Part 5 Christendom, pages 255-275 Summary

Six hours after leaving Henry in Israel, Nathan is at a church in London with Maria and Phoebe for a Christmas service. Maria is pregnant. Also in attendance at the church service are Maria's mother and Maria's two sisters, Sarah and Georgina. After some singing by the congregation, Maria's mother goes to the pulpit and reads some verses from the Bible. Nathan thinks about the story of Maria's parents' unhappy marriage and divorce.

After the service, the congregation shares refreshments and conversation. Many people ask Maria and Nathan about their new home that is being renovated. Nathan is glad that no one asks about his recent trip to Israel. Nathan thinks about what Maria told him about her family. She described her younger sister, Georgina, as shy, but she says that her older sister, Sarah, has a...