Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-06-23

a.r .ss va; ioys were thine!
From lions Herald.
TAe Triumph OfGraee.
BY REV. Il. Il. HOWARD
u1 .ue of ny charges many wears ago. in
.riaern Vermont, was poor sick girl.
$40 hal been hOpeiessly bed-riiden for
.lr-- In the very flower and heyGay Of
l,h. this girl had been smitten down.
tsi7, hearty, buoyant, joyous, she was one
brought in out of the warm, life-giving
-.a-aine, and laid down upon bed Of
lrine,s and pain, there to remain through
-.ry p weary year until, at length, she
ID be removed from it by death.
>lc lived at some distance from the vii
s-.. on a rough hillside, and almost within
-.-ng distance Of the Green Mountains.
N.s tay-it was a delightful day in early
--umer-l wended my way over there. /
---er dreaded to enter that sick-chamber
r any spectacle Of suffering is especially
.-1tuI TO me but what was my surprise
.l,ering that sick-room TO find that | was
-le presence, not Of signing, sorr0wing
a.i, 5ut Of q serene, radiant, literally
e-4tlal saint. She was nearly helpless,
-ll SD penetrated was her body with disease
t.-- She could not be moved without under
1S the most excrueiating pain, and per-
st- iainting quite away. Indeed, if re-
member correctly, she nearly tainted once
twice while | was present and yet, for
a. this. she seemed 10 be constantly on the
au,ain-tOp OF JOY in the presence Of God.
By 1er side lay a small copy of the New
testament, well-thumbed and marked She
sHew Is promises by heart, and rehearsed
-aem with a sort Of seraphic feryor, and elo-
.-ynle, aa4 power. An, reader, how easy
3. sing and pray IN such a place To my
SD. u was the very gate Of heaven. Al
most could We hear the angels say. Take
l-w tiny shoes from of thy feet, for the spot
10 which thou standest is holy ground" "
Ills was eleven wears ago this season.
Having removed from the State, had lost
ID. trace Of this interesting invalid. Often
lIl | wondered whether she were indeed
sill. in the land Of the living, or hether
ts good Lord had removed her TO where
the weary are at rest Some months
-uce met n mutual friend on the cars near
hIst0n. and | made haste TO inquire concern
- this former and s0rely afflicted parish
lucr. lie informed me that she was still
living that having been recently in Yer
mont, he had taken pains to pay her a visit
That she remembered me with interest, and
would be glad 10 hear from me- He ex-
.-essed a strong desire that | should com
alnicate with her, assuring me that | would
likely to hear from her il return. | re-
-lmheTei that once. when sitting by her
.el-ile, had said, Dear sister, these days,
"a weeks, and months, and years, must
-1I very slowly, and drag their weary weight
NJ most heavily to YOU
"Oh, no, - said she, with radiance of ex-
tre-sion shall never forget, They fly
witty and ever more and more swiftly
away"
was deeply interested to know whether
tae years with her were still on wings, or
were beginning to hang heayily-how faith
aud grace were holding out. | wrote, there
i1c The following is the answer. 1t is
worthy Of being put on immortal record in
tie annals of the literature of Christian "a
tencc, fJrtitude and tribulation. To the
honor Of our holy religion, and as an inspira-
Son of grace to every patient, believing suf-
lerer, venture to give this testimony tc
the public
WEsIFoRD. VT, Nov. p, 1873.
DEAR BEo1HsR Il; Ii isa task Tor me 70
.-fta letter, and seldom attempt it; but will
.r you Few lines. Jesus helping me.
ur letter reached me in safety, and received
hateful welcome. II was very pleasant 10 me L
.eira thar, thou. .h so many years had passed since
Ne tst met, was still remem bered BY you May
ile Lord re ward you tor your kind thoughtfulnesi
v- -.ug me!
IS nee on LEFT VI have constantly lain OF
-y INT side, without power even for moment tC
have my position changed to rest my tired
--sl. out through Il all my precious Jesui
.as wen ne sweet willingness 10 lie stiI
.- d 10. SIX years ago last spring lost poWel
-e44.ow syl.d food. and year ago last summe
4 o. FIa4r ItI. q
s-- nom that time / have lived BY rubin.
le-rshlleut on the roof Of Iay mouth with my
tL-er. 1t Is rather tedious way 10 live, but e.
-lin better than to die OF starvation: That trla
-ls. Indeed yet come; but Il it does. know Jesus
We. make ME willing 10 bear II Tor Him.
wu years ago last summer lost my speech
ile greatest trial God EVER sent upon this poo
.1y .or me 70 beari but lie has given me grse'
i.--sutl,ent Tor the trial thus Tar, and know ID
So Co the end. lie has promised grace suincien
every trial, ana that promise IS 60 true. nav
1aay times cen brous hit down very low, have hat
---a suGering 10 bear, and at the close OF eaci
ttl- AN Ie,t little nearer the river than the ast
Ht. am So humesick for heaven and sometime
-l.trr luysel! that long Jesus vii! bear me Z
--- othcr shore. long TO 10 where can spear
us e.ar name once more and see Him iAe
Acu, and be forever with Him. Yet
s.l-i he permit ii, not for an instant would
Ll4k ~ taking my cholce, whether TO 20 or stay
4~aut n 70 10 do icih me and for me just HnA
o.. he most OF HIS honor aud glory. Jesus la
much 90 J. ty and forgive in me, and yet ne nete
4g- Ii . dear face from me, constantly ieeI ths
A- is bending over my pillow, and that MS ueA
AIMS 50 tendeTly supporting me. IL is NOT oe
cause ata worthy that he is SO near, but becaus
lie such d pitying, loving Saviour. reslli
u.-u and more that AN all unworthiness. Ma!
l4k sou somet mes pray Tor me p 90 not ask tba
nay bear ane pam trial less, but that ma.
awe Jesus more and serve Him better. No on
v.tr painted after higher sttainments in the CnIl'
Ran lie more ierventy than do, but iaI Ia
t.lst orghat many enjoy. 1t sometimes seems a
o. III ! had hardly tAken the hTst step upHArd
-,l-ls are tar IN advance Of me in tue Christla
-.e. know l rest fully in Jesus, but my espaclt
VIM Do al
IttsLes me so long to write letter, that dat
ay letters when l Commerce, and then again a
Yours in Jesus.
HATTIE L. l.
s.t-rlIg, Dec. Il, ls75."
II will be perceived BY consulting the date
at the beginning and end OF this letter tina
same;hing like two weeks were consumed Il
writing 1t. 1t was written slowly and pam
t-4y. sentence bv sentence, line by line
wlri bv word. Yet consider how, from be
ginning to end, it sings like psalm OF praise
song. Of victory, r@an, shout OF triumph
IN anthem Of devout Thanksgiving and hsT
Gy halelniahs Can any one read this te'
umluv, and ever again repine at the appoint
neu,s of his lot ? What like such an e1
ample as that of the power of divine grac
O. demonstrate TO the most obstinate unD'
Lief, the most inveterate and imperviou
wJridiy-mindedness, the singular, TRANSCEND
eut ex1ellency and efficacy Of that Uospe
always declared, and ever proving Itself
be the power of God unto salvation.
Let no; the glory of this experience oil u
Iltieut sufferer quite eclipse the divine beaut
Of the example of the patient WORKER
Memory brings to my mind, as write, n
services of Younger sister of this inyall'
who was as faithful in her attentions to II
sick one as could have been an angel fro
heaven. An angel, indeed, she was Que
unobtrusiye, saying but little, she cheeriu
y sacrificed everything-the pleasures
socieiy, all popular amusements,. al ~ n'
Plans of study and her contemplated III
work, and devoted herself, with the mo
patient and uurenitting assiduity. to the
.eyiation of the sufferings Of this elder sis.e
IAi> is an instance of one of those suoliH
lerolsns that escape the observation oil me-
o1t not Of the angels. Gods eye Is ups
every one Of them, and the time Will con
When lie will crown every such suffering
''l.lng hero with glory that shall as !
Oaishlne that Of priests, and even Bisnol
d the hierarchies Of heaven outshine aii u
"nsel and glitter Of earth.
That was a good Detroit boy who told .
,a'her that, if he would buy him pony
L--.a