Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

distinctly feel the weight of prohibition sentiment wherever it existed. One may add the reflection that a Dominion prohibitory law, with a party in power at Ottawa hostile to its enforcement, could scarcely prove less than a public calamity. But perhaps the forecast is that of an impossibility. Let us hope that it is.

4. With such a law upon our statute books, the Dominion government would no longer be so distinctly under pressure from a traffic that must be both financially and politically strong so long as it has any legal status. This does not mean that the men who had wielded such influence up to the very hour in which the statute outlawed their business, would find that their power had been utterly annihilated by it. But it does mean that they would at once find themselves very greatly weakened and discredited. Every man of the better class among them would speedily retire from the business, and those who remained in it would suffer from unwonted limitations on the one hand, and from a continual sense of ill-desert and insecurity on the other. Consequently their political weight would be but a small fraction. of what it is now.

The value of entire prohibition will indeed be great, and its day is drawing constantly nearer.

HALIFAX, N.S.

MY REFUGE.*

In the secret of His presence, how my soul delights to hide ;
Oh, how precious are the lessons which I learn at Jesus' side!
Earthly cares can never vex me, neither trials lay me low,
For when Satan comes to tempt me, to the "secret place" I go.

When my soul is faint and thirsty, 'neath the shadow of His wing,
There is cool and pleasant shelter, and a fresh and crystal spring;
And my Saviour rests beside me as we hold communion sweet;
If I tried I could not utter what He says when thus we meet.

Only this I know: I tell Him all my doubts, and griefs and fears.
Oh, how patiently He listens, and my drooping soul He cheers.
Do you think He ne'er reproves me? What a false friend He would be,

If He never, never told me of the sins which He must see!

Would you
like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord?
Go and hide beneath His shadow; this shall then be your reward ;
And whene'er you leave the silence of that happy meeting place,
You must mind and bear the image of your Master in your face.

You will surely lose the blessing and the fulness of your joy,

If you let dark clouds distress you, and your inward peace destroy;
You may always be abiding, if you will, at Jesus' side;

In the secret of His presence you may every moment hide.

*These lines were written by Ellen L. Goreh, a Brahmin of the highest caste, adopted daughter of Rev. W. T. Stons, Bradford, England.

THE LIFE CRUISE OF CAPTAIN BESS ADAMS.

BY JULIA M'NAIR WRIGHT.

CHAPTER IV. THE TIDES ALONG SHORE.

"Just are the ways of God,

And justifiable to men;

Till by their own perplexities involved
They ravel more, still less resolved."
-Milton.

TOM EPP maintained so long a silence toward the parson that the good man began to fear that the fisherman had elected not to leave all and follow Christ. But on a pleasant evening, about sunset, Tom invited the preacher to enter his boat and row out with him beyond the Cove. Tom waited until they were a safe distance from the land, and then, resting his arms on the oars, he set forth his difficulty. "Look ye here, parson, I've been overhauling the books, and I see it's a bad lookout for them as don't turn to the Lord," expressing some uneasiness, at the same time, about his parents.

"If you will fully give yourself to God, Tom Epp, you will feel able to leave your parents' case with him also Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope;" perhaps unknown to you such a work went on in your mother's heart. I have only one word for you, Tom. Christ said to Peter when he asked, 'What shall this man do?' What is that to thee? Follow thou Me.' So He says to you, 'Submit yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God; resist the devil and he will flee. from you.'

Tom suddenly turned the boat about, and began rowing vigorously toward shore. As the keel grated on the sands, he said with a deep breath, "There! I've had a hard pull against a lot of temptations. Just overhaul me the Book, and let us have that Scripter about casting all our care."

The minister took the Bible which Tom pulled out of his locker, and, marking the passage, went away. After that hour Tom, with Bess and Rolf, was most frequently with the minister; many hours they passed together on the shingle, and the simple-minded. Tom Epp seemed as much a young pupil to the parson as the other two. To Tom the truths of the Scripture came with a singular freshness and beauty. To hear was to obey, though the new law was frequently met with a burst of wailing over the long years wasted in its neglect.

To this minister, who had a devotion to his Master's work, like that of Brainard and Payson, no hours were better or more happily spent than those when he was leading these young disciples on the upward way. Having been brought up in utter neglect of the Bible the truths, the precepts, and the illustrations of history and of biography therein contained were quite new to them.

The preacher, Rolf, Bess, and Tom were sitting one evening on the headland. The calmness and beauty of the scene about them, with something of the Eden-like purity lingering over nature in these lonely places, perhaps suggested the teacher's theme-the Nazarites of old. He told them of these consecrated ones; of their early dedication; of their holy law; of Joseph, the one who was "separated from his brethren," and never swerved from his godliness; of Sampson the Nazarite who was strong; and of Hannah, the Nazarite mother of a consecrated son. These were "the precious sons of Zion comparable to fine gold "-"her Nazarites, purer than snow." "Nor," said the teacher, "need the law of the Nazarite be obsolete in these days. The Church has great need of those who are consecrated indeed to the Lord; who will live holily before their fellows. We have fallen on degenerate days. Even in the Church men conform themselves to the deeds of the world. They tell me I am a fanatic when I say that Christian men and women should eschew strong drink, whereby so many of their fellows are destroyed; that the hand that in the communion receives the bread and wine should not be soiled with the cards that bring so many men to ruin; that those who avowedly sit at the feet of Jesus to learn His ways should not sit in the seat of the scorner in the playhouse; that the same mind that professes to feed upon the Word of God should not fill itself with the loose, the profane, or the scoffing book; that those who belong to the assembly of the saints, and by any sudden call might be led into the house not made with hands, should not be found here sharing the assemblies and amusements of the ungodly. This is no hard, ungenial life I offer you, my children. Christ and His work are enough to fill with happy activity any human soul. But in these days the sons of God follow the ways of the sons of Belial. The Nazarites, who should be whiter than snow, have their visage blacker than a coal, and are not known in the streets.' And yet the day is coming, though it may be after our time, when the Church will awake to her lofty duties; when she will eschew rioting and drunkenness, and follow after temperance and sobriety and purity in the fear of the Lord. Yes, the day will come."

[ocr errors]

"We need not wait for that far-off day," said Bess with flashing eyes. We can bring it near by living such a Christian life now." "It will be easy for the lass," said Tom, looking proudly at his little friend. Parson, I don't believe one drop of strong drink has ever been in her mouth, though every body uses it at the Cove more or less, and all over the world, I reckon, as well. A sober, busy, honest-spoken child has our Bess always been-sort of a Nazarite by natur'. And Rolf there, he's a good boy, too-Rolf

don't drink."

I've

"Not much," said Rolf, flushing-“a grog now and then on shipboard, like the rest. But I'll not take that any more. gone to the theatres and song-saloons in port, and to the grog-shops to stand treat; but this other life you show us is better than that, parson, and here I promise you and Bess and Tom to take no more

If I'm

liquor, play no cards, go to no irreligious amusements. going to serve God, I'll not do it by halves. And now for you, Tom!"

"Oh! but I'm a bad un," said Tom, shaking his head mournfully. "I might knock off now, but what an awful score I've got against me for all them things! Why, I've spent months, take them all in all, up at the Blue Mackerel.'"

[ocr errors]

"Well, it's never too late to mend," laughed Rolf. "Oh! I'm going to mend," said Tom. When I get down to the Dancer, I'll take the bottle I got filled with rum yesterday, and I'll give it to Jenkins."

"No, no, Tom," said the minister, unable to restrain a smile at his neophyte; "it will be as bad for Jenkins as for you. Better throw it to the fishes."

"They know better than to touch such stuff," said Bess.

But, like his Master and His brethren, the preacher did not find all the seed he sowed falling into good ground, and thus bringing forth fruit, thirty-fold, sixty, an hundred-fold. The parable of the sower is for ever true. When he preached in Jim Wren's hearing or went to him in private, beseeching him in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God, the seed fell indeed by the wayside, and then came that wicked one, who had enslaved this poor wretch with strong drink, and caught away the seed sown in his heart.

Aunt Kezzy, of the "Blue Mackerel," was one of those who received the seed in stony places. Anon her joy was great. When others wept, she wept; when others spoke of serving God, it seemed good to Aunt Kezzy to serve Him also; when heaven was the theme, Aunt Kezzy hoped to go to that city of gold as soon as ever she had finished making what money she could out of the 46 Blue Mackerel."

Now, the minister could be severe as well as gracious. When he went to the "Blue Mackerel" (and had declined the glass of spirits which Aunt Kezzy brought him into the parlour), Aunt Kezzy sat down, and told him fluently that she had been a great sinner, but now meant to serve the Lord.

"And when the sinner desires to serve the Lord," said the preacher, "he must forsake his sins. So you, my friend, if out of an honest heart you would seek the Lord, you must be ready to give up what is wrong in yourself and has been a cause of wrong to others. He who is forgiven much loves much; he who loves much will sacrifice much. If your sins, which are many

[ocr errors]

"Oh! well," interrupted Aunt Kezzy, "as many as other people's, though not so many after all, nor so bad as some. A good neighbour and an honest, careful woman, I've always made it a point of being; but I see something more is needed, and now I'm going to be a church member."

"I will tell you plainly," said the minister, bending his brows sternly at her," that without regard to the doings of other people, your sins should afflict your soul. Have you not lived forty years in indifference to the will of God? Have you not laughed at the

[ocr errors]

The preacher, Rolf, Bess, and Tom were sitting one eve! the headland. The calmness and beauty of the scene abou with something of the Eden-like purity lingering over these lonely places, perhaps suggested the teacher's Nazarites of old. He told them of these consecrated their early dedication; of their holy law; of Joseph, was "separated from his brethren," and never swed godliness; of Sampson the Nazarite who was sti Hannah, the Nazarite mother of a consecrated son. "the precious sons of Zion comparable to f Nazarites, purer than snow." Nor," said the the law of the Nazarite be obsolete in these da has great need of those who are consecrati Lord; who will live holily before their felloy on degenerate days. Even in the Church me to the deeds of the world. They tell me I say that Christian men and women should whereby so many of their fellows are des that in the communion receives the bread : soiled with the cards that bring so many who avowedly sit at the feet of Jesus to not sit in the seat of the scorner in the 1 mind that professes to feed upon the W itself with the loose, the profane, or the who belong to the assembly of the sai might be led into the house not mai found here sharing the assemblies and This is no hard, ungenial life I off and His work are enough to fill wi soul. But in these days the sons sons of Belial. The Nazarites, w have their visage blacker than a streets.' And yet the day is co time, when the Church will aw will eschew rioting and drunke and sobriety and purity in the will come."

"We need not wait for tha eyes.

[ocr errors]

"We can bring it near It will be easy for the ..little friend. Parson, I do has ever been in her mouth more or less, and all over fi busy, honest-spoken child Nazarite by natur'. And don't drink."

"Not much," said Rolf, shipboard, like the rest. Bu gone to the theatres and song sa to stand treat; but this other 1. parson, and here I promise you so

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]
« AnteriorContinuar »