The Sheepfold and the Common; Or, Within and Without. Vol. 1 (of 2)East, Timothy
Religion
The Sheepfold and the Common; Or, Within and Without. Vol. 1 (of 2)
East, Timothy
Christian life; Christian life -- Pictorial works
"No, Madam, Miss Dorothy bears what she calls her expulsion
from church in a genuine pharisaical _hauteur_ of spirit; and is
sullenly silent about the cause of it. But Miss Susan is bitterly
vituperative. She often says I shall have to account to the Almighty
for driving her from the church where she was christened, and
confirmed, and taken the sacrament ever since, and where she hoped
to be buried with her ancestors; but she declares I shall never bury
her."
"Do you ever see them now, Sir?"
"We occasionally meet, when we go through the formal ceremonial of a
polite recognition. They do not object to a bow from their rector,
though they object to his sermons."
"Have they any pernicious influence over others to keep them from
church?"
"Yes, Madam, over a few of the frivolous and the gay, who now attend
Mr. Cole's church, when they go anywhere. And there these two ladies
go on sacrament Sunday--wind and weather permitting."
"We often," said Mr. Ingleby, "see the depraved and dissolute
repenting, and seeking salvation through faith in Jesus Christ,
but we rarely know a genuine Pharisee converted; they are too good
in their own estimation to need a Saviour. They will bow at the
mention of his name, but they will not look to him to save them;
and primarily, because they are under no apprehension of ever being
lost."
We were startled, while gravely listening to this tale of the two
spinster ladies, by the sudden tolling of the church bell. Mr.
Ingleby left the room to ascertain the cause, and on his return
informed us that, owing to some mistake, he had to conduct the
service at a funeral, which he expected would not take place till
the following day.
"Pray, Sir," said Mrs. Stevens, "who is to be interred?" "One of the
choicest lambs of my flock. She fell a victim to the inconstancy of
a worthless man; but towards the close of her imbittered life she
enjoyed unruffled peace of soul, and died in full and certain hope
of a joyful resurrection to eternal life." He now left us to prepare
for the service, and we resolved to follow him to the grave-yard.
[Illustration: A LAMB OF THE FLOCK BORNE TO HER REST.
Vol. i. page 87.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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