Temptations which harass, And doubts which embarrass, The soul as it travels this region below; These waters shall banish; All sorrow shall vanish-- Borne away on its bosom, as onward they flow. All sorrow it chaseth, All pain it eraseth, The soul of the drinker it filleth with good; For trouble and sadness It bringeth us gladness, And comfort and soothing roll in like a flood. When the body is dying, When the spirit is flying, And the night cometh in at the close of the day; Then on Jesus believing-- These waters receiving-- The soul of the Christian passeth away. This river so precious, So healing and gracious, Is flowing for ever, unbounded and free; Then come and possess it, And drink it and bless it, For none are more needy, more welcome than we. O earth’s sons and daughters! Come, drink of the waters-- With healing and blessing and joy they are rife; Then come to the river, And, thanking the Giver, Drink! Drink, weary sinner, the Water of Life! “Good morning, Mr. Blyth,” said Philip. “I am glad to hear you sing so merrily. It promises well for the errand on which I come.” “Good morning, Master Philip. I’m heartily glad to see you strong and well again. That would be quite enough to set me singing. There’s many a heart in Nestleton that thanks God for that.” “I’m very much obliged to them,” said Philip heartily. “There are few things in the world better worth winning and holding than the affection and esteem of honest neighbours. This morning, however, I own that there is something nearer my heart than that; and as nobody can help me in it as well as you can, I say again, I am glad you are in so pleasant a mood. Will you help me?” “Anything in the world that I can do for you, Master Philip, I shall be glad to do--at least anything but one,” and this with a meaning look that his hearer clearly understood. “And that one, Mr. Blyth?” “Nay, I need say no more, sir. ‘That one’ is an impossibility, and need not be mentioned.” Philip stepped forward, and, taking Nathan by the hand, said, seriously enough,-- “And why impossible? My dear friend--for friend you have always been--that _is_ the errand on which I come.” Nathan lifted an astonished eye to the eager and anxious youth, who at that moment, at any rate, wore his heart upon his sleeve. “Because my word is given to your father, and because that promise coincides fully with my own judgment. I will never encourage any special attention of yours to Lucy, nor favour any such tendency in Lucy herself.”