Woman and Her Saviour in Persia: By a Returned MissionaryLaurie, Thomas
History
Woman and Her Saviour in Persia: By a Returned Missionary
Laurie, Thomas
Church of the East -- Missions; Missions -- Iran; Women missionaries
The large audience listened to these vivid delineations, part of the
time, in breathless silence; and again the women beat on their breasts
with half-suppressed cries for mercy. The reader, as well as they, will
find relief from the companion picture by Moressa. Sanum's was an
original conception of her own. The theme of this last was suggested by
Miss Fiske, as a fitting counterpart to the preceding, but the
treatment of it was left wholly with the writer.
"THE SAVED SOUL.
"While meditating on death, I fell into a sweet sleep, and dreamed a
dream which rejoiced my spirit. I cannot refrain from relating it to
you, dear Christian friends, who are looking forward to the glory that
shall be revealed. I dreamed that my heavenly Father said to me, 'Dear
child, heir of my kingdom, you have long enough borne the troubles of
this vale of tears; now you shall be freed from them, and come to your
heavenly home, to worship me in holiness.' As I listened, sickness
came, and I laid me down on my bed of death with this thought: 'One
more fruit of sin, and then--heaven.' My poor friends, not
understanding this, inquired, with weeping, if I could not possibly
recover; but when they saw that I was dying, they gathered round me, to
go down with me to the banks of Jordan. My soul was exceeding joyful,
for the light of the promised land shone on me, and the dread river was
quiet, for Jesus had said to it, 'Peace, be still.'
"While in this joyful state, I remembered with sorrow how many years I
had refused to acknowledge the Prince of life as my King, while he
waited with open arms to receive me; and how often, after putting my
hand to the plough, I had looked back. My backsliding, my evil example,
my neglect of souls, all rose before me like a dark cloud, and I was in
agony. But soon a voice said, 'Thy sins are forgiven!' and all was
light. I said, 'Lord, I must praise thee for this forever; but I cannot
forgive myself.' Yet, though the pains of death were on me, I was
comforted to be nearer the land where they sin no more. Earthly
pleasure now seemed emptiness. The pleasures of heaven filled my
thoughts. I said, 'Is this death--that which we poor mortals fear?' My
friends asked, 'Has he no terrors for you?' 'No; none. The king of
terrors is to me the chief of joys.' One of my teachers said, 'So you
have no fear of him--no sorrow that your body shall lie in the grave!'
'Why fear or sorrow, when Christ has overcome both death and sin?' My
father then asked, 'Do you suffer much'?' 'Yes; but if I suffered a
thousand times more, what would that be to those bitter hours upon the
cross. This veil must be rent asunder, though by suffering, before I
can see Him, whom, even now, I long to behold.' My poor mother
interposed, 'But are you willing to leave us?' 'You are all very dear
to me; but there is only one who is altogether lovely. When shall I see
him as he is, and be filled with his love?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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