The minister had entered the vestry just as Jessica had finished wiping the imaginary dust off the Bible and hymn-book, and he drew his chair up close to the fire, as if coming through the fog had chilled him. He looked sad and downcast, and his head sank forward upon his breast. For a minute Jessica stood behind his chair in silence, and then she stretched out her hand, a small thin hand still, and laid it timidly upon his arm.
“Jessica,” said the minister, covering her small palm with his scholarly hand, “I am sorrowful to-night, and I have great heaviness of heart. Tell me, my child, do you understand what I preach about in my pulpit?”
“Oh, no, no!” answered Jessica, shaking her head deprecatingly, “only when you say God, and Jesus Christ, and heaven! I know what you mean by them.”
“Do you?” said the minister, with a very tender smile; “and do I say them often, Jessica?”
“Sometimes they come over and over again,” replied Jessica, “and then I feel very glad, because I know what you are preaching about. There is always God in your sermon, but sometimes there isn’t Jesus Christ and heaven.”
“And what do I mean by God, and Jesus Christ, and heaven?” he asked.
“I don’t know anything but what you’ve taught me,” said Jessica, folding her brown hands meekly over one another; “you’ve told me that God is the Father of our souls, and Jesus Christ is our elder brother, who came down from heaven to save us, and heaven is the home of God, where we shall all go if we love and serve him. I don’t know any more than that.”
“It is enough!” said the minister, lifting up his head with a brighter look; “one soul has learned the truth from me. God bless you, Jessica, and keep you in his fear and love for evermore.”
As he spoke the deep tones of the organ fell upon their ears, and the vestry door was opened by Daniel, coming for the pulpit books. There was an air of solemn pride upon his face, and he bowed lower than usual to his minister.
“There’s a vast crush of people to-night, sir,” he said; “the aisles and the galleries are all full, and there’s a many standing at the door yet who will have to go away, for there’s no room for them.”