"The girl came to Miss Adams and demanded the truth, and the mother
confessed. Then the daughter settled into a profound melancholy,
from which nothing seemed to rouse her. She will not go out, remains
in the house, and broods constantly over her disgrace.
"It occurred to me that if Marah Adams could be brought out of
herself and interested in some work, or study, it would be the
salvation of her reason. Her mother told me she is an accomplished
musician, but that she refuses to touch her piano now. I thought you
might take her as an understudy on the organ, and by your influence
and association lead her out of herself. You could make her
acquaintance through approaching the mother who is a milliner, on
business, and your tact would do the rest. In all my large and
wealthy congregation I know of no other woman to whom I could appeal
for aid in this delicate matter, so I am sure you will pardon me. In
fact, I fear were the matter to be known in the congregation at all,
it would lead to renewed pain and added hurts for both Miss Adams and
her daughter. You know women can be so cruel to each other in subtle
ways, and I have seen almost death-blows dealt in church aisles by
one church member to another."
"Oh, that is a terrible reflection on Christians," cried Joy, who, a
born Christ-woman, believed that all professed church members must
feel the same divine spirit of sympathy and charity which burned in
her own sweet soul.
"No, it is a simple truth--an unfortunate fact," the young man
replied. "I preach sermons at such members of my church, but they
seldom take them home. They think I mean somebody else. These are
the people who follow the letter and not the spirit of the church.
But one such member as you, recompenses me for a score of the others.
I felt I must come to you with the Marah Adams affair."
Joy was still thinking of the reflection the rector had cast upon his
congregation. It hurt her, and she protested.
"Oh, surely," she said, "you cannot mean that I am the only one of
the professed Christians in your church who would show mercy and
sympathy to poor Miss Adams. Surely few, very few, would forget
Christ's words to Mary Magdalene, 'Go and sin no more,' or fail to
forgive as He forgave. She has led such a good life all these
years."
The rector smiled sadly.