“Gracious Father,” he exclaimed, “let,
your mercy reach this most pitiable family! Look
with eyes of pity and compassion upon this afflicted
and bereaved woman! Oh, support her—she
is poor and nearly heart-broken, and the world has
abandoned her! Oh, do not abandon her, Father
of all mercy, and God of all consolation!”
As he concluded, the widow recovered, and felt his
tears falling upon her face. On looking she perceived
how deeply he was affected. Her lips opened unconsciously
with a blessing on him who shared in, and soothed
her sorrows—her voice was feeble, for she
had not yet recovered her strength; but the low murmur
of her prayers and blessings rose like the sounds
of sweet but melancholy music to heaven, and was heard
there.
Mr. Clement then went over to the bed, and with his
own hands smoothed it down for the little sick sister
of the departed boy, adjusting the bed-clothes about
her as well as he could, for the other children were
too., young to do anything. He then divided the
hair upon the lifeless child’s forehead—contemplated
his beautiful features for a moment—caught
his little hand in his—let it fall—oh!
how lifelessly! he then shook his head, raised his
eyes, and pointing to heaven, exclaimed—
“There—Mrs. Vincent, let your hopes
lie there.”
He then departed, with a promise of seeing her soon.
—Darby feels Scriptural, and was as Scripturally
treated—Mr. Lucre’s
Christian Disposition towards Father M’Cabe—A
few Brands offer
Themselves to be Plucked from the Burning—Their
Qualification, for
Conversion, as stated by Themselves.
Mr. Lucre, like almost every Protestant rector of
the day, was a magistrate, a circumstance which prevented
Mr. Clement from feeling any surprise at seeing a
considerable number of persons, of both sexes, approaching
the glebe. He imagined, naturally enough, that
they were going upon law business, as it is termed—for
he knew that Mr. Lucre, during his angel visits to
Castle Cumber, took much more delight in administering
the law than the gospel, unless, when ready made, in
the shape of Bibles. When Darby, also, arrived,
he found a considerable number of these persons standing
among a little clump of trees in the lawn, apparently
waiting for some person to break the ice, and go in
first—a feat which each felt anxious to
decline himself, whilst he pressed it very strongly
upon his neighbor. No sooner had Darby made his
appearance than a communication took place between
him and them, in which it was settled that he was
to have the first interview, and afterwards direct
the conduct and motions of the rest. There was,
indeed, a dry, knowing look about him, which seemed
to imply, in fact, that they were not there without
some suggestion from himself.
