A WEDDING IN ORANGEVILLE.
After Mrs. Marston had been in San Francisco about a month, she received
a cablegram from Paris stating that her son had been shot by a jealous
Frenchman and died two hours afterwards. When she had recovered from her
first grief she thought it best to stay in San Francisco two weeks
longer and then return to Roseland. She had not been home long when she
realized how great the change had been on the sex question, and how
Stella's popularity had risen, and of course Mrs. Marston's mind had to
conform to the new thought, which her circle of friends and most of the
community had accepted. It was that lady's creed to have her ideas in
style as much as her dress. It seemed to please her greatly to hear her
niece praised and looked up to as a leader of the new thought on the sex
question; for deep down in her heart she loved Stella, even if she did
not understand some of her strange ways, and now that her son was dead
her affections went out more towards her niece.
When she received the letter from Stella stating she was engaged to
Penloe, she had a good laugh about her proposing to him, and said the
next thing she would hear would be that Stella had bought a wedding-ring
to put on Penloe's finger. Since Mrs. Marston had seen Penloe there was
no man she admired more than him; not on account of his spiritual
thought, but for his distinguished personality, his graceful manners,
and his polished expressions. So when she read about her niece being
engaged to him, she was delighted, for she felt proud of them both and
remarked, "They would make the finest appearing couple to be seen
anywhere."
And she now looked forward to the time when they would be married, that
she might have the pleasure of seeing them again. She was forming plans
as to what she would do for Stella. She felt that she was able to do
much for her, as her property was rising in value all the time, and her
income far exceeded her expenditures. Her idea was that a couple, to be
in style when they are married, should visit Europe or some other
country; and, furthermore, it would be also nice for her to be able to
say her niece had gone abroad on her wedding tour. She also remembered
how delighted Stella was to read books of travel when she was at her
house, and she heard her say, "I do hope some day I will be able to see
my own and other countries, for the extent of my travel has only been
from Orangeville to San Jose and return."
About a week before the day set for Stella's wedding, Mrs. Wheelwright
went to Roseland and called on her sister, Mrs. Marston. In course of
conversation, Mrs. Wheelwright said: "Well, Helen, it is Penloe's and
Stella's wish to have no one invited to the wedding but yourself; for,
if they invited friends, they could not draw the line and they could not
invite all, and not only so but they think it far better to have a quiet
wedding. Their marriage is so different to that of any other couple,
there being none of that peculiar excitement connected with their
marriage."
Mrs. Marston said: "I thought that would be about the kind of wedding
they would have. What I would have liked would be to give Stella a big
wedding at my own house, with all her friends present, but I knew she
would wish to be married at her home in a very quiet way."
Mrs. Wheelwright said: "Well, Helen, we shall look for you on Wednesday
of next week. They will be married at eleven in the morning, by the Rev.
B.F. Holingsworth."
On the morning of the wedding, Stella's aunt arrived at ten, Penloe and
the minister came half an hour later. At eleven Penloe and Stella stood
up to be made one in the eyes of the law. The Blessed Infinite Spirit
had made them one some time ago. It is not necessary to remark how
lovely the bride looked, for she always looked lovely, and she did not
wear at her wedding a white silk or satin gown; for she wore a rich
white dress, and it was one that she could wear any time; it became her
exceedingly well. After the usual marriage ceremony was over, the
minister offered a short fervent prayer, after which Penloe and Stella
stood in silent prayer for about two minutes, then Penloe kissed Stella.
The joyful couple then received the congratulations of their relatives.
When Mrs. Marston kissed Stella, she gave her a little package. A few
minutes later Stella excused herself and went to her room, to open the
package her aunt had given her. On opening the package, she found it
contained a small, light-brown covered book, with a note which read as
follows:
"SUNNYDOWN, Roseland, Calif.
"MY DEAR NIECE:--Knowing you had always a strong desire
to travel and see something of the world, I know of no
better time for you to travel than now, on your wedding
tour.
"In the bank book you will see a sum deposited in your
name, sufficient to take you and Penloe around the
world in first-class style.
"Wishing you much joy, dear, with love to you both,
"YOUR AUNT HELEN."
Stella opened the bank book to see the amount deposited to her credit,
and to her joy and surprise there were five figures in the amount. Such
a handsome gift touched Stella very much. She realized then the
genuineness of her aunt's interest in her material welfare and the love
she bore her.
When Stella returned to the room where the company was she went to her
aunt, and put her arms round her and kissed her affectionately, and
said: "How good you have been to me." Her aunt looked at the beautiful
girl with pride, and seemed delighted to see her so happy. She said:
"Stella, dear, I have only you to love, and you deserve all I can do for
you."
Mr. and Mrs. Wheelwright were very much gratified by the handsome gift
Stella received from her aunt, and Penloe, whose face was always the
picture of repose, had now an unusual bright smile as he saw Stella's
delight. He went and sat beside Mrs. Marston, and entertained her with
his brilliant conversation, much to that lady's pleasure, for she
enjoyed receiving attention from Penloe.
In course of conversation with Mrs. Marston (while Stella was absent
from the room), in a very becoming and graceful way, he paid a glowing
tribute to Stella's nobility of character and her intrinsic worth, which
pleased Mrs. Marston greatly. Stella's aunt could not think of sitting
down to a very plain meal on such an occasion as her niece's marriage,
neither did she wish to see her sister or Stella with flushed faces
through being over a hot cook-stove. So she had her caterer come from
Roseland, with everything necessary, and take charge of the wedding
dinner. They all had a very sociable time at the table, the topics of
conversation being general, such as Mrs. Marston would be interested in.
After dinner, Stella had a few words in private with her aunt before
leaving for Roseland. The gist of the talk was that she, when speaking
of them, was not to say, "'Mr. Penloe Lenair' or 'Mrs. Penloe Lenair,'
or have inserted in the newspapers 'Penloe Lenair, Esq., and wife, are
visiting you, but always speak of us as 'Penloe and Stella,' because we
wish to live in the realization that we are all members of one family,
and to say Mr. or Mrs. is cold, formal and distant; but in being called
by our given names we come near to those who are talking to us, and they
come near to and in touch with us."
After the minister and Mrs. Marston had left, Stella said to Penloe: "I
may just as well begin to initiate you into the new order of things now
as any other time, for you are my husband. So I am going to tell you
that we are living in a new age, and instead of the wife obeying her
husband the husband has to obey the wife."
Penloe smiled, and said: "I am perfectly willing to obey such a wife as
you are. What are your orders, my dear?"
Stella laughed, and said: "Well, Penloe, I have been thinking that I
would like to take you over to see an old friend of mine, who has sore
eyes. You have never seen him, and he would be so pleased to have us
come; for he must have many lonely times, because very few persons ever
call on him, and, Penloe, dear, we have such a lot of good things left
from aunt's big wedding dinner that she gave us, and I thought we would
take some of the nice things along with us for the old man to enjoy. He
seldom has anything very good to eat."
Penloe said: "So you are going to make a ministering angel of me, are
you, my dear?"
Stella said, smiling: "I am not going to make you too angelic, Penloe,
because you might take wings and fly away from me, and I want you to be
an angel on the ground and not a soaring one. So get yourself ready to
carry a basket."
Penloe said: "I am at your service, my dear."
Stella went into the kitchen, and selected some choice eatables, such as
she knew the old man would most enjoy, and the two were soon on their
way to the cabin. As they were walking along Stella related to Penloe
all she knew of the history of the old man, as he was called, though he
was not more than fifty-eight years old.
When they arrived at the cabin, the old man was busy getting stove-wood.
As soon as Stella spoke to him he knew instantly who it was. His sight
being in that condition that he could see Penloe's form, but could not
see clearly his features, he could distinguish a man's form from that of
a woman's, but that was all. Stella introduced Penloe to him, and told
the old man that they were married this morning, whereupon the old man
instantly congratulated them and showered his blessings on both of
them, saying: "Mr. Penloe, what an angel you have got for a wife!" And
went on telling Penloe how good she had been to him.
Stella did not check him, because she knew it would do him good to have
some one to express his feelings to. After the old man had finished his
eulogies on Stella, she told him what she had brought him and said she
would put them where they belonged, for she had cleaned up his cabin
many a time. He was touched to the heart by such thoughtful kindness,
that on their wedding day she should think of him, and he did not know
just what to say he was so overcome; he seemed choked. They very soon
put him at his ease, and in about ten minutes afterwards conversation
had quieted down.
Just then Stella received a mental telegram from Penloe, and it was not
long before the old man was sitting in his rocking chair, fast asleep.
While he was in that condition, Penloe and Stella went into the silence,
remaining in that state for about an hour, when Penloe asked Stella to
get a basin, with some water, a clean cloth, and a towel. When she had
got everything ready, the old man seemed to be waking up. When he was
fully awake, he said: "How much better I feel." Stella said: "I have a
basin here, with some water. Let me bathe your eyes." While she was
bathing them, she said: "Andrew, you are going to see so that you can
read just as well as you could before your eyes became sore." (As Andrew
had always associated Stella in his mind as being a member of the
angelic band, he was ready to believe anything she said.)
He said: "Am I? Praise God! (he was a good man). How fine your touch
does feel to my face."
When she had finished bathing his eyes, she gave him a towel to wipe his
eyes with. After he had wiped them, he opened and closed them several
times, when, with his eyes open, he said: "Yes, I can see! O, I can see
so much better. I keep seeing clearer all the time." And in a few
minutes he could see Penloe and Stella just as well as they could see
themselves.
The old man was overcome with joy. Looking at Stella, he said: "Bless
God! I can see your dear face." And when he cast his eyes on the
features of Penloe he became silent, then he looked at Stella, then at
Penloe, and he seemed in a dream, for he did not know which was the
greater surprise to him, having his sight restored or seeing the angelic
countenances of the two before him.
Penloe took a newspaper and gave it to him, saying: "See if you can read
that?"
Andrew took the paper, and to his great delight he could read it just as
well as when he was a young man. The old man put the paper down, then in
a little while he took it up again and read more, saying: "Yes, it is
true. I can see to read to myself. Bless the Lord! I can see to read."
He looked at them both again, and a feeling came over him as if there
was a great distance between him and them. For he said, in speaking to
Stella:
"Mrs. Penloe."
Whereupon Stella laughed, and told him: "I am not Mrs. Penloe, for I am
just the same now as I was before I was married. I am your sister
Stella, and my husband is your brother Penloe. Both of us look upon all
boys and men as our brothers, and all girls and women as our sisters,
for we are all members of one family."
The old man sat in silence after Stella spoke; he seemed to be amazed.
Stella said: "We must go now."
As she wished him good-bye, he said to them: "What must I do in return
for the great blessing of sight which has been given me to-day?"
Penloe said: "Live much in prayer, live in the realization of Divine
love. Remember your body is the temple of God. Keep it as such, and help
others to live the Divine life."
Was there ever a bride so happy as Stella was on the after noon of her
wedding day, when she was returning home to tell her mother the joyful
news that Andrew had recovered his sight. The world has never seen a
happier bride than she was on that afternoon.
Stella had not been in the house but a few minutes before she told her
parents all about Andrew receiving his sight through Penloe's healing
power.
Penloe said: "Why, Stella, were you not the instrument through which
Andrew received his sight? Did he not think that you were the embodiment
of all goodness, all power, and all truth? And when you said to him,
'Andrew, you are going to see so you can read yourself,' he believed
you, and was he not healed according to his faith?"
Stella said: "He would not have had his sight restored if you had not
been present. The first time you called on him his sight was restored,
while I have been to his cabin many times before, but never helped him
to see."
Penloe said: "Stella, dear, you were not on the spiritual plane that you
are now on when you visited Andrew before. You had not spent much time
in prayer, in meditation, in concentration, in being up in the
mountains, walking and talking with God daily, and living in the
realization of the Kingdom of Heaven within. All this has helped to make
you a healer."
Stella said: "Penloe, all you say is true, but I cannot help thinking
that you were the healer."
Penloe said: "Stella, dear, you spoke the healing word."
Mrs. Wheelwright, smiling inwardly, said: "Children, you have only been
married a few hours, and have got a bone of contention already. I am
surprised at you both."
Stella, putting on a serious face, said: "Well, mother, I know it was
Penloe;" and Penloe said: "Well, mother, I know it was Stella."
Mrs. Wheelwright said: "Children, I cannot stay with you while you
quarrel this way," and out she went into the kitchen, happy and
laughing to herself; at the same time rejoicing greatly that the poor
man had received his sight.
There were two others who laughed after Mrs. Wheelwright left the room,
for they knew it was neither Penloe or Stella that healed the man, but
the power of the Blessed Infinite Spirit in both of them, they being
only the instruments through which the healing power was manifested.
The evening of Stella's wedding day the two were sitting on the porch.
It was just as lovely a night as it was on the night when they were
plighted. They had been engaged in conversation for a while, when Penloe
said: "Stella, I have not given you any wedding ring. It is not because
I have not got one for you, but I wish to give you the history of the
ring before presenting you with it."
Stella said: "You will have a very ready listener, Penloe, I can assure
you."
Penloe said: "While attending the University in Calcutta I made the
acquaintance of a young Hindu, who was a student there also. He was in
some respects the brightest of the students, for he had the faculty for
mastering his studies quickly and perfectly, was also very original in
character and full of resources. Though he was a born student, yet he
was well-balanced and did not always have his head in books or in the
clouds; neither did he indulge in social dissipation. While being social
in his nature, he always took sufficient physical recreation to keep
himself well and strong, but nothing more; he never let it get away with
him, as many do in the Western World. He lived up to the highest light,
regulating his conduct so as to make himself strong intellectually and
spiritually. I found him a very interesting companion, and our
friendship was of a very profitable character, in this way, that when we
saw the faults in each other we did in love what we could to help one
another. To overcome our weak points, we co-operated together for the
highest object, and it was our sacred purpose to always touch the
highest and noblest in each other's nature; and to-night it is with
pleasure that I call to mind the sweetness of his disposition, the
sincerity of his purpose, and the brilliancy of his mind.
"His family had outgrown caste, and when I first visited them at their
home I was introduced to his father and mother, also to a sister about
eighteen years of age, who made up the family. I noticed what a peculiar
expression passed over his sister's face when she looked into mine for
the first time. She had a dreamy, far-away look about her, and then
again I noticed later that she had the very opposite expression on her
physiognomy, being all 'right here'; intensely so, taking in everything
around her. I was very much attracted towards her in this way, not as a
youth would be towards a maiden--there was none of that feeling
whatever. I felt she was a mystic, a powerful one, and she interested me
greatly. When sitting in the room with all the members of the family, I
noticed at times she would eye me very closely; and if I returned the
gaze I saw such an expression in her face as if she did not belong here
at all, but was living on some other planet. She talked very little, and
such a thing as my coming near to her in conversation, or her saying
anything to bring herself near to me, was not to be expected, with her
peculiar makeup, and yet when she would give me her hand in receiving
me, she had such a peculiar sweet way of welcoming me, that one might
think we were very near to each other. And when I took leave of her with
the other members of the family, her partings seemed very pleasant as
she gave me her hand and wished me good-night.
"Those eyes of hers seemed as if you could see worlds in them, and when
you looked into them your mind seemed taken away from everything about
you, and you would have to check yourself or else you would feel as if
you had left the body and were passing through the ethereal regions.
"She had a remarkable organism, being so very fine in quality. The first
impression one would have on seeing her would be that of distinction,
she was so superior in her makeup to all her kind. Her features were
finely moulded, and her whole contour was perfect. She had a wonderful
presence; so much silent power went with it. I could not help being
conscious of it when in the room with her. I felt as if something of an
elevating nature was coming from her to me all the time. I always felt a
better man after having been in her company. And before I attained to
the plane I am now on, when at times I would be depressed or discouraged
and went into her presence with those feelings, it would not be long
before they left me and I felt as if I was the strongest and most
hopeful man living. She being the most powerful of the two brought me
into her condition and made me feel strong, like a giant refreshed with
new wine.
"After visiting at her house many times, I conceived the impression that
for some cause she took a great interest in me, not because I was a
young man, but for some other reason.
"Sometimes I would visit the family and she would not be at home, and
late in the evening she would return all alone. She would go anywhere at
any time. I have seen her late at night walking through the slums of
Calcutta all alone. She was free in the truest sense of the word, not
being in bondage to her material form, or in recognizing family or
social standing; she had no superstitions; she was above and beyond them
all. I noticed she was loved very much by her parents and brother, and
seemed to possess a deep affectionate nature herself. Her peculiar
qualities were fully recognized by the family, she having no household
duties to perform, only as the notion might take her.
"I was always a welcomed guest at the house, and I felt as much at home
as if I were a member of their family.
"After I had known the family about a year, I called at the house one
evening just about the time it was getting dark. Wavernee was sitting in
the door-way. She seemed very pleased to see me and invited me in,
saying: 'The other members of the family are all away.'
"The room we went into we entered at its center, and she turned to the
left and walked to the end of the room. She gave me a seat so that I sat
at the extreme end of the room. She closed the door and took a low seat
on my left. To my great surprise, she commenced a conversation about
common things, and talked as interestingly as any intelligent young lady
would talk. We chatted about fifteen minutes, and by that time the room
was dark so I could not see one object from another.
"She became silent and I received an impression that she did not wish me
to speak, so we both sat in the silence for about ten minutes, when the
room became illuminated and she herself seemed to be the brightest
object in it. I never saw a room so bright as that in my life. After a
few minutes everything in the room appeared dark except the wall at the
further end; and where it was light there seemed to be a white covering
such as is used for magic lantern pictures. I was looking at it when
there appeared a picture which covered the whole cloth. It represented
men and women of all tribes and nations bending beneath heavy loads of
bondage. I observed their bondages were not all the same. There was a
difference in the kind of bondages the men were bound with to those that
held women in slavery. Then I saw that the men had some bondages the
same as the women had. I observed the bondages of the women were not all
the same. For instance, the American's woman's bondage in some respects
was different from that of the Japanese woman, and the bondages of the
Hindu woman were not the same as that of the Chinese woman. It was a sad
sight. As they were all presented, they appeared to be living, moving
figures.
"There were a few Hindu men and women who were free, going among them
trying to lift them out of bondage, but it was very hard, for they
seemed to love being in bondage. Only those who were tired of their
bondages were helped by the workers. Wavernee kept her eyes intently on
the picture all the time, and when she turned her face towards me the
scene disappeared and the whole room became dark. In about ten minutes
the whole room was again illuminated and I never saw Wavernee look so
much like the embodiment of perfect love as she did then. She seemed as
if she had been touched with a live coal from off the altar, the sacred
fire was so bright in her eyes. The atmosphere was one of sacred
blissful love. Whatever there was of lukewarmness or indifference in me
in regard to humanity was licked up, as it were, by a fiery flame of
love. I felt as if my whole nature had become white-heat with love. The
most miserable creature seemed dear and sweet to me.
"While I was in that frame of mind the room became dark, except the
further end, and I saw another living scene on the canvas. It was
Wavernee walking along a hot dusty road a few miles from Calcutta. She
seemed indifferent to the heat and dust, and was looking exactly the
same as I have just described her. As she was walking along, I noticed a
little way in front of her was a young woman sitting down on the side of
the road with only a few dirty rags on her poor body. Her face and form
showed marks of sin and disease. When she saw Wavernee coming near her,
she put her hands to her face and held her head down. O, the apparent
contrast between the two! Wavernee sat down beside the young woman and
took one of her hands and held it awhile, meanwhile talking to her. Then
she opened a basket she had and took out a bottle and poured the
contents into a glass and gave it to her to drink. There was a label on
the bottle and glass which read 'love,' and the young woman drank the
glass empty. After awhile Wavernee stood up and the young woman stood
up, too, and as she did so her rags fell from her and she was clothed
like Wavernee, and when I looked into her face I saw no difference
between them.
"The scene disappeared, but it was quickly replaced by another which
represented Wavernee and some other native workers clearing large tracts
of land. Then they ploughed and harrowed it. As fast as they prepared
one tract of land for the seed they commenced clearing another piece.
On the land that had been cleared I saw myself and some one else with me
that had a veil over head and face, so I could not see who the person
was; but we were both engaged in the same occupation of sowing seed,
each one of us having a large measure containing the seed. On the
outside of the measure was the word truth. We would sow one piece of
land and then go to another piece that had been cleared and sow that. On
the ground that I had sowed, a crop came up in the form of many men and
some women who were all out of bondage. They were free. Where the person
with me had sowed, there was a crop of many women and some few men who
were out of bondage. They were all free. I wish I could convey to your
mind how happy and joyful they all were.
"As this last scene disappeared the whole room became illuminated.
Wavernee looked at me with eyes of celestial love and said: 'Penloe,
thou hast seen all. What appeared before thy vision will convey to thy
mind more than any words of mine. Before you is a future that angels
might desire. Be true to thy highest light, then wilt thou realize what
thy eyes have seen. Your co-worker is one that I love. She knows me not,
but I know her, and when she becomes one with you in your life and work
of love, give her this ring (taking it from her finger and giving it to
me) with my love and tell her to accept it as a symbol of your union in
love and work.
"'This ring has a history. It was worn by a beautiful young Indian
princess who, after having been a wife to a prince for two years, became
disgusted with her life, and, weary of all the luxuries of the court,
she left one night in disguise, saying to herself: "I can live here no
longer, for I am a greater slave than the poorest of the Pariah women.
My nature cries out for freedom. I would rather be free in poverty than
be a slave in luxury. Give me freedom or give me death!" She lived for
many years in the realization of her own highest nature. She looked on
all about her as being God and showed that love and reverence for all
as she did for the Divine Being. Her whole life was devoted to being a
blessing to many others; particularly to the elevation of those of her
own sex. Just before she died she gave it to my Guru's (Spiritual
Teacher) mother, who was then a young woman, saying: "Wear this as a vow
that thy life will be consecrated to lifting thy sisters out of
bondage." My Guru gave it to me with its history, saying: "My mother
lived and died for woman's freedom. May you live for the same noble
purpose."' Then Wavernee rose and took from a shelf this beautiful
little box, saying: 'Keep the ring in this box.'
"After I thanked her she said: 'This is the last time you will see me,
for I am going away and when I return you will have left this country.'
I received a mental suggestion not to ask any questions, and there
seemed to be nothing left for me to say, but to part with such a sweet
exalted character in the way and manner that two spiritual friends
should take leave of each other.
"Stella, she was the greatest mystic I ever met in that land of
mystics."
When Penloe finished his narrative he looked at Stella and saw she was
deeply moved. Neither spoke for a few minutes, then Stella leaned her
head towards Penloe and said in a soft touching voice:
"Penloe, dear, I have just seen Wavernee. Oh, what a beautiful loving
soul she is; her countenance is something wonderful! For a few moments I
seemed to be with her in a sacred room in her home in India. As I
entered she came forward and greeted me in a most affectionate manner.
Leading me to a small altar at one end of the room, we both kneeled for
devotion, after which I looked up and saw on the wall the inscription:
'Our lives are consecrated to the Lord in His humanity."
"After I read that everything disappeared, and I realized I was here on
this porch with you, my mind being full of your exceedingly interesting
story."
After a pause Penloe remarked: "I am not surprised, Stella, at the
experience you have just had of seeing Wavernee, for I have seen her
twice since I have been in Orangeville. It is a gift which comes to some
in their higher unfoldment. I am very glad you saw Wavernee, for it is
an inspiration to see such a person."
Stella replied: "Yes, Penloe, she is all you have described her to me,
and much more. Her presence has a remarkable power of elevating. She is
my ideal, for she is highly gifted and still only full of pure love.
What you have related and what I have seen has been a great revelation
to me, and fills me with joy in the thought of being your co-worker in
living the life as Wavernee saw us as dispensers of truth, and helpers
of humanity through love."
Penloe said: "Yes, dear Stella, it is a great blessing and privilege to
be of service to others. It is the test of greatness of character; for
Jesus said: 'He that is greatest of all must be servant of all.'"
After a little silence in which both were thinking about the great work
before them, Stella's attention was called to the box containing the
ring, by Penloe handing it to her. On taking it she said: "Is not the
box beautiful?" Then opening it she took out the ring. It was a cinnamon
garnet ring, made from Ceylon stone, with hieroglyphics outside and
inside beautifully cut. It was a fine piece of skilled workmanship.
Stella said: "Penloe, do tell me the meaning of the hieroglyphics on the
ring. I am very desirous to know."
Penloe said: "Outside it reads, 'All are one in God.' Inside it reads,
'The fire of spirituality burns by continual devotion.'"
Stella remarked: "How true is the beautiful thought contained in the
outside inscription, 'All are one in God,' for it makes our own union
feel sacred and precious as well as bringing us close to all others. The
inside inscription is an exceedingly fine one, 'The fire of spirituality
burns by continual devotion.' Because without devotion the spiritual
life droops and withers as a flower without water." Continuing, she
said: "There are two kinds of devotion, one consisting of heartfelt
prayer and singing from the soul, sacred hymns; and the other kind
consists in rendering service to others. They are both essential for
spiritual growth."
Stella was very much interested in the history of the ring, and putting
it on her finger she said: "What a true symbol of the nature of our
union is the ring. I am so glad it is not made of gold and set with
diamonds. If it were I never could wear it, for it would neutralize all
the good I could do. Supposing it had been one of those very handsome
gold rings set with diamonds such as Indian princesses wear. Every
lady's eye, young and old, would be on the ring, while their minds would
be speculating on its great value, and their thoughts so taken up with
its beauty that what I might say to instruct them would have very little
effect, and even the influence of my own life would be small. No,
Penloe, I never would wear a costly ring, not even if you gave it to me;
for it would have a tendency to keep myself and all who saw it in
bondage. This ring is not costly or very attractive, but its history is
rich and the truths cut into it are precious." Here she kissed Penloe
for the ring and spoke again in loving terms concerning Wavernee.
That evening the moon looked down on no happier couple than Penloe and
Stella, for they were both free and attracted towards them all that was
joyous and beautiful in the Universe.
On that porch so sacred in blissful associations, before retiring, they
spent a few minutes in silent prayer, after which I heard them sing so
softly and sweetly, their voices blending in harmony and melody. I never
heard such singing before. I looked up in the starry firmament, and did
my eyes see some of the angelic host looking down on them as they sang?
"If such the sweetness of the streams
What must the fountain be!"