National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-02-01


of torture they had been too, she
had turned with horror from her
past. and had sought to repent.
think our sympathy is due more
to this class of unfcrtunates who
try to repent, than to those who are
careless of their future. There is
no mercy for penitents Of this kind
beneath the skies We make the
crime objectionable ; and refuse to
believe in Magdalene's sorrow or
longing after purity. We hold up
our hands in holy horror when she
approaches us. We go to church,
and pray for the blessing of the
meek and lowly Saviour, thanking
him that we are g not as other men
are :" and, when he tries us by
testing our love for our errng neigh
Dor, we kick her back INTO the gut
ter from which she seeks to rise,
with Get thee gone | am ho-
lier than thou" But are we holier
than God, who f0rgave the Magda
lene of old, and whose ear is still
open to their cry!
Mrs. Lee found the parsOn at
home, and soon stated her mission
to him. The old man heard with
surprise, and when she had finished,
he said with fearful eyes,
:. God bless YOU. Mrs. Lee! |
wish all my people were like YOU
The next day, fortified with the
approval of the gooC parson. the
widow told Lizzie Hammond that
she had decided to keep her herself
if she would promise to do right.
and that if she wished to amend her
life she would always find a friend
in her. At first the Young woman
would not hear of it : but ParSon
Deanc came over during the fore
noon. and talked with her. and the
matter ended by Lizzie Hammond
making her home with Mrs. Lee.
and promising to be a better wo
man.
OF course there was cOmmOtlon
among the sanctiiicd brethren and
sisters in the village when tins be-
came known. They wondered how
Mrs. Lee could tolerate such crea-
turc. They would have sent her
back to life OF sin. and have
thought they were doing God ser
vice 10y it. Some Of them went so
far as to demonstrate with her about
keeping :. such a woman in her
house: but the widow quietly and
firmly reminded them she was sup
posed to De the best Judge of her
own business. Once Lizzie told her
she thought she had better 90 away.
that she did not wish her to offend all
hrr friends ion the sake OF one SO
unworthy.
:. Stay where YOU are, dear" was
the calm reply. = had rather lose
them than YOU should go away
They viii come over to my way OF
thinking some day"
1t was some time before the eX-
citement in the village ceased, and
then it 5lazed up airesh when liz
li,s anoeared at church with Mrs.
~ II
Lee. A committee was appointed
to rotest against the = outrage" as
they called it but Parson Deane
silenced them 10y asking if they dar-
ed to shut the doors OF Gods house
on any uncr They felt the re-
proacl and they effected compro'
mise between their so-callcd dig
nifty" and their conscienceS by treat
ing Lizzie with cool disdain.
However. che sad woman did not
care for this. She was honest and
sincC%c in her repentance, and was
happy to have such true friends as
Widow Lee and rarSon Deane. y
wear passed away. Lizzie was tax
en- sick. and III Il few months was
laid in the grave. She died full OF
hope and peace, blessing those who
had saved her.
Parson Deaue did not let the oc
casion pass unimproyed and ht
sent his hearers away from the
church the Sunday after the burial
with keen sense that they had
done all in their power to destroy q
fellow-creature's soul, and that the
love of God and their nclghbol
: dwelt not within them.