One day when Maurice had made
some allusion to a discussion over the doctrine of predestination which
was agitating the English church, Mrs. Morison said:--
"It always seems to me a pity that those who believe in that dreadful
doctrine do not remember that if one were not one of the elect, he
could at least carry through eternity the realization that he was lost
through no fault of his own. God could not take from him that
consolation."
He was silent in mingled amazement and disapproval; yet he found his
mind following out with obstinate persistence the train of thought
which her words suggested. In this or in many another remark it could
hardly be said that her words convinced him, but they awoke a swarm of
doubts in his mind. He found himself following speculations that were
lawless, wild, dangerous, and intoxicating. However convinced he might
be that the reasoning of Mrs. Morison was fallacious, he did not find
it easy to tell just wherein the fallacy lay. He felt that as a priest
he should be able to refute her, and he was filled with dismay to
discover that he was rather himself falling into the attitude of a
doubter.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261