lately been almost convulsed with terror. Strangers embraced one
another like sisters, sobbing, laughing, congratulating each other;
the passengers seemed raised at once from the depth of misery to the
height of rapture. This, also, soon subsided, and it became but too
evident that, with some, gratitude was almost as short-lived as fear,
and that God's warning made no more lasting impression on the heart
than the paddle-wheels on the water—creating a violent agitation for a
few minutes, leaving a whitened track for a brief space longer, which,
melting away from view, all became as it had been before.
Mrs. Lowe was very angry at the carelessness which had occasioned
her such a fright; she was angry with the captain, the sailors, the
passengers; in short, angry with every one but herself.
"I'll never set my foot in a steamer again! As if all the discomfort
were not enough to drive one out of one's wits, one is not left to
sleep for a moment in peace. Ah, tiresome child!" she exclaimed, almost
fiercely, turning upon poor Jemima, "What have you done! Trampled your
new hat, crushed the feather to bits!"
Jemima, who had by no means recovered from the shock of the alarm, made
no attempt to reply to her mother, but sat crying in the corner of her
berth. Mrs. Lowe, declaring that she would stay no longer to be stifled
down below, made her way up to the deck, though the first faint streak
of dawn was but beginning to flush the sky.
Minnie was on her mother's knee, peaceful, happy, thankful. From that
dear resting-place she looked upon the poor little girl, whom she had
half envied on the preceding evening, but whom she regarded now only
with a feeling of pity. Mrs. Mayne saw that the child's nerves had been
severely shaken, and, bending forward, she gently drew the weeping
Jemima to her side.
"God has been very good to us; shall we not love Him, and thank Him?"
said the lady.
Jemima squeezed her hand in reply.
"And shall we not try to set our affections on things above, so that,
trusting in our Saviour God, our hearts may fear no evil?"
The tears were fast coursing one another down the pale cheeks of
Jemima, and Minnie, with an impulse of joy, raised her head from her
mother's bosom, and kissed her little companion.
This trifling act of kindness quite opened the heart of the girl.
Jemima threw her little arms round the neck of Minnie, and, burying her
face on her shoulder, sobbed forth, "Oh, where shall I get the grace,
the oil for my lamp, that I may never be so frightened, so miserable
again, when I hear the midnight cry!"
Never had Mrs. Mayne and her daughter spent a holier or more peaceful
hour than that which followed, as in that narrow recess of the cabin,
while the morning sun rose over the sea, the lady spoke to a trembling
inquirer of the Saviour who died for sinners.
"Do you, my child, long for more grace to make you holy in life, and
happy at the hour of death? 'Blessed are they who hunger and thirst
after righteousness, saith the Lord, for they shall be filled.' It is
the Spirit of God in your soul that alone can make that soul holy.
Kneel, and ask for it in the name of the Saviour, who hath promised,
'Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened unto you.' Sweet is His service, rich its reward;
pardon and peace, happiness and heaven, such are His gifts to His
children. The world and all within it must soon pass away; its
pleasures, its riches, its glory: for 'the day of the Lord will come
as a thief, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the
earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.' But is there
anything in this to terrify the Christian? Oh, no! For to him 'the day
of the Lord' will be the day of joy, and thanksgiving, and triumph.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall
together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.'"
Deep sank the words of Scripture into the hearts of the two little
girls. Each in her different path trimmed her lamp with the oil of
grace, and the holy life of a wise virgin waiting for the coming of her
Lord.