The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-05-15
Aunsehpla aEntas.
AMONG OLD NAMES.

shawl around her shoulders.
Are you cold?" asked Miss Harold, look
ing up from her writing.
Yes, my heart is cOldY am discOur-
aged. I never was discouraged 10 all my
life before. / feel like crying out, What
good is my life to me cannot see even
the beginning Of the work desired to do
feel as if the wish to do good in the way l
have hoped and planned and prayed for were
continually thwsrted. think that God
must mean for me to give up and do some
thing else. will take the first opening that
presents ITSELF
Miss Harold wrote on as if she had moth.
ing to say.
Just now asked God to give me word
Of cheer, but when I opened the Bible to find
it, all could see was that long list Of names
in the FIRST chapter of Matthew. turn else
where, bat somehow, my fingers Will stray
back and rest on this. never do read these
genealogical records; they never mean any
thing at all to me"
Miss Harold dropped her pen. Suppose
we look over it together; if you are hungry
for His word, He will not let you 90 away
empty" Miriam hstles5ly reOpened her
Bible, Miss Harold found the place in her
own Bible, locking as if her mouth were sail
made up" for something good.
"See, Miriam, she began brightly, cit is
the list of those who came before Christ could
come into the world! All this had to be be.
fore chapter second. If there were any dis
couragements in chapter first, let Us see if
we can End them. Il begins with faithful
old Abraham, the man who crossed the
river; who went out not knowing why nor
where, who waited, waited, oh how he wait
ed hoping against hope, for the promise
that he knew was sure. And when it came,
after all that hopeful waiting, God asked him
to destroy it with his own hand. 1t must
have seemed then as if Gods plan we're some
what confused ?"
Miriam was beginning to listen.
"Then Isaac begst Jacob. Do you for
get how Isaac waited twenty years for Jacob
and how be entreated the Lord Perhaps
be was so sure at first that he did not en-
treat. But God Keeps US waiting until we
can say Our only hope is in Thee Twenty
years is long preparation. And then Ja-
eob's long life Full of wrong doing and
repentance How good God was to let him
have bis long, lost son again, and he had him
fer seventeen comfortable and comforting
years, just the number of years that he had
him, at first, fresh from Gods heart. But
there vas a waiting time between, Miriam,
time of waiting without hope. God could
have spoken to him and told him that his
son was alive in Egypt God can speak to
as whenever He will, but lie permitted that
long bereavement He knows that We can
afford to wait for certainty. hope that
Jacob loved God while he waited, don't your
Miriam did not answer.
"And then come some people that don't
know anything about. OF course they sinned
and sorrowed, and worked and waited, they
were links in the chain and all had their or
dined work to DO. I hope they did it as
well IS they knew how, but they did not
know how as well as we do. Christ had not
said to them, Even the very hairs of your
head are numbered,
And then We come to good old Boaz and
Obedient Ruth. Naomi isn't there, but she
carried Obed in her bosom with as glad
heart as you will do your work some day.
if you DO not fret away your opportunities.
We see NaOmi's happiness, but only God |
knows the prayers she prayed when she sent
Ruth out cleaning. She knew that Christ
must come, but do you suppose that she ever
dared guess that he might come because Of
Ruth's trusting in the Lord God Of Israel
Boaz did not know that that was Ruth's full
reward. What link Rush's faith and ODE
dience make in this glorious chain And
faith and obedience are very humble things,
Miriam"
Too humble for me, sighed Miriam.
Sand then Jesse, SO proud of his sons
And then David the king, how he waited,