Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-01-21
Waiting to be Gracious.

Some years since family moved to the
west. They secured piece of land and
began to make them a home As years
passed, that home assumed shape and ac-
quired beauty, and the wild land became
rich farm. Beyond their expectation even,
they prospered in all they undertook. Among
the few books taken with them from their
former home was the old family Bible
They had never used it much before they
used it even less now. 1t was kept on the
stand at first; but in the small house it
proved to be in the way, and was moved
from place to place, till at last it was thrust
upon an old shelf over the door of the cabin.
When they entered their "new house" the
Bible was put away with many other things,
"too good to leave behind, but not of much
use." Many years had passed, and one Of
their children was sick. For many days
they watched by the bedside. At last the
doctor said, "To.night will be the crisis.
As she passes it, so will she live or pass
away" 1t was a fearful night. Most peo
pie know of some such night-a night never
to be forgotten. Hour after hour those pa
rents waited. Midnight had passed, and
the clock had struck one, and still no change.
At length mother said al cannot bear it
any longer. feel that we must pray and
ask God to help u.s." "But | have not
prayed for years-not since was boy at
home. And our Bible; do not know that
we have any," 81 think can find it." She
went and sought the Book, which for years
had been an ncumbrance. She brought it
out, and they both sat down to read it. o,
how different it seemed now Passages
they had learned when children now glowed
with brightness. How rich how comfort
;n0 boy, uopJarful II uas II oaaua1 oc
if God was right there with them, and talk
ing to them. For long while they read
on, and at last knelt down and prayed as
they never prayed before. They did not
pray for the life of their child. but for them
selves that God would heal them. And God
heard them, and that night Of sorrow was
turned into a morning of Joy. To their
bliss, their child awoke in the morning re-
freshed, and from that began to recover. 1t
has seemed to me that that Bible illustrated
the grace of God. How patiently it had
waited for its time TO speak For fifteen
years it had been neglected. 1t had been
thrust from its place again and again. There
was not room for it in the house. 1t was
never spoken of but in Jest 1t was never
looked at but to find for it more obscure
place. But it never murmured when thrust
aside, and when it was reviled it reviled not
again. AT last its day came, the heart
opened, and it was ready to speak and to
bless How it waited to be gracious How
ever after it blessed that home, filling the
place it had waited to fill these many years
We sometimes think our work is wasted be-
cause no results appear. We put Bible in
a careless home, and it is thrust aside on
some out-of.the-way shelf and is never read
"a waste of effort and of money" one says
But by-andby God touches the heart, and it
yearns for guidance. Then the patient word
comes forth to comfort and TO help. We
teach boy in Sabbath-school. He seems
needless of all our words, and at length goes
from us as Indifferent as ever. But years
after the Lord quickens him, aud the seed
we planted springs up and brings forth fruit
So patiently waits the grace of God. All
his influences wait their time and then en-
ter the heart and bless. While we are re-
jecting or distrusting his grace, he is pa
tiently waiting to be gracious. However
long men delay, when they come and ask
him, he "giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not"