CHARITY REVIVED.
MR. MONKS was here so overcome that he groaned aloud, seizing the chair
to support himself. It was several minutes before he recovered his
voice.
"If I have learned to be careful in judging others, to try and think
and hope for the best, instead of the worst," he went on at last,
"I acquired the lesson in a fearful school. That night, Arthur, my
beloved, my only brother, was seized with delirium. He lived ten days;
but the only opportunity to confess my injustice, to plead for his
forgiveness, had passed. He raved day and night about my altered looks;
he implored me by the love we used to bear each other to forgive him,
if he had unintentionally offended; he called me by every endearing
name; but not once did he recognise me."
"All this time, I never left him. I could neither eat nor sleep. My
love to my pure, noble brother had revived with ten-fold strength;
but conscience was aroused at last, and in a voice of thunder set my
sins in order before me. I wept, I entreated him by every name that
was tender, to live for my sake, to forgive my cruel suspicions. I was
answered either by an unmeaning laugh, or a heart-rending cry for me to
love him."
"The end came at last; came without one word to ease the anguish that
gnawed at my heart. For four months, my reason fled; when I slowly
recovered, I was in despair; but through the mercy of a crucified
Redeemer, I learned at last to hope that even my sins might be washed
away in atoning blood."
Not a sound could be heard except the sobs by which the scholars showed
their sympathy with their teacher, and presently, in a broken voice,
he asked God to teach them all, both instructors and scholars, to
cultivate charity which is the bond of perfectness.
He had intended to speak of Frank and his sister, to express his own
conviction of the lad's innocence of the charge laid to him; but his
voice failed.
He sat down until they had passed out into the hall, concealing his
face behind a book. He started to find a little hand pressed into his.
"Dear Mr. Monks," she said, choking back a sob, "I'm so sorry. I can't
help loving Arthur dearly. I know Jesus forgave you."
He caught her in his arms; and blessed tears came to his relief.
"You did not need the lesson," he faltered, at last. "You did have
charity for poor Frank."
"Oh, I knew he didn't take the chain! He isn't such a kind of boy. I'm
almost sure now the scholars wont treat him unkindly any more. I'm sure
they'll remember—"
She interrupted herself quickly as she saw him start, gave his hand a
kiss, and darted away.
Child that she was, her words had comforted him.
The school-room was now deserted, and leaning his head on his desk, he
poured out a prayer to God for a blessing on his endeavors to cultivate
a spirit of love and charity among his pupils. He prayed for Lionel,
for Frank and his sister, for the widowed mother, afflicted in her
children's affliction; and then he prayed humbly for himself, that the
sin of his youth might not rise up in judgment against him.
He was locking his desk, when he thought he heard a noise in the hall,
and presently Lionel came in, blushing painfully.
"I forgot my geography," he muttered, going toward his seat, "and oh,
Mr. Monks, I believe Frank is innocent! I'm sorry I said what I did. He
isn't such a kind of boy as that. He found my rubbers when I thought
they were lost; and he might have kept them if he'd been a thief; and
oh, Mr. Monks! If it hadn't been for Frank, I never could have kept
up with the class. He makes me study my lessons over and over, when a
great many times I think I can't do it; and I'd rather play."
"I tried to believe it," he went on, much confused, but resolved now
that he had begun, to confess the whole. "I told the boys I knew he'd
got it. I asked them what else he could be doing there. I told Sophia
Lane how he blushed when I asked him what he was looking for. I was
envious of him, Mr. Monks, and when you read that chapter, I thought
how it described all I had done."
"I tried to think badly of him, I didn't hope the best, I puffed myself
up that I wouldn't steal; but now I do want to have charity, sir."
"You see already its blessed fruits," answered the gentleman, kindly.
"First, you begin to think less of yourself, and then more of your
neighbor. You recall to mind all his good traits, which previously, you
forgot or put out of sight."
"Do you believe he'll forgive me, sir?"
"Go and ask him."
This was said with a smile, and Lionel darted away.
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