And from the depths of my despair (She goes slowly out. Besides, the iceberg hunters say not so. Hark, he comes ! She must not see him! [She bears Teresa out. Hunt. I must off! I'll not again meet Olaf; He's not the facile fool that once he was : But there's that damning deed laid to his charge, Will make Teresa curse both him and heaven! [He goes out. SCENE VIII. SCENE VII. The following day—the interior of the chapel— Teresa on her knees before the image of the Virgin. Mother of God, who borest That cruel pang which made thy spirit bleed ! Who knew'st severest anguish, sorrow sorest, Hear me in my great need ! My need is great, my woe is like thine own! Tears for thy Lazarus dead; Who didst endure all woe Hear me, O hear! I sit in darkness, and behold no light! Have gone, and left me faint! Forbear to smite A bruised and broken reed! Sustain, sustain; Divinest Comforter, to thee I fly, Let me not fly in vain! Support me with thy love, or else I die ! Father, who didst send down thy Well-Beloved, To suffer shame and death that I might live, Hear me, in this great sorrow not unmoved, And if I sin, forgive ! Whate'er I had was thine! Assist me to resign; Many weeks afterwards — a chamber of Olaf's house -Olaf near death, lying upon his bed— Teresa sits beside him. Olaf. For years of tyranny I do beseech Ter. Thank God! affliction has been merciful! My boy; thy death has saved thy father's soul! Olaf. And the great might of virtue in thyself;Thy resignation, and thy pitying pardon For these, receive my blessing ere I die These, which have been the means of my salvation ! Ter. Bless Him, my husband, who is strong to save! Olaf. I do, I do !-- and I rejoice in death; Though, had my life been spared, I would have been Both son and husband to thee!- Weep not thou We shall all three ere long be united I, the poor outcast else, be one with you ! Ter. Out of affliction has arisen joy, And out of black despair immortal hope! Olaf. (afler a silence of some time.) Give me thy hand, sweet friend ;-I fain would sleep;And if I wake no more, I stili would know Thou wilt be with me when I pass away! Ter. May the kind, holy Mother bless thy sleep,And bless thy waking, be 't of life or death! [Olaf remains perfectly quiet, and after sume time a light slumber comes over like voices singing. Upon thy spirit-robes, redeemed one! Of sin and passion hast been wildly tost, And yet not lost, Redeemed spirit, come, Thine is a heavenly home! Eogirds the earth ; from darkness, doubt and terror Which hung around thy soul ere the light came! From these we welcome thee! Ilark, the celestial voices Oh gladly enter in, Thou conqueror of sin, Hlow rich I was, I dare not — dare not think; Forgive me if I shrink! To yield my will to thine, forgive, forgive! [She bows her face, and after a time of silence, rises. My soul is strengthened! It shall bear My lot, whatever it may be ; Thou shalt shine out before the Infinite! fore them. “Achzib," said he, “ thou hast tried the And see! a heavenly child, sons of men, and hast tempted four to perdition; thus With garments undefiled, has the All-wise permitted. I come not, however, to Streaming upon the air like odorous light, speak of their doom, but of good and evil as it regards Awaits to welcome thee! human life. Thou hast introduced sin and sorrow Oh father, clasp thy boy, among men; but thou hast only feebly known the rePour out thy soul in joy, sult of every downward step in human degradation In love, which human frailly held in thrall;- and woe. Thou hast seen evil obtaining the mastery Boy, clasp thy father now, over good; sin laying desolate the home of virtue Distrust and fear in heaven there cannot be, and peace; the good and the kind brought to the For love enfoldeth all! grave, or going through life mourning because of it; Oh happy pair, too long divided, and thou hast exclaimed, surely, I am mightier than Pour out your souls in one strong sympathy! God! Thou hast riveted on the chains of oppres. Eternal Love your meeting steps hath guided, sion; thou hast darkened the minds of the noble and Ne'er to be parted through eternity! pure, with thy lying deeds; and hast left generations Ter. [waking.) I know that he is dead; but this yet unborn, to groan under thy sinful agency; and sweet omen, men beholding these things, have exclaimed, with These holy voices pealing joy in heaven, bleeding hearts, “surely, evil is mightier than good! Have taken the sting from death! My dear, dear But a superior intelligence looks beyond the outward husband, seeming, and perceives in the midst of evil, only more I know that thou art blessed art reunited widely-extended good. Unto our boy! “O fools and blind, you cannot degrade God! Your [She bends over the body for a few mo- malign interference cannot reverse the decrees of his ments ; then kneeling down and cov- omnipotent wisdom. His goodness upholds and perering her face, she remains in silent vades all things, both of the outward creation, and prayer. man's moral existence; and though evil is permitted, it neither mars nor deranges the great plan of universal Providence. Evil, like darkness, which makes visible Acuzie's mission was ended; and he returned to the glory and immensity of God's works, unseen by his fellows with exultation. “I have done that which day, though still present; brings forth, in the moral I set out to do!” he exclaimed, “and ye shall declare world, the loveliness, the nobility, and the joy-dif: me victor. I have proved the supremacy of evil; for fusing nature of virtue. It is the depth of shadow, of the seven whom I have tried, I have won four. by which good is thrown into strong relief; it is the Let me no longer be called Achzib the Liar, for I source whence many of the highest actions, many of have proved that evil obtains a wider and more pow- the most triumphant passages of a conflicting life; erful agency than good. I have won four young whence often, the most melting and beautiful trophies men, in the strength of manhood, and in the full of the soul, winged in all its strength and affection, force of intellect: I have lost only a poor scholar, an have been made to proceed. It is the trial of love, old man, and a woman!" of faith, of patience; it calls for forgiveness, and Methinks,” said the younger spirit, “thou hast Christian charity; it teaches forbearance, meekness, been in some measure defeated; inasmuch as these and pity. It is the subjection to evil which is the feeble ones were mightier than thou !" ordeal of the human spirit, and it is the severe con“I was a fool," returned Achzib, “ to attempt any trast of crime, which leads it to pay its devoutest of the three : in them, passion, and the aptitude to homage to virtue. sin, were weak: one was enfeebled by sickness, one · Designer of evil, thou hast failed! For every by old age, the third by long endurance of evil.” soul whom thou hast lured into sin, thou hast thrown * Thy triumph had been greater,” interrupted the others, through the anguish, or by the example of elder,“ had thou won any of the three, whom, losing, that sin, upon the healing mercy of Him who is able thou pretendest to undervalue; the four thou hast and willing to save !" won were an easy conquest, for though boastful of Achzib turned abashed from the speaker of Truth, virtue, they were weak in principle.” and retired with his fellows into darkness; and the “ It matters not,” said Achzib: “any of these, but angel listing up his voice, poured out a hymn of for my ministration, might have gone on through life praise. without materially adding to crime ; without draw. Thou, that createdst with a word each star; ing others aster them into sin; and without baptizing Who, out of nothingness brought systems forth, human hearts in woe, as they have done; and I tell Yet didst exalt beyond creation, far, ye, of the seven whom I have tried, four have be- The human soul, immortal at its birth ;come my victims." Thou gavest light and darkness ; life and death; “ We deny it not,” said the two. Thou gavest good and ill, “ Then let me reign as a crowned one,” exclaimed Twin powers, to be Achzib, “ for I have proved that evil is mightier than Companions of its mortal, devious path; Yet left the human will, As Achzib thus spoke, an angel of truth stood be. Unlimited and free! good " We know how pain and woe, Sorrow and sin, make up the sum of life! How good and evil are at ceaseless strife, We know thy goodness, we behold thy might; And what thou dost is right! That out of evil cometh forth thy good; We know that doubt shall cease, and feeble terror; That thou wilt wipe all tears from every eye! That thine Almighty Truth shall vanquish error, And death shall die! We know that this shall be, Therefore we trust in thee, And say, rejoice, rejoice! For truth is strong! In one triumphant song — Lymns and Fire-side Verses. TO AN These have I given thee that thou may'st command Glad smiles at will and pitying tears and sighs. And I have gifted thee to win them best; And trust thy cause to every youthful breast. Go forth, and have thou neither fear nor shame; TO MAKE THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTIANITY And greet thou those who love thee in my name, Many shall be thy friends, thy foes be few; Yea, greet them warmly! Little book, adieu! MARIEN'S PILGRIMAGE. THE DESIGN OF WHICH IS AN ENDEARED AND FAMILIAR L'ENVOI. A FIRE-SIDE STORY. I HAVE indited thee with care and love, My little book; and now I send thee forth On a good mission like the gentle dove, Bearing glad tidings with thee o'er the earth. Thou wast not meant for riot and for jest, Dear little book, all simple as thou art; But in sweet homes to be a loving guest; And find a place in many a guileless heart. Have not a fear! I know that thou wilt find Thy journey pleasant as a path of Aowers, For pure and youthful hearts are ever kind, Glad to be pleased with labour such as ours. Sit down with little children by the way, And tell them of sweet Marien how she went Over the weary world from day to day, On christian works of love, like thee, intent. Tell them of Him who framed the sea, the sky; The glorious earth and all that dwell therein; And of that Holy One made strong to die, Sinless himself, to save the world from sin. And thou hast many a tale of wonder planned With various art to make thy spirit wise; CHRISTIANITY, like a child, goes wandering over the world. Fearless in its innocence, it is not abashed before princes, nor confounded by the wisdom of synods. Before it the blood-stained warrior sheathes his sword, and plucks the laurel from his brow;the midnight murderer turns from his purpose, and, like the heart-smitten disciple, goes out and weeps bitterly. It brings liberty to the captive, joy to the mourner, freedom to the slave, repentance and forgiveness to the sinner, hope to the faint-hearted, and assurance to the dying. It enters the huts of poor men, and sits down with them and their children; it makes them contented in the midst of privations, and leaves behind an everlasting blessing. It walks through great cities, amid all their pomp and splendour, their unimaginable pride, and their unutterable misery, a purifying, en. nobling, correcting, and redeeming angel It is alike the beautiful companion of chi.dhood and the comfortable associate of age. It ennobles the noble; gives wisdom to the wise ; and new grace to the lovely. The patriot, the priest, the poet, and the eloquent man, all derive their sublime power from its influence. Thanks be to the Eternal Father, who has made us one with Him through tho benign Spirit of Christianity! PART I. And I may do the injured right, May save the penitent! “Up, I will forth into the world!" And, thus as she did say, Sweet Marien from the ground rose up And went forth on her way.. Through the wood went Marien, The thick wood and the green; A cruel sight was seen. Where singing birds were set; Two rullian brothers met. “Thou shalt not of our father's land, The elder said, “ have part!”. But stabbed him to the heart. THROUGH the wide world went Marien On a holy mission sent, Throughout the world she went. Sweet flowers sprang 'neath her feet; All flowers that were most beautiful, Of virtues strong and sweet. The desert beasts grew tame; The merciful became. I will in order tell And what to her befel. And at the break of day, In quiet thought she lay. The moon was pale and dim, Over the ocean's rim. " And I am alone,” said she, “Though the blackbird and the nightingale Sing in the forest-tree: Come to me when I call, And I am loved by all : “Though sun, and moon, and stars come out, And flowers of fairest grace, And whate'er God made beautiful, Are with me in this place: “ Yet I am all alone, alone, Alone both night and day! So I will forth into the world, And do what good I may: “For many a heart is sorrowful, And I that heart may cheer; — And many a weary captive pines In dungeons dark and drear;. And I the iron bonds may loose, – Then why abide I here? Yet longeth to repent; To the weak and innocent; Then deep into the forest dark With desperate speed he ran, And gentle Marien stood beside The bleeding, murdered man. She washed his wounded side, Who for the sinner died. There stiff in death he lay; – Went mourning on her way. She came to where there sat, A woman desolate. And steadfast was her eye ; By her great misery. “What ails thee, mother?" Marien said, In a gentle voice and sweet; Kind Marien still did say; To the lone heart found their way. She quickly' raised her head ; And “Who is 't calls me mother?” Said she, “my child is dead !" “He was the last of seven sons — He is dead - I have none other; This is the day they bury him ; Who is it calls me mother ?" “ "Tis 1,” said gentie Marien, * Dear soul, be comforted !" And the peace of God that passeth word, Upon her spirit lay, As she went on her way. The joyfulest song sang Marien That e'er left human tongue; The very birds were mute to hear The holy words she sung. But now the darksome night came on, And Marien lay her down Within a little way-side cave, On mosses green and brown. But the woman only wrung her hands, And cried, “My son is dead!" "Be comforted,” said Marien, And then she sweetly spake The sting from death to take. His soul by suffering tried : And how at last his mother stood To see him crucified. of the disciples' broken hearts She told, of pangs and pain; Of Mary at the sepulchre, And Christ arisen again. “Then sorrow not,” she said, “ as though Thou wert of all bereft; This blessed faith is left. Thou shalt embrace thy seven, More beautiful than earthly sons, With our dear Lord in heaven!" Down on her knees the woman fell, And “ blessed be God," said she, “Who in my sorest need hath sent This comforter to me!". And in the deepest hush of night Rude robbers entered in; And first they ate and drank, then rose To do a deed of sin. For with them was a feeble man, Whom they had robbed, and they Here came to foully murder him, And hide him from the day. Up from her bed sprang Marien, With heavenly power endued; And in her glorious innocence, Stood ’mong the robbers rude. “Ye shall not take the life of man!" Spake Marien low and sweet; “For this will God take strict account, Before his judgment-seat!" PART II. Out from the cave the robbers fled, For they believed there stood, A spirit stern and beautiful, Not aught of flesh and blood. And two from out the robber-band Thenceforward did repent, And lived two humble Christian men, On righteous deeds intent. When from the cave the robber-band Had fled, the aged man Rose from the floor where he was laid, And marvelling much, began. Now Marien in the woman's house Abode a little space, And comfort to the mother came; And a dear daughter's place Had Marien in the woman's heart, Doing the while a daughter's part. But now 't was time that she must go; For Marien's duty was not there, Now grief was past and woe was done; So, with the rising of the sun, She rose up forth to fare. “ Nay, bide with me," the woman said, “Or, if as thou dost say, Duty forbids that this may be, I a day's journey go with thee, To speed thee on the way.” So forth the loving pair set out, The woman and the child; And first they crossed the desert heath, And then the mountains wild. And in the woman's arms she lay, That night within the forest hoar, And the next morn, with loving heart, They said farewell, as those who part To meet on earth no more. Upon her way went Marien, From morn till set of day, “Who art thou, child ? and those few words Of might which thou hast spoken, And lo! my bonds are broken ; My rigid bonds have broken!" Through her God's power had wrought; And him from peril, nigh to death, Thus wondrously had brought. The caged beasts disarmed ; |