The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-03
The Heavenly Beauty,

Ma am, can L go in there?" said poor
little deformed girl to a genteelIy dressed
lady, as she was about entering q certain
fashionable church in the city, pulling her
gently by the dress, at the same time and
looking up most pleadingly into her face.
The lady hesitated. Such a fright was she to
look upon-her back was so crooked, her face
so sallow, her clothes so poor! But there was
such an eager woebegone look in her sunken
eyes that the lady could not repel her and
so she said: "1eS, my dear, you may; come
and go right along with me-" And she took
the poor forlorn-looking child by the hand
and led her into the church and into her
own pew. All but what a look of delight
now came over that wondering child's face,
as she gazed around that grand old church.
and took in one object of interest after an
other. This was evidently a new experience
for her, and she was drinking in influences
whose impress would never fade away. The
lady who had introduced this poor thing TO
this new scene at once conceived strange
interest in her, and felt far more than repaid
for the slight sacrifice she had made.
But the music seemed to be the chiefchar
to this little unfortunate. She sat and list
ened as if hardly knowing whether she was
in the body or out of the body. Nay, You
would have hardly known that face now, so
looked up so pleadingly and plteOusly into
the choir sang one beginning:
"And must this body diet"
to a wondrousy sweet tone Presently the
lady felt vigorous pull at her dress, and
heard the little creature at her side, in an
eager whisper, eXclaim: 80, ma'am, do you
hear that%' the big tears meanwhile rolling
down her cheeks. They were singing,
"Arrayed in glorious grace
Shall these vile bodies shina,
And every shape, and every face,
Be heavenly and divine"
In amazement the lady looked down upon
the poor little deformed girl beside her Could
it be that she really understood those words
and was as deeply touched by the thought
they contained as by the heavenly melody
with which they were expressed? As soon,
therefore, as the services were concluded, the
lady turned to the child and asked Did
you like the hymn very much, dear?''
20, yes she said quietly, very much in
deed :"
''Win you tell me why?' continued the
lady, as kindly and as alphabetically as
possible.
%" said she, turning and pointing to a
lovely woman who had been sitting near
them. you see, ma'am, am going to look
as beautiful as she up there "
"In Heaven do you mean"
"Yes, ma'am."
"And are you hoping to 90 there?'
Fixing her large eyes full on on her in
quirer with voice thrilling with emotion
She replied, "And didn't the .:.ord Jesus,
'am, die for just such crooked ones as me2'
In little more than year from that
time that same little deformed thing had
fallen asleep. So early had she exchanged
her crooked shape and wan little face for one
''all heavenly and divine" In the mean
time what word can we'll measure the CON-
fort to that poor crushed, sensitive spirit of
the hope of thus one day rising TO where
"AIrayed in glorious grace
Shall these vile bodies shine,
And every shape aud every face,
Be heavenly and divine"
Rev X. II. Howard.