Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-12-29

Of Corinthians. rendering Il, The great
est OF these Is love" And then. az he
turned back the leaves and read the
thlrty-eighth and following psalms. Thy
hand presseth me aore. am
troubled, / am bowed down greatly
l am fallen and sore broken. FIR
sake me not o Lord o my God. be not
far from mel o spare me. that I nav
recover strength am nor ara
needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me.
thou art my help and my deliversr: make
no tarrying, o my Godr' she found her
sell joining in the petition Of II with a
wild CRY OF her heart Make no larry
ing, my Cod! she implored silently
and with all her might She remembered.
as the singing presently stirred her. the
time when she went to meeting in her
young days. she felt as II her father
were sitting beside her now: the tears
weiled into her eyes and fell over on her
cheeks And when the minister prayed
for humble and contrite spirit. and that
a sense Of the Divine Presence should 90
with them ali. she herself was praying
with him with an urgent and compelling
force.
II was only a few words that the min
lister spoke, from the verse Seek ye first
the kingdom Of God and his righteous
ness. and all these things shall be added
unto you" But Mrs. Gibson felt with sud
den conviction as II folds Of darkness had
fallen from her eyes. that AL these
things were Of no consequence before,
something infinitely beyond them She
went out at last with a strange humility
in her soul conscious that she was a child
to be instructed. 20 be led, that she was
a beggzr implOring bounty. What was
II the minister had once said about faith
as finer than reason, faith itself as evil
dence7 Yes. he had said love was the
highest; but would that highest stoOp to
her. so far as to her-old. unlovely, rebel
nous? Yet what OF that! she said swiftly;
the soul is thing OF immortal youth!
1t was a soft, close night. with an IN
usual balm and fragrance o. fallen leaves
in the air. She paused a moment inside
[ her gate. and looked up at the dark sky
I where the stars were flung out In
gauzy banner OF subdued Iuster As she
went on. a light wind came and blew
I through the mist, and as she glanced up
across the bare branches OF the elm the
/ great evening star fared out at her ike
/ the face OF a shining spirit: and to her
I excited emotion the deeps Of heaven ap-
I peared to open. and something-vas Il
Z a comforting hand laid upon her. was Il
Z that Divine Presence come TO herE-Some-
Z thing. something. was making her aware
I Of love and power and protection. as IL It
( upbuoyed her over all the CUFFS In a way
I she had never known, had never dreamed
She fen upon her knees there in the path,
hidden in the dark. Lord. know thee.
I Lord, thank thee" she cried aloud.
Mrs Gibson's face wore an unused
serenity when she went in 1t does you
/ good 70 see people" she said TO Nay.
I I think I shall go 70 prayer meeting
always now. have been shutting myself
into the dark, and all the time heaven
{ was 50 neart
Nay ran and put her arms round her
neck There are different regions OF
heaven" she said. hiding her face I
Z have been in one heaven ever since 1 be-
gan to get well For-the-the Minister
1.-THE Minister"
May cried Mrs Gibson in alarm.
I You're not in earnest, Oh. what does
| this mean, You're not going to leave
me now for all the ministers in creation
NO" said May. drawing back. laugh
ing and blushing- Only for one OF
/ them
You sha'n'tr' cried Mrs. Gibson then.
after she had pOhed the ssa-coal fire a
minute and set q rosy blaze dancing
through the room. You never shall IN
the world, This house Is big enough for
ten You shall live here with me. / VIII
keep to my own quarters. and you shall
Mt up the other rooms for yourselves in
any way you please, and | won't bother
YOU a bit or even argue any more with
him I'm feeling as II had been cured
whether it's by medicine or by miracle
the way the doctor said would be- And
III have share in the goings and COM
I ings. and In the ME and love- she cried
rapturously. "Oh. he setteth the solitary
in families. l wonder II all this happiness
is what was meant by these things shall
be added unto you? Child, what a bless
ing you are, What thing viii you be the
means o. my doing next You never
win know anything about what you have
done for me already. because l can't tall
about IT, But IL l get into heaven at last
il VIII be by holding on the skirts Of youI
garments. Do you suppose the minister
viii come to dinner to-morOw II send
round and ask him. I've something &c
say to him It's my birthday. you know
Not just my birthday on this beautiful
4 planet but the birthday Of my soul tntC
everlasting life.~-IThe Outlook