"Let us look for other texts bearing upon this subject," said Mr. Lilburn. "Have not you one for us, Harold?"
"Yes," replied Harold, "here in first John, second chapter, is given a test of our knowledge of Christ. 'Hereby do we know that we know him if we keep his commandments. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.'"
"And here in John's gospel," said Mrs. Lilburn, "where Jesus is talking with his disciples, that same night in which he was betrayed, he says: 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.'"
"And again," said Evelyn, "in the fifteenth chapter and twelfth verse, 'This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.'"
"What wonderful love—oh, what wonderful love was His!" exclaimed Mrs. Travilla, in low moved tones. "And how sweet are those words: 'I have loved thee with an everlasting love.' 'For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.'"
"Let us sing to His praise," suggested Mr. Lilburn, and Violet, seating herself at the instrument, struck a few chords, then started the hymn:
"Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing,
My dear Redeemer's praise,"
the others joining in with a will—evidently singing with spirit and understanding, for the sweet words were familiar to all.
The short service over, they scattered in groups here and there, chatting quietly with each other.
For a few moments Mrs. Travilla and her cousin and old-time intimate friend, Annis—now Mrs. Lilburn—were together a little apart from the others, talking low and confidentially. They talked of the past, the present, and the future, as regarded life in both this world and the next.