The Dark Star

Her mother nodded, continuing to sew. Ruhannah considered what her

father had read, then: "Father?"

"Yes----" He looked down at her absently.

"What were you reading?"

"A quotation from the Sacred Anthology."

"Isn't prayer really necessary?"

Her mother said: "Yes, dear."

"Then how did those people who offered no prayers go to Heaven?"

Her father said: "Eternal life is not attained by praise or prayer alone, Ruhannah.

Those things which alone justify prayer are also necessary."

"What are they?"

"What we really think and what we do--both only in Christ's name.

Without these nothing else counts very much--neither form nor

convention nor those individual garments called creed and

denomination, which belief usually wears throughout the world."

Her mother, sewing, glanced gravely down at her daughter: "Your father is very tolerant of what other people believe--as long as

they really do believe. Your father thinks that Christ would have

found friends in Buddha and Mahomet."

"Do such people go to Heaven?" asked Ruhannah, astonished.

"Listen," said her father, reading again: "'I came to a place and I saw the souls of the liberal, adorned above

all other souls in splendour. And it seemed to me sublime.

"'I saw the souls of the truthful who walked in lofty splendour. And

it seemed to me sublime.

"'I saw the souls of teachers and inquirers; I saw the friendly souls

of interceders and peacemakers; and these walked brilliantly in the

light. And it seemed to me sublime----'"

He turned to his wife: "To see and know is sublime. We know, Mary; and Ruhannah is

intelligent. But in spite of her faith in what she has learned from

us, like us she must one day travel the common way, seeking for

herself the reasons and the evidences of immortality."

"Perhaps her faith, Wilbour----"

"Perhaps. But with the intelligent, faith, which is emotional, usually

follows belief; and belief comes only from reasoning. I think that

Ruhannah is destined to travel the way of all intelligence when she is

ready to think for herself."

"I am ready now," said the girl. "I have faith in our Lord Jesus, and

in my father and mother."

Her father looked at her: "It is good building material. Some day, God willing, you shall build

a very lofty temple with it. But the foundation of the temple must

first be certain. Intelligence ultimately requires reasons for belief.

You will have to seek them for yourself, Ruhannah. Then, on them build

your shrine of faith; and nothing shall shake it down."