Year: 1876

in her; but she commanded her voic'


and answered steadily:


"Tbey are open, William. The whole


room is full of light"


Mary, I caunot see; the times come;


l am alone in the darkness"
"Not alone, my love-" she cried, in


passion Of grief and pity and tenderness


Then she went and sat down beside


him on the bed, and drew. his head to


her bosom, and comforted him just as


she was wont to comfort her children
After a time her tender caresses, her


soothing tones, seemed to have healed


his bruised, tortured heart He lifted


up his head and kissed her, bis first
from out the darkness in which he must
abide, and then sent her away. I think
every soul standing face to face with an
untried calamity longs to be for space
alone with its God.


Three hours after that the church
bells rung. and as usual, the minister
and his wife walked out of their dwell
ing, save that new he leaned upon her
arm. In that hour Of seclusion be had
made up his mind what to do. They
walked up the familiar way; and she
left him at the foot Of the pulpit stairs
and went back to her pew in front. He
groped up the stairs; and then, rising
in his place, be spoke to the wondering
congregation:


"Brethren, / stand before you as one
on whom tho Fathers hand has fallen
heavily. | am blind | shall never
see you again in this world-you, my
children-for whose souls | have striven
so long l have looked my last on your
kind, familiar faces on this earth-see
to it that miss none Of you when my
eyes are unsealed again in heaven
Grant, Fa her, that of those whom Thou
hast given me, l may lose none"


There was not fearless face among
those which were lifted toward him, as
be stood there with his sightless eyes
raised to heaven, bis hands outstretched.
as if to bring down upon them the bless
ing for which he prayed Some of the
women sobbed audibly, but the minister
was calm. After a moment he said:


my brethren, as far as possible, the
services will proceed as usual"


Then in a clear voice, in which there
seemed to his listeners ears some un
earthly sweetness he recited the one
hundred and thirteenth Psalm, COM
meDcing:


"Out Of the deep I have called upon
Thee, oh, Lord; Lord, hear my voice


Afterward he gave out the first line
of hymn, which the congregation sung.
Then be prayed, and some said, who
heard bln. the eyes closed on earth
were surely beholding the beautiful WIS.,
ion, for be spoke as a son beloved, whose
very soul was full of the glory Of the
Fathers presence


The sermon which followed was such
a one as they had never heard before
from his lips. There was power in it, a
Fervor, tenderness which no words of
nine can describe 1t was the testimony
If living witness who found the Lord
| very present help in the time Of
;rouble.


When all was over, and be came down |
he pulpit stairs, his wife stood again at
he foot, and he took her arm and went
'ut silently. He seemed to the waiting |
congregation as one set apart and con-
ecrated by the amounting of a special
orrow, and they dared not break the
loly silence around him with common
peech.


The next afternoon a committee from
be church went to the parsonage Mrs
spencer saw them coming, and told her
husband.


at must be-" said he to her, "to ask
~ advice in the choice Of my success
or"


Il think they might have waited one
ay." she cried, with woman's impa-
ience of any seeming forgetfulness of
be claims given him by his years Of
aithful service.


The delegation had reached the door
y that time, and the minister did not
nswer her. She waited on the men
,to the study, and left them there, 60
1g about her usual task, with a heart
all of bitterness. 1t was natural, per-
APPS. that they should not want blind
but to tell him so now, to make
,e very first pang of his sorrow sharper
y their unthankfulness, it was too
'ucb.


An hour passed before they went
way, and then she heard her husbands
oice calling her. and went into the
Judy prepared to sympathize with his
prov. She found him sitting where
be had left him, with such a lock of
" and peace and thankfulness upon I
is face as she had never expected to
se it wear again.