a face illumined-第69章

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and　said；　〃Bruthren；　the　meetin'　is　now　open；〃　he　was　more　exhausted

than　he　than　he　would　have　been　from　a　long　day　of　toil。



〃The　Lord　looketh　at　the　heart〃　is　a　truth　that　chills　many　with

dread；　but　it　was　a　precious　thought　to　Farmer　Smith　as　he　saw　that

his　fellow　church　members　did　not　look　very　appreciative；　and　that

the　gay　young　city…people　often　giggled　outright　at　his　uncouth

words　and　manner。



Ida　would　have　been　as　greatly　amused　as　any　of　them　a　few　weeks

since；　but　now　she　scarcely　heard　the　poor　man's　stumblings；　or

the　wailing　of　the　hymns　that　were　mangled　anew　by　the　people。　　She

sat　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　vacancy；　thinking　how　dreary　and　empty

the　world　had　become；　and　it　seemed　to　her　that　religion　was　the

most　dreary　and　empty　thing　in　it。



〃What　good　can　this　wretched　little　meeting　do　any　one？〃　she　thought；

more　than　once。



She　was　answered。



Near　her　was　a　very　old　man　who　had　been　regarding　the　ill…behaved

party　with　an　expression　of　mingled　displeasure　and　pity。　　Now　that

the　meeting　was　open　to　all　he　rose　slowly　to　his　feet；　steadying

himself　with　his　cane。



〃He　looks　like　the　Ancient　Mariner；〃　giggled　an　exceedingly　immature

youth；　who　sat　next　to　Ida。



She　turned　upon　him　sharply　and　said；　in　a　low　tone；　〃If　you　have

the　faintest　instincts　of　a　gentleman　you　will　respect　that　venerable

man。〃



The　youth　was　so　effectually　quenched　that　he　bore　the　aspect　of

a　turnip…beet　during　the　remainder　of　the　service。



〃My　young　friends；〃　began　the　old　main　in　tones　of　gentle　dignity；

〃will　you　listen　patiently　and　quietly　to　one　that　you　see　will

not　have　the　chance　to　speak　many　more　words。　　My　eyes　are　a　little

dim；　but　you　all　appear　young　and　happy；　and　yet　I　am　sorry　for

you；　very　sorry　for　you。　　You　don't　realize　what　you　are　and　what

is　before　you。　　You　remind　me　of　a　number　of　pleasure　boats　just

starting　out　to　sea。　　I　have　been　across　this　ocean；　and　have　almost

reached　the　other　shore。　　I　know　what　terrible　storms　and　dangers

you　will　meet。　　You　can't　escape　these　storms；　my　young　friends。

No　one　can；　and　you　don't　seem　prepared　to　meet　them。



〃Your　manner　has　pained　me　very　much；　and　yet；　as　my　Master　said；

so　I　have　felt；　you　'know　not　what　you　do。'　　There　is　a　Kingly

Presence　in　this　place　that　you　have　not　recognized。　　Do　you　not

remember　who　it　was　that　said；　'Where　two　or　three　are　gathered

together　in　my　name；　there　am　I　in　the　midst　of　them'？



〃I　am　very　old；　but　my　memory　is　good。　　It　seems　but　a　short　time

ago　that　I　was　as　young　thoughtless　as　any　one　of　you；　and　yet　it

was　seventy　years　ago。　　I　have　tested　the　friendship　of　Jesus　Christ

for　over　half　a　century。　　Have　I　not　then　a　right　to　speak　of　it？

Ought　I　not　to　know　something　about　him？



〃Do　you　ask　me　if　my　Master　has　kept　me　from　trouble　and　suffering

all　these　years？　　Far　from　it。　　Indeed；　I　think　he　has　caused　me　a

good　deal　of　trouble　and　pain　in　addition　to　that　which　I　brought　on

myself　by　my　own　folly　and　mistakes；　but　I　now　see　that　he　caused

it　only　as　the　good　physician　gives　pain；　in　order　to　make　the

patient　strong　and　well。　　But　one　thing　is　certainly　true。　　He　has

stood　by　me　as　a　faithful　friend　all　these　years；　and　has　brought

good　to　me　out　of　all　the　evil。　　I　have　been　in　sore　temptations

and　deep　discouragement。　　My　heart　at　times　has　seemed　breaking

with　sorrow。　　Mine　has　been　the　common　lot。　　But　when　the　storm　was

loudest　and　most　terrible；　his　hand　was　on　the　helm；　and　now　I　am

entering　the　quiet　harbor。　　There　has　been　much　that　was　dark　and

hard　to　understand；　there　is　much　still；　but　there　is　plenty　to

prove　that　my　Heavenly　Father　is　leading　me　home　as　a　little　child。



〃It　is　a　precious；　blessed　truth　that　I　wish　to　bring　you　fact　to

face　with　to…night；　and　yet　it　may　become　a　very　sad　and　terrible

truth；　if　you　shut　your　eyes　to　it　now　and　remember　it　only　when

it　is　too　late。　　I　wish　to　assure　you；　on　the　ground　of　simple；

down…right　experience；　through　all　these　years；　that　God's　'unspeakable

gift；'　his　only　Son；　is　just　what　our　poor　human　nature　needs。

Jesus　Christ　'is　able　to　save　them　ot　the　uttermost　that　come　to

God　by　him。'　　He　helps　us　overcome　that　awful　diseasesin。　　He

brings　to　our　unhappy　hearts　immortal　life　and　health。　　I　know　it

as　I　know　that　I　exist。　　He　has　helped　me　when　and　where　there　was

no　human　help。　　I　have　often　seen　his　redeeming　work　in　the　lives

of　other　faulty；　sinful　people　like　myself。



〃The　question　therefore　which　you　must　each　decide　is　not　whether

you　will　believe　this　or　that　doctrine；　or　do　what　this　or　that

man　teaches。　　The　question　is　this：Here　is　a　tender；　merciful；

Divine　Friend。　　He　offers　to　lead　you　safely　through　all　the　dangers

and　hard　places　in　this　world；　as　a　shepherd　leads　his　flock　through

the　wilderness。　　Will　you　follow　him；　or　will　you　remain　in　the

wilderness　and　perish　when　the　night　comes；　as　it　surely　will？　　If

you　will　follow　him　as　well　as　you　can；　he'll　bring　you　to　a　happy

and　eternal　home。　　Thanks　to　his　patient　kindness　which　never

falters；　he　has　brough　me　almost　there。



〃And　now；　my　young　friends；　beat　with　an　old　man；　and　let　me　say；

in　conclusion；　that　you　all　need　the　kind；　patient；　faithful　Friend

that　I　found　so　long　ago。　　No　evil；　no　misfortune　can　come　into　any

human　life　that　is　beyond　his　power　to　remedy　and　finally　banish

forever。　　I　you　have　not　found　this　Friend；　this　Life…giver；　I　am

younger　and　happier　than　you　are　to…day；　although　I　am　eighty…eight

years　old。〃



Once　before　a　rash；　despairing　man　lifted　his　hand　against　his　life；

but　God's　message　to　him；　through　his　apostle；　was；　〃Do　thyself　no

harm。〃　　And　now　again　a　faithful　servant；　speaking　for　him　whose

coming　was　God's　supreme　expression　of　good…will　towards　men；　had

brought　a　like　merciful　message　to　another　poor　soul　that　had　taken

counsel　of　despair。　　Ida　Mayhew　might　learn；　as　did　the　jailer　of

Philippi；　that　God　has　a　better　remedy　than　death　for　seemingly

irretrievable　disasters。



The　old　gentleman's　words　came　home　to　her　with　such　a　force

of　personal　application　that　she　was　deeply　moved；　and　even　awed。

They　seemed　like　a　divine　messagenay　more；　like　a　restraining

hand。　　〃How　strange　it　was；〃　she　thought；　that　she　had　come　to　this

place！how　strange　that　a　serene　old；　man；　with　heaven's　peace

already　on　his　brow；　should　have　uttered　the　words　best　adapted

to　her　desperate　need。　　If　he　had　spoken　of　duty；　obligation；　of

truth　in　the　abstract；　his　tones　would　have　been　like　the　sound　of

a　wintry　wind。　　But　he　had　spoken　of　a　Friend；　as　tender；　patient；

and　helpful　as　he　was　powerful。　　What　was　far　more；　he　spoke　with

the　strong　convincing　confidence　of　personal　knowledge。　　He　had　tried

this　Friend　through　all　the　vicissitudes　of　over　half　a　century；

and　found　him　true。　　Could　human　assurancecould　human　testimony

go　farther？　　Deep　in　her　heart　she　was　conscious　that　hope　was

reviving　againthat　the　end　had　not　yet　come。



The　gay　young　party；　touched　and　subdued；　passed　out　quietly　with

the　others。　　But　Ida　lingered。



〃Who　is　that　old　gentleman？〃　she　asked　of　a　lady　near　her。



〃That　is　Mr。　EltingeMr。　James　Eltinge；〃　was　the　reply。



Ida　passed　slowly　towards　the　door；　looking　wistfully　back　at　the

old　man；　who　stopped　to　greet　cheerily　one　and　another。



〃No　one　need　be　afraid　to　speak　to　him；〃　she　thought。　　〃His　every

look　and　tone　show　him　to　be　kind　and　sincere。　　I'll　see　him

beforebefore〃she　shuddered；　and　scarcely　dared　to　put　her　dark

purpose　in　thought　in　the　presence　of　one　who　had　lived　patiently

at　God's　will　for　nearly　a　century。



She　stepped　out　into　the　night　and　watched　for　his　coming。　　In　a

moment　or　two　the　old　gentleman　also　passed　out；　and　stood　waiting

for　his　carriage。



Timidly　approaching　him；　she　said；　〃Mr。　Eltinge；　may　I　speak　with

you？〃



He　stepped　with　her　a　little　aside　from　the　others。