August 1931
358
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
“What is it?” Mrs. Wolfe asked kindly. “May I ask, as a special favor, that in the presence of strangers or before callers in the home, you do not allow them to suspect that I am any different from other maids you have had.” “You mean you wish your identity to be unknown?” “Exactly. I will be the most perfect servant I know how to be, but I would prefer not to make any social ac quaintances while I am here. I know you will under stand. Perhaps that is awful pride, but I cannot help it.” “Not at all; I understand perfectly, and—I think you are right. But what will you do for social life? Will you be a Cinderella person over at the Goodwins ? Haven’t you some other name that we could call you here?” Marian thought a moment. “My middle name is Lili- bell, named after my two aunts.” “That is just the thing. We will call you Lilli, and when any one asks about your other name, we will tell them ‘Bell.’ That is all the name you will need. But Mar ian, you are much too good-looking not to attract attention, and the moment you open your mouth, they will know you are masquerading.” “Then I will not open my mouth,” Marian answered. “And you and Mr. Wolfe will treat me as a mute when there is any one about.”
were in the small room over thè kitchen. One afternoon she had cleared away the lunch things and made prepara tions for dinner, and she was sitting at her table with her shorthand book before her and the ever-ready pencil hard at work, when Mrs. Wolfe appeared in the doorway. “Are you busy, Marian ? Shall I disturb you if I come in?” “Not at all, Mrs. Wolfe.” Marian closed her book and pushed it from her. “I really wanted to have a talk with you.” “Did you? Well, now is a good time. Both of the chil dren are asleep, and it is too early for you to begin dinner.” She stood uncertainly for a minute. “Let us go to the living room,” she said, “it is more pleasant there.” She led the way, and drew Marian into the room. She dropped into one of the big easy chairs and pointed Marian to another. “There, isn’t that better? And now let us have a real get-acquainted visit.” They talked of the beautiful day, and then of things in general, and then the conversation became more per sonal. “Marian, 1 want to tell you that Mr. Wolfe and I find it embarrassing to treat you as a maid. Can we not make some change and make you as one of the family ?” “It is kind of you, Mrs. Wolfe, to feel so, but I came here to do this work. And you are paying me well. But there is one favor I would like to ask.” She hesitated a moment. h e first four verses of chap ter 2 may be regarded as a fitting conclusion to the revela tion of truth unfolded in chapter 1. God has spoken. He has spoken unto us. He has spoken unto us by His Son. That Son is superior to angels. He is the Son of God, and God the Son. “Therefore we ought to give the more earn est heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” ; or, as the Revised Version puts it, “lest haply we drift away.” T h e P eril of D r ifting Because of the spiritual condition of the people to whom this epistle was addressed, some misgivings arose in the mind of the writer and called forth the warnings, or admonitions, which are injected all the way through the book. The apostle did not expect his hearers to make shipwreck of faith. He was persuaded of better things concerning them. Nevertheless, he sends out some dan ger signals to help voyagers on the ocean of life to reach the harbor safely and to gain an abundant entrance into the heavenly port. These warnings have significance and value for the people of God down through the centuries. They stress the matter of human responsibility and the necessity of religious earnestness. There is a tendency within to slide back, or to backslide. This, together with the downward pull of the world, constitutes a real peril. The number of those who fall out along the way is
Gaily they planned and plotted. Their scheme seemed perfect; they little dreamed of the complications that were just ahead. [To be continued ] STUDIES iL EPISTLE /„ iL HEBREWS . .. By JOHN C. PAGE, Los Angeles, Calif.
appalling. In a recent issue of a denominational paper, the question was asked: “Where are the 75,580?” That number of people was quietly dropped from the church rolls in oiie denomination in one year. It is not assumed that they had all lost their faith, but it is doubtless true that they had lost their spiritual power and their Chris tian testimony. One may fail to “fight the good fight of faith” and still not forfeit all faith. One may lose the joy of salvation without losing salvation. One may fall on the rock without falling off the rock. But this condi tion must not be tolerated with “a smug complacency.” In reality, it is a peril and a shame. So grave a matter was it, in the mind of the writer, that the strongest and most stirring words were used to counteract it: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of un belief in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily . . . lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (3:12). These warnings are not directed against any gross forms of sin, but against unbelief, against drifting from the Word of God, against dimness of spiritual vision, against deterioration of moral quality-—the expected fruit age of the Christian life. Unbelief “lets go” while faith “lays hold.” The riches of grace are unfolded in Christ. The world has a downward pull, but “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). The danger of drifting is ever present, and the spirit ual loss involved is very great. Men do not usually jump
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