The Right Knock Part 36

"That was remarkable," said Mr. Hayden, speaking for all. "Did you hear anything about treating animals?" he added after a momentary silence.

"Oh, yes. We may think of an animal as the perfect expression of G.o.d's thought, as manifesting the true Life, the same as human beings."

"After all," said Kate, "that is something we ought to expect, for are we not promised dominion over all things?"

"Certainly, and we are not proving our right, till we prove the dominion," answered Mrs. Hayden. "It is a beautiful thought to me, and several of the cla.s.s told of successful work in this line. One lady had treated a frightened horse, and made him so gentle any one could drive him. It is mostly fear that is reflected upon animals. They manifest thought, even as humanity does."

"I have often noticed horses. They are apt to show the same disposition as their masters. This explains it," said Mr. Hayden thoughtfully. "Why didn't you write about all this?"

"I was afraid it would be too strong meat for you, for I could scarcely realize it myself."

"It seems as though we have had so many wonderful suggestions it will take a life time to understand them," remarked Kate.

"There is no end to the study of Infinity," was Mrs. Hayden's reply.

"How do you account for the _quick_ cures?" interposed Grace.

"It all depends upon how quickly one receives the consciousness of Truth. That is the healing process. But there are not very many quick cures, comparatively, though it is the quick cures we should aim for and expect, for the cure is always in the degree of our realization of the allness of G.o.d.

"Another of the older students told of some wonderful absent healing. A lady that had been four years an invalid, and given up to die by five physicians in the place, was healed in three weeks by absent treatment."

"Is that considered as effectual as present treatment?"

"There should be no difference, because we ought to realize that with Truth there is no s.p.a.ce nor time. All is the eternal _now_ and _here_.

Some prefer to give present treatment, especially in acute cases; with others absent treatment seems more effectual."

"I am glad to hear that, for I feel that I can do better absently," said Grace, with a look of relief.

"But tell me," questioned Kate, eagerly, "have all persons the same gifts?"

"In the germ, yes; but all are not equally developed. We enter this study in different stages of unfoldment. Some heal quickly, others slowly; some teach naturally, while others find it more difficult, especially at first. We develop the gift we desire to use by continually claiming it and using it, and bye and bye we shall marvelously prove that we have it. In Love we recognize no partiality, no time and no place, and thus we can truly say all we desire is truly ours."

Grace laid her hand on that of Mrs. Hayden, saying:

"Words can never express our grat.i.tude to you both for your extreme kindness in allowing us to read your beautiful letters, Mrs. Hayden.

They have made life seem entirely different to us." She was deeply in earnest, and her quivering lip spoke more than a volume of words.

"Grace speaks for us both," added Kate, huskily.

"Dear friends," replied Mrs. Hayden, much touched herself, "I am glad, yes, more than glad, that you can speak so of my letters, of which the greatest merit lies in their simple earnestness--." She ceased abruptly, and for a few moments all were silent....

It was a silence too full for words. A door had opened--a morning dawned for each of them. The mysterious future verged into the mighty present.

All that was grand and n.o.ble and tender filled the measure of their aspirations. The world surely might enter into their joy, for their joy surely entered into the world.

Mrs. Hayden broke the silence, saying:

"'Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.' Many years have I asked and sought for the kingdom of heaven, but never till now have I found the right knock."

CHAPTER x.x.xVII.

Love is the high consummation and fulfillment of all Law. It casts out fear, discord and imperfection. To minister is G.o.d-like, Christ-like. * * * * The law of love reaches down, rules, and overcomes adverse laws which are below itself.--_Henry Wood._

Outside, deepening twilight of a midwinter's day: inside, a bright grate fire, soft curtains, beautiful rugs and simple but elegant adornings for mantel and wall in this lovely room of a lovely home.

The only occupant is a young woman--young because of the real life of which she so vividly and strongly expresses a consciousness, the only life after all to be expressed, and which, rightly appropriated will and must forever be clothed with the freshness and vigor of youth. The young woman is Grace Hall Carrington.

She sits before the glowing embers in an expectant att.i.tude. She is evidently waiting for some one, and as she waits, her mind seems full of pleasant musing. The three years that have pa.s.sed since we saw her have ripened her character. We can see that. The unrest and longing which pervaded her whole being in the old days are gone. A poise and calmness of spirit have taken their place. Even her att.i.tude as she sits there with the shadows flickering over her, is full of a suggestive alertness that expresses an awakened life. The forces that had slumbered so long in her being are fully alive to their duty and their privilege. Yes, Grace Carrington is awake, and happy as a wife and woman should be. She is thinking even now of the richness of effort and opportunity that have been hers in these last years. She had been particularly fortunate in her marriage. Few women have as much to be thankful for as she has in this respect, but then, she waited to find her true womanhood before she found a husband. Perhaps that had something to do with it. At any rate she is satisfied that she waited.

The door bell rings. A moment later she is greeting two visitors. Who but the friends we knew in the old days--Kate Turner and Mrs. Hayden?

"I really expected you sooner, Mrs. Hayden; Kate is more uncertain. One never knows when to look for her; but never mind, we are together again, so come up to the fire and let us get settled for the evening." And Grace hastened to make her friends comfortable.

"Oh but it is nice to get home occasionally," cried Kate with a shrug of pleasure as she looked around the beautiful room and then at the smiling hostess.

"I only wish you would come oftener Kathie. It seems like the old days to have you here," replied Grace with a loving pat.

"I suspect Kate has a bit of news for us," remarked Mrs. Hayden, as she sat down near the fire.

"Indeed," exclaimed Grace, lifting her eyebrows, and tightening her hold of her friend's hand. "And is the momentous question decided, dearie?

"Yes, and I am to report for duty next week," was the reply.

"Good for you, Kathie. I always knew the Truth would make your music heard, and as Professor Beal's a.s.sistant it will be heard a long way and to good advantage."

"She is reaping the reward of her trust in the Law," said Mrs. Hayden.

"That is the only thing that will make the working sure."

"Well Kate, you have trusted surely, and to think what a proof this is!"

"How you talk Grace! One might think you had never proven it at all, or that your work didn't bear witness to your own trust," reproved Mrs.

Hayden, smiling.

"Oh well, girls, my work has been of the silent order altogether, or rather it has consisted more of silence than work. There's no telling how it will show up," was the blushing response.

It had been a standing joke with the three as to how Grace managed her "liege lord," inasmuch as he had never been quite won over to the Healing, protesting that he had no time for such things, persisting in a good-natured skepticism, although strangely enough he believed a great many things when they were presented without the name of "Healing"

attached to them.

"Perhaps that very silence is the secret of its showing, for I a.s.sure you it shows," resumed the elder friend, who still seemed to the other two, the incarnation of all that was n.o.ble and wise.

"Do tell us the way you manage anyway, Grace," begged Kate, with special reasons for inquiring.

"Why my dear, there's nothing to tell unless it be that a bland silence is a good thing to cultivate. There's no use in making so much of a bugbear of these people who seem to oppose, and the best way to lead them into the green pastures is to let them nibble along the outside until they want to jump the fence and get over in spite of you. Now Leon is really quite hungry to know some things, especially about the practical application of thought to business, but he knows just where and how to find what he wants, so I let him take his own time and his own way."

"Which will end, of course, in his wanting to know all, providing you have the patience to wait", laughed Kate.