an honest man among his class.  He determined to try his favorite test of a benevolent scheme before Mr. Bond should go away, and see if he would abide by the Sermon on the Mount.

To-day the lecturer’s theme was Redemption, and from all the cardinal divisions of the Scriptures he drew illustrations of their one consistent theme.  It was when he reached the Day of Atonement under the Levitical institution, that Adele Forrester’s interest reached its height.  He drew a vivid, simple picture, as a teacher might present an object lesson to a child, of the offering, the priest, the waiting congregation, the presentation in the Holiest of All, and the blessing of the people.

Adele leaned forward in her seat as he proceeded.  She had never seen it just like that before.  She imagined herself one of the Jewish congregation, with a guilty score against her which needed to be wiped out.  What if there were a flaw in the offering?  What if the priest were not acceptable, and she were to go back with the debt uncanceled—­with reconciliation not effected?  Her mind leaped forward before the speaker could reach the point to the Lamb without spot or blemish and the High Priest who “ever liveth to make intercession” for His people.  Was that what it meant?  And was it already accomplished?  The speaker was saying: 

“There is both correspondence and contrast here.  In the first case there was indeed remission of sins, because the Lord had covenanted to meet His people upon that ground.  But it was temporary, and the work imperfect.  The taking away of sins was not actual, but pictorial, each sacrifice pointing forward to the effective one to come.  There was no vital relationship between the victim and the worshiper, and the death of one could not be made actually good to the other.  Nor could a new life of righteousness be imparted.  So the work was imperfect, unfinished, always looking forward to the perfect, eternal redemption which should be wrought by the One who has power to impart the virtue of His death and the power of His endless life.”

Before Adele’s mind there came the vision of a vain, empty, earthward life.  But clearer still she saw the Lamb bearing away all offenses and her hopeless coming short, and the High Priest who with perfect acceptance presented the offering of His blood for her.  Why had she never seen it before?