“Ah! yes. That is almost exactly as I had fancied him. Is it not strange?”
“It is very natural, I think,” answered Margaret.
“I seem now to have known him for years.”
But what is most worthy of record is, that ever as the picture of David
grew on the vision of Euphra, the idea of God was growing unawares upon
her inward sight. She was learning more and more about God all the time.
The sight of human excellence awoke a faint Ideal of the divine
perfection. Faith came of itself, and abode, and grew; for it needs but a
vision of the Divine, and faith in God is straightway born in the soul
that beholds it. Thus, faith and sight are one. The being of her father in
heaven was no more strange and far off from her, when she had seen such a
father on earth as Margaret’s was. It was not alone David’s faith that
begot hers, but the man himself was a faith-begetting presence. He was the
evidence of God with them.—Thus he, being dead, yet spoke, and the
departed man was a present power.
Euphra began to read the story of the Gospel. So did Harry. They found
much on which to desire enlightenment; and they always applied to Margaret
for the light they needed. It was long before she ventured to say I think.
She always said:
“My father used to say—” or
“I think my father would have said—”
It was not until Euphra was in great trouble some time after this, and
required the immediate consolation of personal testimony, that Margaret
spoke as from herself; and then she spoke with positive assurance of
faith. She did not then even say I think, but, I am sure; I know; I have
seen.
Many interviews of this sort did not take place between them before
Euphra, in her turn, began to confide her history to Margaret.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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