The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-03-17
The Beautiful Miracle.

1t seems so strange to me about Barbara
Randall, f" said Rose Merwin, coming in one
evening from school.
''What about Barbara ?" asked Mrs. Mer-
win.
"She is really SO different" replied Rose.
"You know she united with the church last
communion. must say l did not expect
it would do her any good.
"Does it do any one any good, ROse?"
Rose looked up quickly. "IsuppOse so, :"
she said; Sand Barbara, think, is changed
1 have watched her in school, and out She
used to get angry very easily; and think
she did not always tell the truth. Now she
is very careful, too careful, in what she says;
and if she gets angry, she keeps it to her
self"
81 do not wish you to think, Rose, that
uniting with the church changes any one,
That act is only an outward profession of a
change of heart. It's great thing, indeed,
to have heart changed; and 1, too, think
Barbara is q true Christian.
I" 1t seems almost like miracle to me, -
said Rose; "each new conversion, mean.
Isn't it miracle, mother?"
cit is certainly as near it as anything we
have nOoO, said Mrs. Merwin, "and often
reminds me of very beautiful miracle
which was once wrought
"Tell me about it, said Rose.
"There was once a golden box"
"Solid gold?" interrupted Rose.
GAN that you could see of it, outside and
in. 1t was made of fragrant kind of wood,
but entirely covered with pure gold. The
cover of the box was very beautiful. 1t
had rich border, and there were golden fig
ures of angels upon it.
"Was it large box?"
eyes, about three feet long, and nearly
two feet broad. In the box we're two large
stones with inscriptions upon them. Once
there were twelve dry rods laid up before
this box all alike. The next morning one
of these was found, not only green and
budded; but also to have blossomed and
borne fruit all in one night"
colt was Aaron's rod, said Rose; "and
the golden box was the ark.
"Yes. What was upon the lid of the ark ?"
''The mercy-seat."
Said Mrs. Merwin: "The budding, and
blossoming, and bearing of this dry rod be-
fore the mercy-seat, remind me of the change
in persons Of which we have spoken. You
see them dry, and apparently deaf. They
do not bear any fruit, and you might think
they never would. Now bring them before
the 'mercy.seat,' and what a change takes
place They spring into new life and beau
ty. Sweet blossoms of faith and hope APP
pear, and rich fruits of love, patience, meek
ness, and gentleness are seen; no wonder it
seems to US like a miracle. The rod was
laid up before the mercy-seat, and kept as
a constant reminder of Gods power, as was
the pot of mamma"
"Were these in the ark with the tables of
testimony"
"You would think SO, from what Paul
says in Romans 8: 4. But I do not find
any place in the Old Testament where it is
said that the mamma and rod were in the
ark; and in two places it is said, There was
nothing in the ark but the testimony Paul
also tells US thatit was golden pot in which
the mamma was kept. He must have had
special revelation of this, as 1 do not think
the Old Testament tells us what kind of pot
it was. But this does not make any differ
ence with regard to the miracle"
Rose looked very thoughtful. She was
thinking whether she was yet rod without
any signs of this precious life, and a strong
wish sprang up in her heart that she too
might be changed, and gladden. all about her
by her sweet blOssoming and pleasant fruit |