Year: 1873

4
| dignant resistance seemed reused within
her, when, once more softening his tone
he would point her with flattering words
to her own image on the broken altar
He would show her the beauty still
lingering in its marred and weather
worn feature, and help her to decorate
it with gay colOrs and tinseI ornaments,
| placing in her hands the golden censer,
with the sweet incense which had been
made in happier days for far other uses
and would wave the fragrant COM
pound before the idol image of herself.
But with the pure spicies which made it
sweet, the enemy had mixed a narcotic
poison, and as she languidly swung the
censer to and fro, her brain would be
come intoxicated with the voIuptuous
sweetness, until, in a dream of vain
delight, she would fall asleep, and for
get all her miseries; and ever, as she
slept, he would rivet faster the chain
which, unperceived by her, was being
bound around her, every year making
range of action narrower and her move
ments less free.


Wild beasts, also, made their lair in
the desolate temple-chambers, prowling
in and out where formerly meek and
heavenly beings had ministered, and
making the shattered walls echo with
their loud howls and sulIen roarings,
where once had sounded strains of pure
and joyous music.


Thus day by day the ruin spread, and
the desolation and desecration became
more complete. But it happened one
spring that two little singing-birds came
back from the sunny cline where they
had wintered, and began building their
nest above the ancient altar. There
was something in the spring time which
often brought tears to the eyes of the
fallen priestess, she scarcely knew why.
The world seemed then like one happy
temple full of thankful songs and as,
day by day, the sun repaired the ruins
of winter, and the choral services of the
woods took a fuller tone, on her heart
there fell the mournful sense of the
ruins around her, which no spring-tide
could restore. Yet something of a softer
feeling, melancholy which breathed of
hope, stole over her, as she watched
those two happy birds building their
nest, and warbling as they worked.


At last, the nest was finished, the
happy mother-tiri sat on her eggs, and
the pair had much leisure for con-
fidentia1 conversation.


Chow desolate this place is p said
the mother-bird.


''And it was once. so beautiful" re-
piled her mate.


"Why is not rebuilt? she asked.


"NOne can rebuild but the Hand that
built" was the mysterious reply.


"But would not the Architect come if
asked? He is so good. Was it not He
who taught us to build our nest? and I
am sure nothing can be better done than
that"


"That is the difficulty, was the reply.
"The priestess does not know He is so
good, and is afraid to utter His name.
If she only called Him, He would
come"


els He near enough?"


"He is always near"


care you sure?" said the mother
bird. 'eWhat can we do to help her ?"


''I do not know" replied the mate,
except it is to sing His praise. Per-
haps she may listen, and understand
one day how good He is"


SO all the spriug the little happy
creatures chirped and sang, until the
nestlings were fedged, and the whole
family few away.


But their songs had penetrated deep
into the priestess's heart. And one
night, when the enemy was absent, and
the wild beasts prowling far away, she
threw herself on the earth before her
desecrated altar, and lamented and
wept. But for the first time her lamen-
tations, instead of solitary, hopeless
wailings, echoing lack from the ruined
walls, became broken cry for help.


"Thou, if Thou art indeed so good
if Thou art indeed near, come and help
me-" she sobbed; ''repair my ruins, and
save me-"


And for the first time, as she wept and
implored, she felt the weight of her
fetters binding hand andfoot, and, clasp
ing her chained hands, she cried more
earnestly, "Come and set me freer


And before the day dawned a voice
came softly through the silence


al will come.


But with the morning light how bitter
was the sight which burst on her aching
eyes! All had been as desolate long
before but she had never seen it as she
saw it now. Noisome beasts, which
prowled fearlessly around her; skulls
and CHASTITY skeletons OF their murder
ed prey strewn about; on the ground
the broken, rusted harp; on her hands
the heavy chain; and, worse than ali,
the door she had opened to the enemy
ever open, and inviting his approach !


Too surely he came. He Knocked her
hope until it appeared baseless as a
dream and nothing seemed real but the
ruin to which he scornfully directed her
gaze, and the chain which now, for the
first time without concealment, he held
up triumphantly, dragging her by it to
every corner of the polluted and ruined
temple, to show her how complete and
hopeless the ruin was. Then drawing
the links tighter than before, so that
they CALLED and wounded her wrists, he
led her to the image of herself, which
he had adorned. and 1,ajnfed and so