Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-09-12

with new sense oi pleasure.
And So it was that Sunday never came
to jacob Long us day oi rest. He was
not. rs we have said. what is called II re.
ligious man. But he had respect for sa.
cred things, and when he heard for the
first time the low, reverend voice OF his
wife uttering the words OF the very prayer
he had said kneeling nj his mothers
knee. and heard his first born repeating
the words after her. tears filled his eyes,
and floods of new aud tender emotions
swept over his heart. IL pleased him that
his wife was religious, if he was not; and
it pleased him that his children went to
church aud Sunday. school. But as for
himself he was in region of doubt and
darkness. lie sat with his face turned
away from the light The shadows Of
great concern. the pressure of I'm op.
pressive care were ever upon him. And
so he got nothing of life's sweetness. that
is given for all, il they will only accept
/ the blessing.
Jacob Long sat by the window, rs we
have seen, until the groups of church-go-
ing people had all passed. and the street
become still and lonely On table near
him Law two or three small cards--Sun-
dav school reward cards. that the chill
dren had brought home. Turning weari-
/ " f ON the window. his eyes rested upon
them. In listlcss kind OF way he
took up one of these cards, and read
Gone unto Me all We that labor and are
/ heavy ladened. and will give YOU rest"
Fer little while he held the card. then
dropped il and shut his eyes How still
and absorbed he was
"All We that labor and are heavy Ia
lencd" Over and over the sentence re-
peated itself in his thoughts.
Come unto me-" Jacob Long stared
and opened his eyes. A voice. tender
and sweet had fallen on his ears. But he
saw no one. That voice had come TO his
inner. and not 10 his outer ear. lie look
ed around the room. and out of the win
dow. His heart stirred with n strange
flutter; new sensation pervaded his
whole being.
Come unto mo and will give YOU
rest How clear the voice how tender q!
How full of divine entrcaty!
A great calm fell on his spirit.-a rev.
erent awe crept into his heart. II was
| the voice of God-of God, who two
thousand years before. had bowed The
heavens and come down TO save that
which was lost. lie had read the sweet
sentence many times in his lite, but al
ways rs something away of in the past,
and for the people of other times. But
here, and now. and just to him-poor,
humble. care oppressed John Long-it
came rs n new and special utternnce.
Come unto me, and | will give YOU
rest" Over and over he repeated the
words His soul was melted into tender
ness. calmness. like peace. such rs
he never remembered to have lclt settled
upon him
After little while he took up another
card and read. IF God ST. clothe the
grass of the field, which to-day is, and
tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he
not much more clothc you, Q We OF little
laith?"
Never had this text seemed so full OF
present truth. or OF such special appica.
lion
And now an angel began turning the
leaves in the book of mcmory-lcavcs
that had been smut Tor many years-even
from childhood, when his mother read 10
him ollen from the Book of God and in
to his mind came many passages like
these:
Take no thought, saying what shall
ye eat or what shall We drink or where
wilhal shall We be clothed? For your
Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have
need of all these things"
"Ye are OF more value than many
sparrows :" The Lord is my shepherd,
| shall not want" THE Lord is good
to all and His tender mcrces are over all
His works"
Ii was wonderful the many passages
OF Scripture that had been in early years
in his book OF memory, and which now,
as an angel turned the leaves, became
visible to the eyes of his mind, and gave
him hope. and strength, and comfort.
A new revelation came to him. 1t was
this: That God really cared for him; for
poor Jacob Long, who was nothing in
the eyes of the world. What Il sweet
peace flowed into his troubled heart,
flooding it with tenderness! How or
why it all was he did not know. for he
had never understood The meaning Of
that Scripture which says: ''ln the be-
ginning was the Word. and the Word
,Oas God :" and he did not know that
when portion Of that divine Word was
in his thought, God was nearer 10 his
conscious life, and so could help and
comfort him.
He ielt the blessing of the Divine pies
ence, though he understood not how it
was
When Mrs. Long came home from
church with the children. Jacob was Sit
ting by The window. as she had left him.
She saw change the moment her eyes
rested on his face. IL had not been so