'If she were likely to be led into an act of schism, it might be needful to interfere; but if they seem to be bringing her to the sense of repentance and individual spiritual contact, which is the essential need, resistance would do more harm than good.'
'Why should she not come the right way?'
'Do you remember Ezekiel's pure springs, which the evil shepherds had fouled with their feet, so that the flock could not drink thereof? Without classing you among evil shepherds, whatever I may do with myself, is it not natural to turn from what has been without benefit?'
'By her own fault. And is she to follow their ways, without check or warning?'
'They are communicants?'
'Four times a year. Frequent Celebrations seem to them superstitious and formal.'
'And irreverent,' added Cherry.
'Is it not doubtful whether our poor girl have been reverent? Should not we perhaps be keeping her back for a time?'
'Not for their reasons.'
'No; but if she be in the way to what she needs and we have failed to afford her, it seems to me that while it is within the Church, we had better abstain from distracting her attention by trying to make her do things in our own way.'