THE BRIDAL DAY.
"He traineth us,
That we may shine for Him in this dark world,
And bear His standard dauntlessly unfurled;
That we may show
His praise by lives that mirror back His love—
His witnesses on earth, as He is ours above."
THE marriage day had come at last. The quiet ceremony was to take
place in the drawing-room of Benvourd House. And Clara was putting the
finishing touches to her sister-in-law's bridal dress, and arranging
the simple white wreath, with just a small spray of orange-blossom in
it, on her head, when a thought struck her.
"Why, Nora," she said, "what has become of the costly diadem of gold
and rubies I used to envy you the possession of when we were girls? I
don't believe you have ever once worn it."
Nora smiled. "No, Clara, I never have; and now it is mine no longer."
"Why not, dear? Have you given it away? Of course, you were entitled to
do so, for it was your own. To whom have you given it?"
At that question, the bride's eyes sparkled with a glad light, and she
quietly answered, "To the Lord, Clara dear; right into his treasury it
went, some three or four months ago. Uncle and aunt and Ronald also
knew and approved; indeed, they felt as if I could have done nothing
else. I have given myself, you know, Clara, to the Lord for his service
and could I withhold the most precious earthly possession I had? No,
dear; I was only too glad I had it to give; and Eustace felt the same.
How could I hear of the spiritual destitution of the millions of souls
in China without desiring to aid them, not only by my life, but also by
my means? And so, when Ronald found a trustworthy jeweller, willing to
give a full price for the diadem, I sold it, and the money has gone ere
this to aid the funds of the Chinese mission."
Clara's eyes filled. "O Nora, I am glad it is so! And Eustace will feel
as I do, if he be not blind, that it needs no diadem of gold and rubies
to beautify the brow of his bride to-day. But a truce to more talking
now. I believe Ronald is waiting impatiently to take you down."
One moment the cousins knelt together in silent prayer, then quietly
descended to the drawing-room.
The autumn sun was still brightly shining, when the carriage drove up,
after the luncheon was over, to bear off the bride and bridegroom.
There was a mixed feeling of joy and sorrow in the hearts of all,
for Nora Ashley was bidding, it might be, a long adieu to the home
of her childhood, every spot of which was endeared to her by loving
associations. Only that morning she had gone alone to strew some of her
bridal flowers on the graves of her mother and of her little cousin
Minnie, well knowing that she might never again revisit the spot.
And now, even as with tear-dimmed eyes she drove once again through
the lovely pass, gorgeous in its autumn dress, she cast around her a
look which seemed as if it would stereotype the scene for ever on her
memory's eye, to arise clearly in distant lands.
As she passed the hut where the old nurse had lived and died, she
pointed it out to her husband; and as she did so, she seemed once more
to feel the kind touch of the loving hand as it one day had pushed
back her golden brown hair, and to hear the voice which had said, "I'm
wonderin', my lambie, what kind o' a crown will sit on that bonnie
brow; whether it will be the crown o' a vain world's folly, or the
everlastin' one that your mother prayed so earnestly might rest there?"
And Nora knew now which it was; and even in the midst of her bridal
happiness, she could look forward with joy to the day when she would
take the golden crown put on her head by the Saviour's own hand, and
casting it at his feet, give to him all the glory for evermore.
Meantime, the party assembled at the door of Benvourd House to see
the young couple drive off, turned slowly indoors; only Mr. and Mrs.
Macleod and Ronald lingered a few minutes, to catch sight of the
carriage as it wound down the steep road below the pass.
"God's blessing go with them both," said Mr. Macleod. "Long shall we
miss our Nora, Ronald; beautifully has she fulfilled her home duties.
And now she goes forth to a foreign land to work for the Lord in a
distant part of his vineyard. As I told Eustace Ashley, ere parting, he
was a happy man to have secured her for a wife; for truly 'the heart of
her husband may safely trust in her. Her price is above rubies.'"
"Yes," said Ronald, "it is even so. Our mother's dying prayer has been
truly answered as regards Nora; she has obtained that wisdom of which
it is written, 'The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall
it be valued with pure gold,' for 'the price of it is above rubies.' It
can be said of her with truth that 'she stretcheth out her hand to the
poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy,' and also that
'in her tongue is the law of kindness.'"
"I believe she will exert an influence for good wherever she goes, and
prove to be well fitted for the arduous duties of a missionary's wife.
And well may we ask God to bless and keep both her and her husband, as
they go forth to lift high in heathen lands the Royal Banner of the
King of kings; and may both be as crowns of glory in the hand of the
Lord, and as royal diadems on the head of our God!"
THE END.