"BEING DEAD, YET SPEAKETH."
"What wouldst thou be?
A blessing to each one surrounding me,
A chalice of dew to the weary heart,
A sunbeam of joy bidding sorrow depart,
To the storm-tossed vessel a beacon-light,
A nightingale song in the darkest night,
A beckoning hand to a far-off goal,
An angel of love to each friendless soul--
Such would I be.
Oh, that such happiness were for me."--Frances Ridley Havergal.
It would be little use either to write or read any biography or record
of deeds and lives, unless some good lessons could be learnt from the
same. But
"Lives of great men all remind us
We may make our lives sublime,
And departing leave behind us,
Footprints on the sands of time."
From the life of Grace Darling several sermons could be preached,
especially for those members of her own sex who are interested in her
and her heroic exploit. Nor need the preacher be at a loss for texts,
for Grace is an illustration of the words of the wise man in the last
chapter of the Book of Proverbs. Several of the verses especially
appear adapted to show what kind of girl she was; and if the reader
will take a few, it will be seen how aptly in her own life she
exemplified the teaching, which she must often have read, and with
which she must have been very familiar.
"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."
Grace Darling was, of necessity, after her act had made her famous,
well known, and constantly watched. But there is only one report
concerning her, and that is, that she was the personification of pure
and simple goodness. It would not have been very wonderful if the
tongues of malice and envy had found something hard to say of her, but
we never hear of the shadow of a suspicion of any kind having rested
upon her fair name. She possessed in herself the three Graces--Faith,
Hope, and Charity. She was tender and pure. She impressed all who
knew her by the unostentatious faithfulness of her spirit, and purity
of her life. She seems to have been actuated every day by the one
desire, to do her duty. She wished to serve God, obey her parents, and
do any good work that might be in her power. And who does not see how
much better she was than a useless fine lady, who could do nothing but
pass her life in idleness? Who will not own that King Solomon was
right when he said that the price of a virtuous woman is far above
rubies? Gold and gems shine, but the pure light of a good woman's life
sheds a better and more enduring radiance on the world than any jewels
could do. And her value no one can estimate. Had the father of Grace
Darling been asked to take a sum of money in exchange for his daughter,
it is certain that the world would scarcely contain enough to have
satisfied him. Rubies! Oh, they need not be mentioned in the same
breath. The weary, sinful, suffering earth could do very well without
rubies; but good women are what it sighs and groans for.
And there is not a girl who reads these pages, but can become that most
valuable treasure--a good woman. It is possible to every one of them
to attain to that degree of excellence to which Grace Darling reached.
They may not, as has already been said, have the same opportunity of
saving life by going out over the stormy waters to the rescue of the
perishing; but they can be, if they cannot do, the same. And the world
does not so much need a few heroines, as it needs a large number of
good common-place women. There is not a home in the whole of our land
but would be the brighter and better for any number of these women, as
mothers, wives, daughters, aunts, cousins, or servants. The millennium
will have come when all our women are virtuous, when they who are the
very chief over the home-loving peoples are pure, modest, true-hearted,
honourable, dignified, devoted, and, in a word, virtuous. But if any
one is in doubt as to how these good qualities are to be obtained, let
them know that God can give them to one as well as another. They come
in answer to prayer; and those women who steal away sometimes to their
chambers, and there pour out their souls in earnest entreaty to Him
from whom every perfect gift must come, are the women who bring serene
faces into the family circle, and pleasant smiles to dissipate the
gloom. These are the women who will be patient among irritating
circumstances, who will give the soft answer that turneth away wrath,
who will never make man's care the greater, but who will hold weary
heads to their bosoms, and prove what comforters and helpmates they can
be. Such women may all who wish to claim sisterhood with Grace
Darling, become.
"She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms."
Among the many monitors which speak to the women of the present day,
there is one to which it would be well that they should give heed, for
it says to them, be strong. These are times when strength is needed.
It has become a trite saying, that we live at a railroad pace; and it
seems as if it is no use trying to slacken the speed, and there is
nothing to do but to go forward, as all the world is doing. But there
never were times that made such heavy demands upon physical and mental
strength. There seems no room for the feeble. They are almost certain
to be pushed and jostled out of the way. And women that are really
weak have not only to suffer themselves, but they are the cause of
suffering to other people also. Therefore it becomes our daughters to
cultivate the strength which they will so surely need. And it is quite
possible to do this. Grace Darling was not naturally strong, she was
but a slender girl, whose life passed away soon; but she would not have
been able to take an oar and propel the boat across the seething waves,
if she had not had plenty of fresh bracing air, and out-of-door
exercise. The times are past when there could be any other feeling
than scorn for women who, not being really afflicted with disease, are
useless. Let it be understood, as indeed it is beginning to be, that
strong women are needed for the work of these days, and let all who
would not be mere logs floating down the stream, listen to the
injunction, and gird her loins with strength, and strengthen her arms.
"She stretcheth out her hands to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her
hands to the needy." Every one who knew Grace Darling knew that she
had a most pitiful and compassionate heart. But that was not enough,
though many women, it would seem, are satisfied with it. Some there
are who weep tears over the imaginary sorrows of a heroine in the last
sensational novel, who would not move away from their own firesides to
respond to the cry of real misery. No good comes of such pity, and
such compassion is a dishonour to the name. It is not enough to feel
for sorrow with the heart, the hands must be stretched out in prompt
readiness to help. It was so in the case of the daughter of the
lighthouse-keeper, and it was in consequence of this that her short
life was blessed. Nor is it enough to relieve the distress which comes
to the door, and presents itself to the eye. It is said of Solomon's
ideal woman, that she "stretcheth out" and "reacheth forth" her hands.
Grace Darling did this. She went out to those who needed her succour,
though it is possible that many of her sisters would have contented
themselves with simply going down to the beach to welcome the poor
wretches, if they should be fortunate enough to reach the shore. Grace
felt otherwise; and those who would do good in the world must be
willing to seek, as well as to save, those who are lost.
There is room in the world for the exercise of all Christian charity.
The poor are here, and unless a woman deliberately shuts her eyes to
their needs, and selfishly thinks only of her own people, and their
sorrows, she cannot help being touched. And the luxury of doing good
need not be confined to those of them whose purses are filled with
gold. Poor women help the poor, even more than the rich do. Nothing
is required, excepting the will, which will certainly find the way.
Money is useful where poverty reigns; but so are the kindly attentions,
the filled plate sent from a table, the half-worn-out garment left at
the door, and even the sympathetic pressure of a faithful hand. Let
the women of England consider the poor, and they will find that they
have double rewards for all which they do. It is a great thing to earn
the blessing of him that is ready to perish; and those who do that know
most of its value. It is a pity it should not be oftener enjoyed,
since it is within reach of us all. Those who are selfish and greedy,
mean, and grasping, cannot know it; but those who are benevolent,
kindly, sympathetic, and liberal, are the people to whom life gives of
its very best.
"She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of
kindness." It is said of Grace Darling, that she was particularly
gently and unassuming in manner and speech. She was not lifted up in
any way by the sudden popularity which she gained; nor did it cause her
to be other than what she had always been--a simple, modest maiden.
She could be dignified in the presence of those who sought her out of
idle curiosity, and were rude enough to bore her with prying questions.
But ever to strangers, whom she felt she could trust, she was always
pleasant and kind. Her words were sensible, wise, and good. She told
the truth, as every good girl will do; and she never had bitter words
of sarcasm and envy for anybody who came in contact with her.
May not our women learn from her to open their mouths with wisdom?
They have not yet crushed out the reproachful references to "women's
tongues," which for so long has been made in their hearing. Indeed, if
for every idle word which is spoken an account must be given at the
last great day, then may women tremble at the reckoning which has to
come. Alas! too many say little besides idle words. Wise speech is
not the every-day language in which they indulge; and, perhaps, of all
the mischief which they do, that which is done by their tongues is the
greatest of all. How is it that so few women open their mouths with
wisdom? Is it not because they are foolish, and not wise? Their
thoughts are wrong, and so are the words that spring from them. Their
feelings are angry, envious, and bitter, how can their words be healing
and kind? They need first to get their heads and hearts right by
watchfulness and prayer, and then, as a natural consequence, the sting
and the folly will be taken out of their words.
It is a great acquisition to be able to talk well. The art of talking
is one that should be cultivated and brought to perfection; but let it
be remarked that the truest accomplishment is not the power to say fine
or clever things, but to say kind things well. There are some people
who seem wonderfully like wasps--they are clever at stinging, and they
seldom open their mouths but somebody is made to smart. They ought to
be labelled, "Dangerous," and to have as wide a berth given to them as
used to be accorded to the lepers. But there are others, whose words
are kind and wise, and coming from such tender hearts, are so "fitly
spoken," that whoever hears is better for them. Will not those
maidens, wives, and mothers, who admire Grace Darling, try to belong to
this better class, that their power of speech may be put to good uses
for the production of the highest blessings?
"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the
bread of idleness." Grace Darling was a working woman. She knew what
it was to rise early in the morning, and assist her mother in all good
household duties. She had quick, ready hands, that could perform
whatever was required of them. She would have despised herself had she
been idle. It was not hers to take upon herself the responsibilities
of the mistress of a household, but, if it had been, no one doubts that
she would have performed them nobly. But as it was, she found enough
to employ her, and it may safely be said that she would have been
ashamed to eat the bread of idleness.
And there is not a woman living but ought to be ashamed of it, too.
Even if she be rich, and there is no need for her to labour in order to
assist the bread-winner in his arduous duties, there is still plenty of
work for all willing hands. No lady ought to be content to pass her
life in cutting holes to mend them up again; in playing a little,
reading novels, and visiting. There ought to be some real tangible
good done. And there is need around every woman. There are poor
children for whom warm garments may be cut and made, poor women who may
be helped, and, indeed, a thousand ways in which a woman may, by
diligence, benefit others. And she will certainly do it, if "she
looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of
idleness."
"Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all."
This is very high praise, but Grace Darling deserves it. Few women, if
any, have done so good a deed as she. It was not for the sake of
winning renown, praise, or reward. There were no witnesses of her act,
excepting her aged father, and the poor creatures to whose help she had
come. It would have been very different had it been a deed that could
have been done before an admiring world. For instance, Joan of Arc was
a noble girl, full of inspiration and courage; but her deeds were great
as the world looks on greatness, and there was much of pomp and show
about her achievements. But this girl went out on the angry waters in
the grey light of an early morning, with the simple purpose in her
heart of saving from drowning those whose lives were in jeopardy. She
did not care whose lives they were. They might be only those of a few
poor sailors or emigrants. It did not matter to Grace. They were
human lives, and therefore precious. She must have had the purest
motives in what she did, and in this she excelled many women who have
been praised. Dear, indeed, she was to the hearts of her father and
mother, and all who were more immediately concerned, and dear also to
the world, which admired her heroic virtues. Another sermon which she
preaches from this chapter is, that women should not be satisfied with
less than the best. Even good actions and kind words are not enough;
they must be the sincere expressions of good and pure motives.
"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the
Lord, she shall be praised." There have been other illustrious women
besides Grace Darling: some, whose beauty has been so great, that men
have gone mad over it, and hearts have been broken, and homes made
desolate by it. But when we come to search for any good which came of
it, we cannot find it. Beauty was there, but not "the fear of the
Lord." When these two are seen together, then indeed there is
"A perfect woman, nobly planned,
To warn, to comfort, and command."
Grace Darling was not what is called beautiful; but she had a pleasant
face, and she made no wrong use of it. She had favour, too; but,
perhaps, in her case, it was not deceitful. But better than beauty or
favour is conscientiousness, that fears to do wrong and displease God.
It is true that she did not parade her religion, and even refused to
give satisfactory answers to some of those who sat in judgment over
her, and wished to pry into her Christian experience; but no one could
know her, or could read the records that have come down to us, without
knowing that she was "a woman who feareth the Lord." There is a rule
by which she never needed to have feared to be judged, "By their works
ye shall know them." And Grace Darling's life showed only good fruits.
Her heart must have been right, or her actions must not have been so
worthy. And few women ever found greater truth in the words, "She
shall be praised." She was praised, indeed, most eloquently and
generously. She had not to complain that she was not appreciated, for
honours were heaped upon her, both while she lived and after she was
dead. And now a new generation adds its honours to those which were
rendered by the old.
Will not the women who read this history also take the wise words to
heart? Favour is deceitful. To be praised is not enough to satisfy a
woman's heart alone. To be admired and flattered may be pleasant while
it lasts; but it does not last long. People soon tire of their
favourites, and cast them aside for new ones; and then there is
desolation indeed in the hearts of those that have been carelessly
rejected. And beauty is vain. It is often a snare to its possessor.
The love which owes its being to nothing besides is not particularly
worth having. For beauty fades; and the faded flower is often thrown
away as something that is worthless. But beauty and favour are indeed
God's gifts, which many women know how to use to His glory, and the
good of those who love them, or are in any way connected with them.
But it is only where these things are sanctified and controlled by the
fear of God that they are really valuable possessions. The first thing
necessary, then, is to seek that religion which comes from above, and,
making the heart right, causes the life to be also right.
The last verse of this remarkable chapter of Proverbs is peculiarly
applicable to the case of Grace Darling--"Give her of the fruit of her
hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates." No true, and
kindly person will begrudge her the praise she received, since she
really earned it. She sowed the seeds, and it was only right that she
should reap the fruit. And of all the praises that were heaped upon
her none equalled the simple unvarnished story of her own deed. To
describe her exploit, with no word of comment, was to load her with
commendation of the highest kind. And it is well indeed when that can
be said of any woman--which is always the case when her life is right.
On the whole, even now people get pretty much what they deserve. For a
little time an individual may be misunderstood and maligned; but in the
long run it will be found that
"Ever the right comes uppermost,
And ever is justice done."
The world is not so unfair as it seems. It is not very quick to read
people, but it gets to comprehend them at last, and no one who is
really good has to confess that he gets no praise.
These seem to be the teachings of Grace Darling's life. If the women
of these times will take them to their hearts, and profit by them, the
noble lighthouse-girl will do a better and more enduring work now, than
when she went out with her father to the wreck of the "Forfarshire."