“It is good for us all to be wise, and it is not easy to obey the scriptural injunction, ‘Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves.’  Ever growing, the human mind must reach with the tendrils of its thought beyond the confines of to-day.  The intuition of our souls, this Godlike attribute which we inherit directly from our Father, is ever seeking to be our guide.  None can be so utterly depraved that they have not sympathy either in one way or another with its utterances.  Prison bars and dungeon cells may hold souls whose central thoughts are pure as noon-day; and sometimes hard-visaged men, at the name of home and mother, are baptized in tears.  The small errors of youth lead along the way to greater crimes, and I sometimes ask myself if it is not true that living with wants that are not understood, causes men to seek the very things their souls do not desire, and they are thus led into deep waters.  If Mr. Minot’s soul reaches for a God of compassion and mercy, is it not because that soul whispers its need of this great love; and if it asks for this, will it not be found; for can it be possible with this spark of God within us, the living soul can desire that which is not naturally designed for it?

“Why, my dear friends,” she continued, “this is the great lesson we need to make us, on this earth, all that we might and should be.  It is not true that the thought of eternal love will warrant us in making mistakes here; on the contrary, it will help us to see all the beauty of our world, and to link our lives as one in the chain which binds the present to the enduring year of life to come.  Duty would be absolute pleasure, and all they who see now no light beyond the grave, would by this unerring hand be led to the mountain top of truth’s divine and eternal habitation.  In your soul, Mr. Davis, you ask and long for this.  Doctrinal points confuse you when you think upon them, and you have lain aside these thoughts and said, ’the mysteries of godliness may not be understood;’ but my dear sir, if this be true, why are we told to be perfect even as our ‘Father in Heaven is perfect;’ for would not that state be godly, and could there be mysteries or fear connected with it?”

“Never, never,” said Aunt Hildy.

Then, with her hands stretched appealingly toward him, Clara said: 

“Oh, sir, do not thrust this knowledge from the door of your heart!  Let it enter there.  It will warm your thoughts with the glow of its unabating love, and you will be the instrument in God’s hand of doing great good to his children.”

She dropped her hands, the tender lids covered again those wondrous eyes, and we sat as if spell-bound, wrapt in holy thought.

“Let us pray,” said Mr. Davis, and we knelt together.

Never had I heard him pray like this, and I shall ever remember the last sentences he uttered; “Father, if what thy handmaid says be true, give me, oh, I pray thee, of this bread to eat, that my whole duty may be performed, and when thou shall call him hither, may thy servant depart in peace.”