Gathering Jewels Part 16

CHAPTER XV.

MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS FROM HER DIARY.

Have you heard of that wonderful city, Whose walls are of jasper and gold?

Whose inhabitants ever are happy, And never grow weary or old?

Have you heard of those emblems of vict'ry, That all of the glorified bear?

Of the star-bedecked crowns of rejoicing Which all of the ransomed shall wear?

HER GRAt.i.tUDE TO THE NEW YORK FLOWER MISSION.--In the middle of a busy summer she writes: "The Flower Mission has enabled me to bring some brightness and pleasure to the sufferers on sick beds, for which I am very grateful."

Her ardent love of "sweet, sweet nature" is fully exemplified by frequent visits to the New York Flower Mission Society's Rooms.

How refreshing to the sight of the sufferer are those gifts of earth's adornment. And how pleasing are the words of the poet Burns:

"The snowdrop and primrose the woodlands adorn And the violets they bathe in the weet of the morn."

THE YOUNG JEWESS.--Writing under this head, she says: "Some time since I became acquainted with a young Jewess, who was very sick. I visited her from time to time, carrying her some little comforts and a bouquet of flowers. I also read and prayed with her, which displeased her mother.

But ere long her daughter became a Christian, and when I asked her one day if she fully believed in Jesus as her Messiah, she replied, 'Oh, yes.' She always came to church, but being an invalid and dependent on her mother, she could not come out boldly and confess Christ. I have learned since that she has married a Christian man, is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and is a happy woman."

It is quite possible for this young Jewess in her sickness to have been led to the holy cross of Jesus through the missionary's thoughtfulness in bringing sunshine into this sick room by those beautiful and fragrant flowers.

THE FORSAKEN GERMAN WOMAN.--Of this case she states: "A poor woman who had come from Germany not long ago, felt herself forsaken by all, and longed for her old home. Telling her of the love of Christ, she seemed to receive G.o.d's word with grat.i.tude, and was very thankful for the little temporal aid I could give her."

The great charm in her life was her almost universal benevolence to all in deep distress. Consider this German woman forsaken and far from her native home. She sighed for

Her dear sweet fatherland, and gazed across the sea, But could not get a blink o' her ain countrie.

Oh! how blessed! truly blessed are those who are thus like minded. Oh!

the rich and inestimable value of such a life. Who can really estimate the power of such human affection? It is emphatically real, true, solid, and substantial. How influential! How full of Christ-like generosity! Where can we find one so full of the spirit of her dear master? Her life was spent for the temporal as well as the spiritual welfare of those with whom she was providentially brought in contact.

See how tenderly she _noticed_ the change wrought among her parishioners, after her return from a short respite from her incessant labors. Some were dead, others were sick. To minister to these was her continuous occupation. She felt her days were short, and as she remarked on her own death-bed, "I must finish my work." Hence, short were her intervals of repose. She says:

"The prospects of the poor are beginning to brighten. Some, who have been out of work for some time, have now found employment. In the month of February, of the two hundred families I visited, forty on whom their families were depending for support were without any employment. I have gathered several into the church and the Sabbath-school, as well as the prayer-meeting, which is well attended. G.o.d help the poor!"

And again, after a somewhat short respite from her labors, she writes:

"On my return from my vacation, I found many sick, and some had been called away from this life. Mrs. L., whom I had long visited, had fallen asleep in Jesus. Another poor woman who had lost her husband and a darling child was greatly afflicted. She was willing and glad to hear of the Saviour who knows all our sorrows, and has promised to comfort the afflicted with His own presence."

Yes, this is emphatically true. For what sayeth G.o.d through the Prophet Isaiah:

"Oh! Israel, fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou pa.s.seth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy G.o.d, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Sebia for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life."

A Storm of Starvation, Sickness, and Death.--The Widow's Lament.--A Father and Three Children Rescued.--The Stranger in the City.--"During the last month I have met with a great deal of dest.i.tution, many persons out of employment, several families without fire or food, and the most of them had never known want before, but knew not where to apply for aid.

"One poor woman, whose husband was in the Island Hospital, I called to see on the Wednesday before the last great storm. She had just sent her little boy to see his father, and was, with her five children, without fire or food. The day before she had divided her last five cent loaf among them. I immediately went to the Visitor of the district, who gave her groceries and coal, but before she received the aid word came that her husband was dead. She is a Protestant, but has been living in careless neglect of her duty to G.o.d. She now became very penitent, and lamented her past life, believing, as she herself affirmed, that G.o.d had been afflicting her for her sins. I think I shall be able to get her aid from the Widows' Society.

"Some time ago, visiting in a tenement house, I inquired at one of the doors if there were any children there who did not go to Sabbath-school, and was answered by a boy that he did not go. I then asked him to go to our school. He consented, and on the following Sabbath three of the children came, and since then have induced their father to attend church, and he appears to be one of the most attentive hearers there.

"A few days since I visited the family, and found his wife to be a very interesting woman. As I entered the room, the children told their mother I was from the church. She seemed glad to see me, and told me of the many trials she had met with. She was a stranger in the city, having recently come in from the country, where they had lived in comfort, but since then have been greatly reduced. She wept sore, as she told me that her husband had no employment at present. He looks over the papers every day, but as yet can find no situation. I begged her not to be discouraged, but put her trust in the Lord, and He would not forsake her. She said she felt much encouraged from the interest her husband had taken in matters of religion, and regretted she had never made a profession herself. Before I left I prayed with her, and when I bade her good-by, she put her arms around my neck and wept, saying it was the Lord who sent me to her, and asked me to come soon and often.

"That same evening her husband attended our prayer-meeting, and it was remarked by several present how very attentive and interested he appeared."

Fidelity in the performance of duty is always rewarded by getting a.s.sistance from kind Christian friends. The last five cent loaf is divided among the children. It is a terrible picture to study. A storm without, starvation within, and a father sick in the hospital. Can you imagine a more heartrending scene than the one so graphically portrayed by this missionary woman? Picture the moral heroism displayed in her tender appeals for help to this death-stricken household.

Bible ill.u.s.trations are always the best:

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over."--Ps. xxiii. 5.

"There is no want to them that fear Him. They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing."--Ps. x.x.xiv. 9-10.

"Seek ye first the kingdom of G.o.d, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."--Matt. vi. 33.

"My G.o.d shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."--Phil. iv. 19.

"G.o.dliness with contentment is great gain. Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."--1 Tim. vi. 6, 17.

"I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on: is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Wherefore, if G.o.d so clothe the gra.s.s of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things."--Matt. vi. 25, 30-32.

DISCOURAGEMENT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

She begged this woman not to be discouraged, but to put her trust in the Lord. How comforting is the word in this connection, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my fortress; my G.o.d, in Him will I trust."

1. Consider the happiness of those who put their trust in the Lord.

Everyone who neglects to do this may reasonably expect that G.o.d will hide his face from them.

2. See the benefits that flow from the reciprocal influence of religion. She felt encouraged because her husband was interested in religion.

3. Trials ought to be spiritually discerned. We form a very wrong estimate of religion if we think that G.o.d's gifts of grace are invariably conferred upon the prosperous. Many have the smiles of His providence who are not basking in the sunshine of His reconciling countenance.

IF WE FORSAKE G.o.d, HE WILL ALSO FORSAKE US.

_She had not discharged her duty to G.o.d, etc._--How quickly she recognized the vital importance of discharging duty to G.o.d as infinitely superior to all others. Penitence for sin omitted and committed against a holy Being who has purer eyes than to behold iniquity. This thought is put in the foreground; sin brings affliction. Repentance was the first subject selected by John, and Christ himself, to proclaim to the people of Palestine, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." Why does it imply simply a change of mind?

_Laments her past life._--Living in the careless neglect of her duty to G.o.d, she censures herself, evidently experiencing that G.o.dly sorrow for sin which needeth not to be repented of. How many, alas! sadly neglect to confess and forsake their sin until the setting of life's sun.

_He consented, etc._--The old story-telling with gentle, winning words, at the door of the tenement-house, accompanied with the loving invitation to come to Jesus, are deeply impregnated with never-ceasing influence. Three children and a father persuaded to attend the means of grace on the Sabbath, in G.o.d's sanctuary. What a striking reflection of the character of Him who sat weary and way-worn on Jacob's well. Surely a truly devoted missionary of the holy cross of Jesus is an angel on this sin-blighted earth, where, through penury and sorrow, hearts are almost crushed with despair. She is Christ's amba.s.sador.

_Seemed glad to see me, etc._--Why, dear Christian reader? Because she brought rays of heavenly sunshine of G.o.d's peace and grat.i.tude and gladness into many a benighted heart; thus inspiring, encouraging, and arousing within the soul blessed remembrances of a covenant-keeping G.o.d, even toward His poor, wayward, backsliding children.