Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. [Illustration: NEW STORIES BY A ∙ L ∙ O ∙ E] [Illustration: HOLD FAST. "Hold fast, brother, hold fast!" shouted poor Sam in mortal terror at my danger.] HOLD FAST. New Stories No. 5. BY A. L. O. E. T. NELSON AND SONS. LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK. [Illustration: HOLD FAST. BY A ∙ L ∙ O ∙ E] HOLD FAST. BY A ∙ L ∙ O ∙ E "NAY, my child, I've nothing else to hold by, either in life or death, but the great truth, that Christ died for sinners. It's a joyful thing to hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which God hath given us through our Lord Jesus Christ!" The speaker was Peter Ross, a blind and aged man, with bald head and silvery beard, who, clad in a pauper's dress, had come, as he was allowed once a fortnight to do, to visit the house of his son. The listener was a rosy-checked girl, about nine years of age, who, seated at his feet, and resting her little arms on his knee, looked up lovingly into his face. [Illustration: He that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise] "Ah! grandfather," said Rose, "if you did not hope to go to heaven, I don't know who else could! You are so good, so patient, so kind; you have served God all your life long; you have never been given to drinking and swearing, like the wicked men in our court, and I really think that you know nearly half of the Bible by heart! I'm certain that you deserve heaven!" "Rose, Rose," cried the old man earnestly, "my only plea for heaven is this,—" "I'm a poor sinner, and nothing at all; But Jesus Christ is my all in all!" "I can't tell how it is," said Rose, looking into his face with a puzzled expression, "the best people seem to think themselves the worst. If I was half as good as you are, grandfather, I'd be quite sure of getting to heaven." "By your good works, my child!" "Yes, by my good works," repeated Rose. "I can see why bad people hope to be saved only by the Lord; but it must be so very different with pious people like you!" "Rose," said the blind old man, "do you think that I ever pass one day without sin?" "I'm sure that you do," replied Rose, "I never knew you do anything wrong." "If my salvation were to depend upon my passing one waking hour without sin, Rose, my poor soul would be lost! Remember that God looks at the heart. His pure eyes read the evil thought; he knows not only the sinful things that we do, but the duties which we leave undone. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; that truth is written in the Bible."