Frederica and her Guardians; Or, The Perils of OrphanhoodRobertson, Margaret M. (Margaret Murray)
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Frederica and her Guardians; Or, The Perils of Orphanhood
Robertson, Margaret M. (Margaret Murray)
Orphans -- Fiction
Mrs Vane made a movement to enjoin silence when Miss Agnace would have
spoken; and then the stranger, kneeling down, said, "Let us pray;" and
Mrs Vane and Selina for the first time heard the pouring out of a good
man's heart to God. What he asked for them need hardly be told: that
Christ might reveal Himself to them as one mighty to save; that He might
dwell in them by His Spirit, to make them holy and happy, and ready for
an entrance into "the inheritance which is incorruptible, and undefiled,
and which fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for those who love Him;"
that even _now_, believing in Him, they might have "joy unspeakable and
full of glory."
Every heart went up with his as he prayed. Even Miss Agnace listened
and joined in supplication, wondering and moved.
"And shall we never see you again?" said Frederica, as he took her
mother's hand to say farewell.
"I cannot tell. I am only passing through the town, and but for the
storm I should have been already on the way. I shall never forget you."
"I think God sent you to us," said Selina.
Once more the blind girl touched softly his hand, and his face, and his
silver hair. Praying, "God bless all beneath this roof," he went away.
But they never forgot him, nor the words he had spoken to them.
For Selina after that there was neither doubt nor fear. The way which
God has opened for the return of sinners to Himself was clearly revealed
to her. She had much to learn yet, with regard to His will and His
dealings in providence; but this she knew and declared, "I love Him
because He first loved me."
There were for her no anxious questionings, no groping in the dark,
after that. Day by day the light grew clearer and brighter to the eyes
of her soul, and she saw "wondrous things out of His law." She was at
peace, and with all the power of her loving and gentle nature she set
herself to help her mother toward the same peace. There was the daily
reading still, and daily also, kneeling by her mother's bed, Selina
asked for the blessing of peace to her mother's heart. And she did not
ask in vain. As the days went on the blessing came--God gave His own
answer of peace.
Peace with God! That which all those weary years of sickness and
solitude this poor soul had needed came to her at last, and all was
changed. Her waiting for the end, that was slowly, but surely drawing
near, was peaceful, at times it was joyful. Even Miss Agnace saw the
change, and thanked God for it. Sister Magdalen saw it, and doubted its
reality and its sufficiency. But she was suffered to utter no word of
doubt in Mrs Vane's hearing. Indeed, she hardly wished to do so.
"God may have ways of dealing with sinners of which we do not know,"
said she, in answer to Miss Agnace's anxious looks, not knowing what to
say.
"Yes, truly," said Miss Agnace to herself, with a sigh of relief and
comfort.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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