"He has commanded us to confess openly that we are His servants, hasn't He? and to be baptized in token of the change He has wrought in us, and as a sign that we belong to Him? How can we do either the one or the other without joining the Church?"
"I thought"—Matilda began, but seemingly did not like to tell what she had thought.
"Let us have it, Tilly," said her friend, drawing her closer to him. "You and I are talking confidentially, and it is best in those cases to talk all out. So what did you think?"
"I thought there were people who were the servants of Christ, and yet did not join any church," Matilda said softly.
"By not doing it, they as good as say to the world that they are not His servants. And the world judges accordingly. I have known people under such a delusion; but when they were honest, I have always known them to come out of it. If you give all you have to the Lord Jesus, you must certainly give your influence."
"But, I thought I might wait," Tilly said again.
"Till when?"
"I don't know," she whispered.
"Wait for what?"
"Till I was more like what—I ought to be, Mr. Richmond."