Chapter XII

IN the early spring of this year a young man a connection of the family, who was engaged in business in Philadelphia, was taken with hemorrhage, and, having no relations in that city, was invited to Tswedelle until he should have gained sufficient strength for the long journey to his distant home.

Alice, although but slightly acquainted with him, knew of him as gay and worldly, seeming to care only for a merry life in this present world, without a thought of one to come. He was much laid on her heart in prayer as soon as she heard that he was to become an inmate of Tswedelle, and, almost immediately after his arrival, she sought an opportunity of presenting the gospel to him.

She found that the Lord had been preparing the way, and that he was ready and anxious to talk on the subject, desiring, more than anything else, to know what he must do to be saved. Although very reserved, he opened his heart freely to Alice, and she said that she had never in any one seen such deep conviction and sorrow for sin. At first he could see nothing but his own sins; but gradually, as she dwelt on the i glad tidings,’ that ‘Jesus Christ died to save sinners,’ his eyes were opened to behold ‘the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world,’ and ere two weeks had elapsed he could rejoice that he had found a Saviour who was ’ able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.’

How little Alice’s friends imagined, as they saw her daily performing all the many kind and thoughtful attentions which are so much needed and appreciated by an invalid, that before another spring-time came they would be performing the same for her, who was now the light and joy of the household. It seemed to be her greatest pleasure to minister to the wants or by her ready sympathy to lighten the sorrows of others. She would often steal away from the parlour, even when the company of dear friends from a distance made it a real sacrifice on her part, that she might by her cheerful conversation and reading of the Scriptures enliven what would otherwise have been the many weary hours of her invalid friend. He was much strengthened and settled in gospel truth by this constant intercourse with one who had long known and proved the faithfulness of the Saviour of sinners, and who rejoiced from a full heart to speak of Him to others.

This young man died some months after reaching his home, in the full confidence of faith in Jesus.

To M. M. J.

“Tswedelle, June 18, 1S66.

“My Dear Little M, —

... “Alas, the hurry, hurry of Tswedelle is still the same as ever! We are so busy all the time, that it don’t seem as if we have half a chance to settle down and enjoy Annie.

“Saturday we had a children’s party, which went ofT finely, and all the children seemed to enjoy it very much, but it pretty well tired out the old folks.

...” Don’t neglect to pray that our visit to

P may be blessed to us all, and that we may be

comforted and strengthened in our heavenward journey by being together.”...

Dear Alice found her great strength for service in the closet, in communion with her Divine Master. To Him she took all her cares and troubles, as well as her daily needs, and she always found rest for her aching head upon His bosom. It is to be regretted that she did not note down some of these more intimate communings in the form of a journal, but her life has left a fragrance to all those who knew her intimately which words can never describe.

Hers was a thoroughly active, busy life, always occupied for others, never thinking of self. God gave her in an eminent degree what she often used to pray for —

“A heart at leisure from itself,
To soothe and sympathise.”

She was seldom thrown with any one for any length of time without speaking personally of religion, endeavouring to find out whether they were living in the present possession of eternal life. She always laid the matter first before the Lord, asking Him to open the door, and her prayers were often wonderfully answered. Even when the person addressed seemed entirely indifferent to the solemn warning or the

p gospel message, the word spoken in the name of Jesus would often, like bread cast upon the waters, be found after many days.

A coloured servant boy, whom she had taught of Jesus, was converted some time after leaving Tswedelle to join the navy.

He always retained a most affectionate remembrance of Alice’s interest in his eternal welfare, and, among many other expressions of gratitude, he thus writes to her in the fall of this year: —

“I am so glad that you spoke to me about the love of Jesus Christ. When I first came on board this ship, I tried to banish the thought of Jesus from my memory, but there was one Christian man who spoke to me, and asked me if there was not some one who had taught me to love Jesus.... Miss Alice, I have often wondered how it was that preachers have ofttimes talked to me on that subject, but they never made any impression on my mind, and no one ever did but you. When you first mentioned it, I thought that all my sins looked me in the face.... Oh, if you had not spoken to me, I was on the road to ruin, and I can never repay you for it. Ever since those evenings when you spoke to me I have always thought that if by giving up my life I could repay you, I would do it.”

About the 1st ot 7th mo. Alice accompanied her sister Annie and family as far as Boston, on their way to St John. From there she went to Salem and Pittsfield, to visit some friends.

“Salem, July 6, 1S66.

“My Dear S , —

...” What a comfortable feeling it is that He is arranging everything for us. It brings such a quietness with it, such a calm to the restless spirit.

O S! what would we do without this confidence

in Jesus? He may not, He does not always arrange things as we should have wished, but He doeth all things just right, and that is better, far better. And although our poor, weak hearts may not always rejoice in it now, because we cannot see or realise it, we shall hereafter, praising Him eternally. Oh, to say with the Psalmist, ‘I will praise the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth! ‘I feel like praising the Lord to-night, but I do not always feel so. I have been asking Him to keep me always praising Him, for I am sure this is what He wants, or He would not tell us to do it.”

“Pittsfield, July 23, 1 866.

“My Dear S , —

“It was a very warm morning upon which I started from Salem, and I was filled with not a few misgivings; I always dread going among strangers, and this was so entirely an untried field. However, I thought of the strong arm I had to lean upon, and of His sweet words, ‘My strength is made perfect in weakness,’ and so seated myself in the cars for Pittsfield in a quiet frame of mind, prepared to see all that was to be seen, and bear all the dust and heat in as philosophic a manner as possible.

“The ride to Springfield was just as warm and uncomfortable as it well could be. Then we began to enter a beautiful mountain district, and the three hours’ ride from there was fully worth all the discomforts of the first part of the journey. The views which we had were lovely, as we wound round amongst the hills, and by the banks of little streams, now swiftly gliding through a fertile valley, surrounded by hills, and now dashing through a gorge in the mountains, to come out on the other side to still more beautiful views beyond.

“I wish I could describe to you the perfect beauty of a thunder-storm coming up among the mountains; but it is useless for me to begin. These lovely scenes make me long so to have the power of giving some faint idea of them to those I love, who cannot see them.

“But I must go back to my story, and tell you how kind the clouds were to me on the day I was speaking of. They came up in great rolling masses about noon, and not only shielded me from the great heat of the sun, but, by casting their ever-varying shadows upon the valleys and mountain sides, gave a perfect charm of light and shade that I enjoyed intensely. At last, just as we entered the beautiful valley in the midst of which Pittsfield is situated, we could see, miles away among the mountains, the black thunder-clouds rolling toward us, first enveloping one, then another in its darkness, while the valley in which we were was still smiling in the bright sunlight. For the first time in my life I saw the effect which Bierstadt gives in his ‘Storm in the Rocky Mountains.’ It was almost too aggravating in such a scene not to be able to stand still, but to be whirled along, whether you would or not, at the same headlong speed.

“A few minutes more and we were in the midst of the shower, and almost at the same time we stopped at Pittsfield. The change was so sudden that I stood like one bewildered for a moment on the platform.

I did not expect to find M or L out in such

a shower, so called a hackman, and committed my check to his tender care, telling him that I wanted to

go to Dr R ’s, upon which he replied that the

doctor was looking for me, and in a minute brought a pleasant-looking gentleman, who very politely and heartily welcomed me to Berkshire.

“In a few minutes more we were before the door of the ‘Pill-box.’ The sun looked out just then, and I thought it was about as pleasant a place as I have seen. The house is situated on a broad street, lined on both sides with elms, and a broad strip of velvet grass between the road and sidewalk, which I think is one of the prettiest features of many New England towns.

“Saturday we had a splendid drive among the mountains to Windsor Falls, about six miles from here. We had lovely views all the way, and enjoyed our ramble through the woods to the falls very much. They are picturesque and beautiful. We then drove through the Gulf, a wild gorge in the mountains, which brought us out on the top of a hill, where we had a fine view of old ‘Grey Lock, which is the king of the mountains hereabouts; indeed Dr R says it is the highest point of land in

Massachusetts.”

“TSWEDELLE, September 26, 1866.

“O S! how kind our Heavenly Father is!

Why can’t, why don’t we trust Him more, and not be afraid? ... I guess all Christians find that when the joy of earth first leaves them, the joy of their religion seems also to be shadowed. But it is out of just such battles that our real appreciation of God’s peace grows. I do wonder if any one has ever satisfactorily expressed the difference between the first fresh joy of the buoyant gushing childhood in the Christian life, and the deep, inexpressible joy of those who have been tried in the fire, yet have found in Jesus more than even their most sanguine dreams had pictured, and yet so different. He is so very good, and gives so bountifully of His good things. He does not take us through dark places for nothing, it is always to bring us into brighter regions above.”

“TSWEDELLE, Jan. I, 1 867.

“My Dearest Annie, —

“All my letters lately have begun with excuses for not having written before, but this shall not, although I might tell thee of all the letters I have had to answer since Christmas.

“This is the first day of a new year, and I have made several resolutions, differing, I hope, essentially from those I used to make and break right away when I was a child, because made in my own strength. How true it is that the Christian’s vital breath is prayer!

“I have been refreshed lately by reading ‘Mary, the Handmaiden of the Lord, by the author of ‘The

Schonberg-Cotta Family.’ It is sweet. I think the little sermon she preaches on that part of the angel’s message to Mary, ‘The Lord is with thee,’ is as lovely as anything I ever read. She says our Christian growth depends on our realisation of God’s presence. To live in His presence consciously is the one thing that will keep us or make us heavenly-minded. I do so long to be more heavenly-minded, don’t thee?

“I have been spending every other sixth day night

with A. S, in order to attend some meetings for

young Friends. I wish I could tell thee all about them. I enjoy A. S so much, she is such a satisfactory Christian. She is so entirely devoted, and full of love and zeal for the cause of truth, that it seems impossible to be with her without catching some spark of the heavenly fire.

“I promised H. W. S that I would make her

a visit as soon as our Sunday-school closed for the winter, and now that it is satisfactorily wound up with a festival, which went off very nicely on Christmas day, I feel at liberty to go to-morrow....

“I wish I could have peeped in upon you on Christmas morning to see the opening of the stockings. Our children enjoyed themselves exceedingly. We were too busy to make them a tree, so Frank went out and got a little one of his own, and arranged it himself for his ’ little sisters,’ and although it was, of course, a rather crude affair, still I do believe they all enjoyed it more then any we ever made for them. I advise thee to try it. Let them do it themselves, and it is very little trouble, as you have no character to sustain in the matter. The tree must be small, so JET. 27.

that they can reach, and they feel so proud of their work when it is done. But I hope to see thee before another Christmas...” A happy New Year to all.

“Thy own loving

“Alice.”