Susy's Teacher Faith

And now the little angel Faith opened his golden book and began to read.

“I have taught Susy that there is another world beside this, and I have told her that is her real home, and what a beautiful and happy one it is. I have told her a great deal about Jesus and the holy angels. I do not know much myself. I am not very old. But if I stay here six years longer I shall grow wiser, and I will teach Susy all I learn, and we will pray together every morning and every night till at last she loves the Lord Jesus with all her heart and soul and mind and strength.”

Then Susy’s papa and mamma looked at each other and smiled, and they both said: “Oh, beautiful Angel! Never leave her!” and the angel answered: “I will stay with her as long as she lives, and will never leave her till I leave her at the very door of heaven!”

[ Typing this through tears. I hope and pray that the "angel" Faith would stay with my children and grandchildren all the way through the gates of heaven. ~mr]

Image: Painting by Arthur John Elsey

How Great Thou Art

I don't know if I've heard a rendition of this wonderful hymn that I've enjoyed so much.

 

Poor Amelia

 "I had made up my mind to it, and I know it must come. I want to see Dr. Cabot. Do you think he would be willing to visit me after my neglecting him so?"

"I am sure he would," I cried.

"I want to ask him if he thinks I was a Christian at that time--you know when. If I was, then I need not be so afraid to die."

"But, dear Amelia, what he thinks is very little to the purpose. The question is not whether you ever gave yourself to God, but whether you are His now. But I ought not to talk to you. Dr. Cabot will know just what to say."

"No, but I want to know what you thought about it."

I felt distressed, as I looked at her wasted dying figure, to be called on to help decide such a question. But I knew what I ought to say and said it:

"Don't look back to the past; it is useless. Give yourself to Christ now."

She shook her head.

"I don't know how," she said. "Oh, Katy, pray to God to let me live long enough to get ready to die. I have led a worldly life. I shudder at the bare though of dying; I must have time."

"Don't wait for time," I said with tears. "Get ready now, this minute. A thousand years would not make you more fit to die."

[~ from Katy's January 20, 1843 entry. It is good she knew what she ought to say to the dying Amelia. I hope each of us will know what to say to any Amelia who may be at death's door or even before such a time.~mr]

It Is Finished

(Image Credit: http://heycheng.tumblr.com)

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18

Susy's Teacher Aunt Patience

It was now the turn of Aunt Patience. Her book had covers wrought by her own hands, in grave and gay colors well mingled together.

“When I first came here,” said she, “Susy used to cry a great deal whenever she was hurt or punished. When she was sick she was very hard to please. When she sat down to learn to sew and to read and to write, she would break her thread in anger, or throw her book on the floor, or declare she never could learn. But now she has left off crying when she is hurt, and tries to bear the pain quietly. When she is sick she does not fret or complain, but takes her medicine without a word. When she is sewing she does not twitch her thread into knots, and when she is writing she writes slowly and carefully. I have rocked her to sleep a thousand times. I have been shut up in the closet with her again and again. And I hope I have done her some good and taught her some useful lessons.”

“Indeed you have, Aunt Patience!” said Susy’s papa. “But Susy is not yet perfect. We shall need you six years longer.”

~ From "Little Susy's Six Teachers"

[We never cease needing lessons from Aunt Patience. ~ mr.]

Goodbye Charley

Katy's heartfelt reply to Charley after he readily accepted her gracious release from their engagement due to her illness: 

"MR. UNDERHILL:  Sir—The scales have fallen from my eyes, and I see you at last just as you are. Since my note to you on Sunday last I have had a consultation of physicians, and they all agree that my disease is not of an alarming character and that I shall soon recover. But I thank God that before it was too late, you have been revealed to me just as you are—a heartless, selfish, shallow creature, unworthy of the love of a true-hearted woman, unworthy even of you own self-respect. I gave you an opportunity to withdraw from our engagement in full faith, loving you so truly that I was ready to go trembling to my grave alone if you shrank from sustaining me to it. But I see now that I did not dream for one moment that you would take me at my word and leave me to my fate. I thought I loved a man and could lean on him when strength failed me. I know now that I loved a mere creature of my imagination. Take back your letters; I loathe the sight of them. Take back the ring and find, if you can, a woman who will never be sick, never out of spirits, and who never will die. KATHERINE MORTIMER"

[Recorded in her entry of January 1, 1834. May our daughters be wise and recognize a "Charley" if he should make an attempt at their hearts, before  the fact and not after, as in the case of Katy. May they listen to the sound advice of their mothers, which she unfortunately failed to do. ~ mr]

At Jesus' Feet

There is a spot where tempted souls

May find a dear retreat:

They fly from sin and self, and lie

At Jesus' feet.

In vain upon their heads, the storms

Of life may rudely beat,

Grief cannot harm the soul that lies

At Jesus feet.

My soul, upon life's dizzy heights

Beware to take thy seat,

Leave not the valley, but abide

At Jesus feet.

~ from Golden Hours: Heart-Hymns of the Christian Life