That does not
make him fit to teach others--only fit to go on learning for
himself. But in Jesus Christ I see the very God I want. I want a
father like him. He reproaches some of those about him for not
knowing him--for, if they had known God, they would have known him:
they were to blame for not knowing God. No other than the God
exactly like Christ can be the true God. It is a doctrine of devils
that Jesus died to save us from our father. There is no safety, no
good, no gladness, no purity, but with the Father, his father and
our father, his God and our God."
"But God hates sin and punishes it!"
"It would be terrible if he did not. All hatred of sin is love to
the sinner. Do you think Jesus came to deliver us from the
punishment of our sins? He would not have moved a step for that. The
horrible thing is being bad, and all punishment is help to deliver
us from that, nor will punishment cease till we have ceased to be
bad. God will have us good, and Jesus works out the will of his
father. Where is the refuge of the child who fears his father? Is it
in the farthest corner of the room? Is it down in the dungeon of the
castle, my lady?"
"No, no!" cried lady Arctura, "--in his father's arms!"
"There!" said Donal, and was silent.
"I hold by Jesus!" he added after a pause, and rose as he said it,
but stood where he rose.
Lady Arctura sat motionless, divided between reverence for distorted
and false forms of truth taught her from her earliest years, and
desire after a God whose very being is the bliss of his creatures.
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