“Of course you have heard about my engagement to Jim Miller. I know it
has been talked about.”
“Yes; I have heard the matter discussed.”
“We have been engaged two years, and were to be married next month. He
insisted that I must give up Ernest to mother. I felt that I would
be violating a sacred trust, and that mother is too old to have the
care of such a child, and I told him so. We quarreled, and while I was
feeling hurt and indignant, I told Brother John I would go with him to
Montana. He gladly accepted my offer, and his wife was so glad John
would have some one to take care of him if he got sick. So here I am
and I know I ought not to have come, for Jim Miller is dearer to me
than my own life.”
“I am so sorry for you, yet I believe that in some way it will be for
the best, you know the promise, ‘All things work together for good, to
those who love the Lord.”
“I will try to believe it. You have done me good, Miss Sallie. I am
glad you came. Come again.”
* * * * *
Sunday, May 7.
“Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.” Have we obeyed this command
to-day? I fear not. We are all, or very nearly all, professing
Christians, yet we have had no public worship in our camp to-day, but
we have all, to some extent, desecrated the day by work.
Deeds of mercy and necessity may be done on the Sabbath Day without
sin, and mother says, “It is very necessary that our soiled clothes,
sheets and pillow-cases should be washed, and that cleanliness is next
to godliness.”
The question comes to me, Why is it that Christians are so loath to
talk of the things that pertain to their spiritual life, and eternal
welfare? Why so backward about introducing a service of worship, when
so well aware it would meet with the approval of all?
I felt that Mr. Kerfoot was the one to suggest a service of prayer and
praise, and reading the Scriptures. Perhaps he thought some of the
ladies would mention it, so all were silent, and it is numbered with
the lost opportunities for doing something for our Lord and Master.
May he pardon our sins of omission, and may we be permitted to atone
for the manner in which we spent our first Sabbath on this trip.
We have not traveled, so our teams have rested and done no labor, if we
have violated the commandment ourselves.
The weather is perfect; this is another beautiful moonlight night. The
young ladies and gentlemen have gone for another walk in the same order
as last night, except Frank went with Miss Milburn, and Ezra is waiting
for me.