“To-morrow others may come here, and the lovely scene will be as pleasing to them as to us.  There is a possession, Miss Vernon, other than that which the world recognizes; and it is always pleasant to me to think that though a man may build himself a palace, and call himself its proprietor, he alone really owns it whose eyes see the most of its beauties, and whose soul appropriates them.  And so, a lovely spot like this, or the finest garden may belong to the passer-by whose purse does not contain a penny.”

“How it smoothes in life the inequalities of station, and makes us content to admire, rather than strive for ownership.”

“I see by your fervent enjoyment of the scene around us, Miss Vernon, that you, too, have discarded some of the old forms of worship, or rather found that a true worship of the divine is not limited by four walls.”

“I have.  For a long time I have seen so much bigotry, and so great a lack of all the Christian virtues, even in the most liberal churches, that I have felt I must seek my own mode of enjoying the Sabbath.”

“I long ago found my true relation to all places and forms of devotion,” remarked Mr. Wyman.  “I do not for a moment ignore the church, nor what Christianity has done for us, yet while I see the good the church has accomplished, I also see its shortcomings and regret them.  As an individual, I can say that I have done with most church organizations.  I have heard good and earnest words spoken by clergymen in the pulpit once a week, and as good from the lips of working people at their tasks every day.  I do not undervalue the influence that the forms of worship have on the masses.  While they need them, they must remain where they are, and have them.  I only want the church to be so liberal, that men and women who feel that they are getting life in another direction, will be recognized by it to be as good and true to their needs, as though they sat within its walls.  How much have we at the present day of this?  Who is large enough to feel that we cannot always draw from one fount?  We are not machines, to be continually run in one direction.”

“What do you think of our sabbath schools.  Do they not need a new life, too?”

“Unquestionably.  I think they need an infusion of dramatic life; something that interests while it instructs.  Dry catechisms are not suited to the children of our day.  We want the living present, and not the dead past.  If I was called to superintend a sabbath school, I would have a little play enacted by a portion of the children, and then another portion, until all were actors in their turn.”

“If you express your opinions, I fear you will wait a long time for a call?”

“I do not crave the position; I am only anxious to see the effect of my theory in practice.  Children need demonstration; need muscular action.  But I am, perhaps, wearying you.”

“Go on.  I am interested in all that relates to new phases of life.”