The next day was Sunday. There were several churches within easy
walking distance, and Evelyn and her guests all attended the morning
services. Toward evening they held a little Bible service of their own
on the porch, overlooking the beautiful river. Captain Raymond was, as
usual, the leader, being the oldest gentleman and the unanimous choice
of those who were to take part.
He selected the third chapter of Proverbs, and had them read it verse
about; then made a few remarks.
"'In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.'
That is a precious promise," he said; "one to plead and to rest
joyfully upon in time of doubt and perplexity such as come to all of
us. Thus leaning upon God and his promises, we may be free from care
and anxiety; content with our lot in life, because he appoints it.
'Godliness with contentment is great gain.' Lucilla, can you tell us
of a Bible saint who had learned this lesson?"
"Yes, sir," she replied, turning over the leaves of her Bible as she
spoke. "Here in Phillipians, fourth chapter and eleventh verse, Paul
says, 'I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be
content.'"
"Yes; and he teaches the same to those he addresses in his other
epistles. I see you have a passage ready, mother. Will you please read
it to us?"
"Yes," Grandma Elsie said in reply; "here in Hebrews thirteenth
chapter and fifth verse, he says, 'Let your conversation be without
covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath
said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'"
Then Violet read, "'But godliness with contentment is great gain; for
we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry
nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith
content.'"
"A Christian may well be content and joyful, even though he have but
the bare necessaries of life," remarked Grandma Elsie, "for he may
boldly say, 'The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall
do unto me.'"
"No," said Mr. Leland, "those who belong to Jesus need fear nothing;
for he will never forsake his own, and he has all power in heaven and
in earth."
"How can we know if we belong to him, papa?" asked Eric.
"If we give ourselves to him--truly, honestly, and with purpose of
heart to serve him while we have any being--he will accept us for his
own; for he says, 'Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast
out.'"
"'Then will we be Christians and follow Christ--so living, acting,
speaking that those who know us will take knowledge of us that we have
been with Jesus and learned of him,'" the captain said. "But one who
does not walk in the footsteps of Christ--striving to follow his
example and do his will--to be like him in temper and spirit, is none
of his. But if we have of his spirit, then we become with him sons of
God. He is our Brother and God the Father, both his Father and ours.
He tells us that he came to save souls. 'For the son of man is come
not to destroy men's lives, but to save them.' We must make it our
chief business to do his will and win souls for him. That is the
commission he gives to each one who professes to love him. He bids
them, 'Let your light shine,' 'Go ye into all the world and preach the
Gospel to every creature.' 'He that winneth souls is wise,' is another
Bible text. Each one of us must feel that this is his or her own work.
We are none of us to live for self, but to glorify God and save the
souls of our fellow creatures--by bringing them to Christ."
"Yes," said Grandma Elsie, "and we are guilty if we neglect to obey
our Father's commands. If we truly love him we will be very earnest
and persevering in our efforts to obey. The prophet Daniel tells us,
'They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and
they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and
ever.'"
"Grandma," said little Ned Raymond, coming to her side, later in the
evening, and looking up at the star-spangled sky, "I'd like to shine
like those beautiful stars for ever and ever. I wish I knew how to
turn many to righteousness. What's the way to do it?"
"To tell them the sweet story of Jesus and his love," she answered in
low, moved tones. "Tell them how he suffered and died that we might
live. But first you must give your own self to him."
"I think I have, grandma," he said in low, earnest tones. "I've tried
to do it, asking him to take me for his very own, and I think he has;
because, you know, he says, 'Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise
cast out.'"
"Yes, dear child, that is his own word and you need have no fear that
he will not keep it."
"But when and where and how should I tell about Jesus to others?"
"Ask him to show you when and where--to teach you what to say and do,
and help you never to be ashamed to own yourself one of his
disciples."
"Like my father," he said. "I am sure he is never ashamed or afraid to
let anybody know that he loves and serves God. I don't often hear him
tell them, but he acts it out always and everywhere."
"Yes, I think he does," said Grandma Elsie, "and it is what we all
should do. Remember Jesus' words, 'Whosoever, therefore, shall be
ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful
generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he
cometh in the glory of the Father with the holy angels.'"
There was a moment of silence; then Neddie asked:
"Grandma, do you think it was right for our soldiers in the Revolution
to hang that man for just having that silver bullet in his pocket?"
"Yes; because success in carrying such messages from one British
officer to another would probably have cost the lives of very many of
our people, and helped the British to take away our liberties."
"Oh, yes! So he was as bad as a murderer; wasn't he?"
"Very much like one, I think. War is a dreadful, dreadful thing! I
hope we may never have another."
"It's always wicked on one side, but sometimes right on the other;
isn't it, grandma?"
"Yes; when life and liberty are in peril it is right to fight for
their preservation. Especially when it is not for ourselves only, but
for our children and future generations. If our fathers had weakly
given up to the tyranny of the British Government, we would not be the
free people we are to-day."
"And it was a dreadfully hard fight for them; wasn't it, grandma?"
remarked little Elsie, who had drawn near enough to hear the latter
part of the conversation.
"It was, indeed; and our poor soldiers went through terrible
sufferings, from lack of prompt pay and proper food and clothing, as
well as from wounds and exposure to the inclement weather."
"Yes, grandma, I remember it was terribly cold when they crossed the
Delaware River and fought the battles of Trenton and Princeton; and,
oh, so hot when the Battle of Monmouth was fought!"
"I'm glad our papa and Brother Max didn't have to help fight those
battles," said Ned; "and I hope we'll never have any more wars. Don't
you, grandma?"
"I do, indeed, Neddie," grandma answered; "and I hope it may not be
long till we come to the time the Bible speaks of where it says, 'And
many nations shall come, and say, Come and let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he
will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law
shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And
he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off;
and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears
into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man
under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.'"
"What a good time that will be," said the little girl thoughtfully. "I
wish it might come soon. Don't you, grandma?"
"Yes, dear; I do, indeed!" was the sweet-toned reply.