Looking Back: An AutobiographyRichardson, Merrick Abner
History
Looking Back: An Autobiography
Richardson, Merrick Abner
Richardson, Merrick Abner, 1841-
"God works in a mysterious way. Cotton Mather may be blind. He may be
a tool in the hand of a higher power. Finite beings do not comprehend
the infinite. If God permits, does He not sanction? These cruelties
will have a tendency to humanize Christianity. When years have passed
and Brother Burroughs thinks over earthly life he will not regret that
his Maker called him home at noon. Friendship and love will increase
towards the Burroughs family. They are just leaving their lights along
the shore. The love of Jesus will spread when the church shall have
hatched out of its shell of ignorance; then it will stand on a higher
and more liberal plane; midnight to us may be morning to the angels.
Do you know, Stubbs, what is the main trouble with the human family?"
"I do not, Paul. What is it?"
"It is that they know less than they are aware of."
After the store had been closed and Stubbs was working on his books, I
heard the door open and some one come in.
"Good evening, doctor. How is Fanny Burroughs?"
The doctor came near and replied in an almost inaudible voice, "She is
dead." The little bullet-headed doctor was affected, for I could hear
his voice tremble. "Oh, well," he replied to Stubbs' inquiry, "She
had no disease, the poor girl actually died of a broken heart. Such
suffering I never saw before, but when she did go if you had seen her,
Stubbs, you would never question the theory of life beyond dissolution
of the body. She raised her eyes upwards, smiled so sweetly and said:
'Oh, father, father, where is Jim?' I am sorry, Stubbs, I have not
led a better life, for I have known Fanny Shepherd since she was born
and if God will forgive the past, I will turn over a new leaf and try
to meet her when I die. I know now that our minister, whom I always
ridiculed, was right there in the room with us when she was dying.
Besides, Mr. Stubbs, I believe Jim is alive, for if he had been dead he
would have been the first one for her to recognize. You see, she was
expecting to see him and he was not there."
Here Jim's heart and voice seemed to fail and Winnie put her arm around
his neck and they sobbed convulsively for a moment and then continued.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account