MARY'S GREAT LOSS.
When at last Mary could no longer hide from herself the seriousness of
her father's illness, she went to the minister of the parish in which
Pine Cottage was situated and asked him to come and visit him. The
minister, who was a kind-hearted and godly man, gladly availed himself
of the opportunity. Besides conversing with James on spiritual matters,
he was of great comfort to Mary by the kindly affection with which he
treated her. One afternoon when the old man's weakness was sensibly
increased, James requested Mary to leave the room for a moment that he
might have private conversation with the minister. After a little
while, he called her in again, and said--
"My dear child, I have settled all my worldly affairs, and am now ready
to depart and be with Christ."
Mary was deeply distressed, and had great difficulty in keeping back
her tears, for she saw that the end was rapidly approaching. But out of
consideration for her father, and after a great effort, she recovered
herself, and remained calm.
The rest of the day was spent by James in silent prayer, and next day
he received the Lord's Supper at the hands of the minister, by
partaking of the bread and wine which are the symbols of the body and
blood of Christ. Faith in the power of God, love to Christ who had
redeemed him, and hope of eternal life, had made his venerable
countenance radiant with happiness.
Mary remained on her knees beside his bed, weeping and praying. The
farmer and his wife and their household looked on in wonder at the
rapture of the aged saint, and tears of sympathy were in every eye
because of Mary's grief.
It gave the old man pleasure to have Mary read to him in her sweet and
clear voice. During the latter part of his illness he desired to hear
nothing else than the last words and prayer of Jesus. One night, after
all the household had gone to bed, Mary was sitting beside her father.
The moon was shining so brightly into the room that the light of the
candle was scarcely seen.
"Mary," said the dying man, "read me once again that beautiful prayer
of our Saviour."
Mary began to read. "Now," said the old man, "give me the book." Mary
gave him the book, and carried the light nearer to him. "This will be
the last prayer," said her father, "that I shall make for you," as he
marked the passage with his finger, then in a trembling voice he
uttered the following prayer: "O Father, I have not long to remain in
this world. I am going--I dare hope it--I am going to Thee, my heavenly
Father. Oh, preserve this my child from sin, for Thy Name's sake. While
I have lived on the earth, I have endeavoured in Thy name to preserve
her from it. But, O Lord, I am now going to Thee. I do not ask Thee to
take her to Thyself, but only to preserve her from harm. Let Thy holy
truth preserve her. Thy word is truth. Grant, O heavenly Father, that
the child whom Thou hast given me may at last be admitted to the place
where I hope to go. Through Jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen."
Mary repeated, as well as her sobs would allow her, her father's
_Amen_. "Yes," continued the old man, "yes, my daughter, in the
kingdom which Jesus had from the beginning of the world, we shall see
Him, and we shall see each other." He again lay down on his pillow to
rest a little. His hands continued to hold the New Testament, which he
had bought with his first money saved from the purchase of food after
he left Eichbourg.
"Dear daughter," he said, some minutes afterwards, "I am grateful for
all the affection and tenderness which you have shown me since my
illness commenced. Trust in your heavenly Father, Mary, and you will
receive of Him your reward. Poor and forsaken as I am, I can give you
nothing, when I leave you, but my blessing and this book. Live in the
ways of righteousness, and this blessing will not be without effect.
The blessing of a father with the confidence of the Lord is better for
a virtuous child than the richest inheritance. This book, which I wish
you to take in remembrance of your father, cost me, it is true, but a
few shillings, but if it be faithfully read and its precepts put in
practice, I shall have left you the richest treasure. If I had left you
as many pieces of gold as the spring produces leaves and flowers, with
all that money you could not buy anything so valuable as this book. It
is the Word of God. Read it every day, no matter how much work presses
upon you; read at least one passage. Preserve it and meditate upon it
in your heart during the day."
About three o'clock the next morning James said, in a faint voice, "I
feel very ill. Open the window a little." Mary opened it. The moon had
disappeared, but the sky was brilliant with stars, and presented a
magnificent sight.
"See how beautiful the sky is!" said the dying man. "What are the
flowers of earth whose beauty I have so often admired compared with
these stars, whose glory suffers no fading? It is there I am going.
What joy! Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly."
With these words James fell back upon his pillow, and passed peacefully
away. Mary had never seen any one die before, and she thought her
father had only fainted. In her fright she awoke all the family. They
ran to her father's bed, and there she heard them say to each other
that he was dead. Abandoning herself to her grief, she threw herself
upon her father's body, embraced it, and wept passionately.
"Oh, my father, my good father," said she, "how shall I discharge all
my obligations to you? Alas, I cannot now. I can only thank you for all
the words, for all good advice I received from your dear lips, now
sealed in death. Your hand, which is now cold and stiff, I kiss with
gratitude, and remember that that hand has bestowed upon me many
benefits, and has all my life laboured for my good. Oh, if I could at
this moment follow you into the heavenly kingdom, how gladly would I do
so. Oh, let me die the death of the righteous. My only consolation now
is that I shall one day enter upon the happiness and everlasting life
of heaven."
During this heart-rending scene the farmer's family had been much
affected. At last they prevailed upon Mary to lie down and rest, hoping
that sleep would ease her grief. During the following day nothing would
induce her to leave her father's body. Before the coffin lid was nailed
down, Mary took one more look at her father. "Alas," said she, "it is
the last time that I shall ever look upon your dear face! How beautiful
it was when you smiled, and it shone with the glory into which you were
so shortly to enter. Farewell, farewell, my father," said she, sobbing
aloud, "may your body rest peacefully in the earth now, while angels of
God are, as I hope, bearing your soul to eternal rest."
When the funeral took place, Mary, dressed in mourning which one of the
girls of the village had kindly given her, followed close to the body
of her father. She was as pale as death, and every one pitied the poor
girl who now was without a relative in the world. As Mary's father was
a stranger at Erlenbrunn, they dug a grave for him in a corner of the
cemetery beside the wall. Two large pine trees shaded the humble grave.
The minister who had attended James during his illness spoke of James's
patience and of the resignation with which he had borne all his
misfortunes, and the good example he had set for those who knew him.
With tender words he consoled Mary, who was overwhelmed with grief. In
the name of her father, the minister thanked the farmer and his wife
for all their kindness to Mary and her father. He begged of them to be
father and mother to her who had no longer any parents.