The Life of Jesus Christ for the Young, Vol. 3Newton, Richard
Religion
The Life of Jesus Christ for the Young, Vol. 3
Newton, Richard
Jesus Christ -- Art; Jesus Christ -- Biography -- Juvenile literature
"The Hope of Glory." A Christian gentleman was in the habit of
visiting, from time to time, a poor afflicted widow woman who lived
in his neighborhood. She had once been very well off, and was the
wife of a well-known and apparently successful merchant. But finally
he failed in business and died soon after, leaving her alone in the
world, and without anything to live on but what she could earn by her
own labor.
After awhile her health failed, and then she was entirely dependent
for her support on the kindness of her Christian friends. But she was
always cheerful and happy. "On going in to see her one day," says
this gentleman, "I found, on talking with her, that she was feeling
very comfortable in her mind.
"'Tell me, my friend,' I asked, 'have you always felt as bright and
cheerful as you seem to feel now?'
"'O, no,' she replied, 'very far from it. When my husband died, and
I was left alone in the world, I used to feel very sad and
rebellious. Many a time I was so sorrowful and despairing as to be
tempted to take away my own life. But, in the good providence of God,
I was led to read the Bible, and to pray for help from above. I
became a member of the church. But, for a while, I did not find much
comfort in my religion. And the reason of it was that I did not have
very clear views of Christ as my Saviour, and of the wonderful things
he has promised to do for his people in the future.
"'But, on one communion occasion, my minister preached on the
words--"_Christ in you the hope of glory_." That was a blessed
communion to me. I saw then, as I had never seen before, how that
sacred and solemn service was intended by him to be to all his
people, at one and the same time, the means of preserving in their
minds the remembrance of the sufferings he has borne for them in the
past, and also of keeping alive in their hearts the hope of sharing
in the glory which he has prepared for them in the future. And I have
never had any trouble in my mind since then. My communion seasons
were always bright and blessed seasons to me as long as I was able
to go to church. And though I can no longer go up to the sanctuary
and partake of the bread and wine, "the outward and visible signs"
made use of in the heavenly feast; yet, blessed be God's holy name, I
can, and do partake in a spiritual manner of that which those signs
represent. I feel and know what it is to have "Christ in me the hope
of glory." And this "satisfies my longing, as nothing else can do." I
find peace and comfort in simply "looking unto Jesus." I have had
much outward trouble and affliction since then. I live alone. There
is no one here to help me. Sometimes I have nothing to eat, and but
little to keep me warm. You see me _sitting_ here now. Thus I have to
spend my nights. My complaint is the dropsy, and this prevents me
from lying down. _But I would not exchange my place as a forgiven
sinner, with "Christ in me the hope of glory," for all the wealth and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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