“Why, Christie?” said her sister, in surprise. “I thought you liked it very much. You said so in the morning.”
“Yes, I know; I like the walk, and the getting away from home; and I like the singing, and to see the people. But the preaching—others seem to like it so much; but I don’t. I don’t understand half that is said. Do you?”
“I don’t understand always,” said Effie, a little doubtfully.
“And sometimes I canna help thinking about other things—the foolishest things!—stories, and bits of songs; and sometimes I get so sleepy.”
“It’s wrong to think about other things in the kirk,” said Effie, scarcely knowing what to say.
“But I canna help it! Now, to-day I meant to try; and I did. Some things I seemed to understand at the time; but most that he said I didna understand, and I have forgotten it all now. I don’t believe I could tell even the text.”
“Oh, yes, you could,” said Effie. “‘Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Don’t you mind?”
“Yes; I mind now,” said Christie, turning to the verse in her new Bible, and reading it, with several that followed. “Do you mind what he said, Effie?”
“Some things. He said a great many very important things.” She paused, and tried to recollect. “He told us what justification meant. Don’t you mind?”
“Yes; but I knew that before, from the catechism.” And she repeated the words.