Imatges de pàgina
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"Yes," said Emily; "the Lord Jesus Christ is altogether lovely: there is no fault in him, no black spot upon his heart. You do not know, mamma, how much I love him, and how very much afraid I am of making him angry again; I am even more afraid of making him angry than I am of making you and papa angry; and I am so pleased when I feel that he loves me !"

Mrs. Fairchild. "My dear Emily, God has in his mercy brought you into a very holy and happy state of mind. Our Saviour says that we must become like little children, humble, and loving God as children do their fathers and mothers, before we can enter the kingdom of God: Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein.' (Luke xviii. 17.) May God preserve you in this happy frame!"

When Emily was well enough, Mr. Fairchild borrowed Farmer Jones's covered cart for two days; and he set out, with Mrs. Fairchild and Emily, to fetch Henry and Lucy from Mrs. Goodriche's. It was a lovely morning, at the finest season of the year; the little birds were singing in the hedges, and the grass and leaves of the trees shone with the dew. When John drove the cart out of the garden gate, and down the lane, "Oh," said Emily, "how sweet the honeysuckles and the wild roses smell in the hedges! There, mamma, are some young lambs playing in the fields by their mothers: and there is one quite white, not a spot about it! It turns its pretty face towards us! How mild and gentle it looks!"

"Who is that?" said Mr. Fairchild, "who is compared in the Bible to a lamb without blemish and without spot?"

"Ah, papa! one would think that you had heard what mamma and I were talking of the other day," said Emily. "Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb without spot, who was slain for the sins of the world."

Mr. Fairchild smiled, and patted Emily on the shoulders; after which he took out a little Bible which he had in his pocket, and read these verses :- "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" (John i. 29.) "The place of the Scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before the shearer, so opened he not his mouth." (Acts viii. 32.-"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers: but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you." (1 Peter i. 18-20.)

Whilst Mr. Fairchild was reading these verses, the cart was come alongside a wood, which was exceedingly shady and beautiful. Many tufts of primroses, violets, and wood anemonies, grew on the banks by the way-side; and as the wind blew gently over these flowers, it brought a most delightful smell. "What sound is that which I hear among the trees?" said Emily; "it is very sweet and soft."

"That is the cooing of wood-pigeons or doves," said Mr. Fairchild: "and look, Emily, there they are they are sitting upon the branch of a tree; there are two of them.'

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"Oh! I see them," said Emily: "O how soft and pretty they look! But, now the noise of the cart has frightened them; they are flown away."

"The Holy Spirit," said Mr. Fairchild, "appeared at our Saviour's baptism in the shape of a dove; to signify that those to whom the Holy Spirit comes are made holy and harmless, and innocent as doves. The Holy Spirit finds us hard and cruel, and fierce as bears and lions; but it make us gentle and lovely as

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doves. Christ says to the soul which is converted, Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes.'' (Cant. i. 15.)

By this time the cart had passed through the wood, and they were come in sight of Mrs. Goodriche's white house, standing in a little garden under a hill. This was the house (as I before said) where Mrs. Howard lived, as much as fifty years ago.

"Oh! mamma, mamma!" said Emily, "there is Mrs. Goodriche's house! and I shall see my dear Lucy and Henry in a very little time."

Just as Emily spoke, they saw Lucy and Henry step out of the house-door, and come running towards the cart. It would have pleased you to the heart had you seen how rejoiced these dear children were to meet each other. Mr. Fairchild lifted Henry and Lucy into the cart; and they cried for joy when they put their arms around dear Emily's neck.

"Oh, Emily, Emily!" said Henry, "if you had died, I never would have played again."

"God be praised," said Mr. Fairchild, “our dear Emily has been spared to us."

When the cart came up to Mrs. Goodriche's garden-gate, the good old lady came to receive Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild, and to kiss Emily; and Sukey peeped out of the kitchen window, not less pleased than her mistress to see Emily in good health.

Whilst Sukey was getting the dinner, Emily and her brother and sister went to play in the garden. Henry showed Emily some rabbits which Mrs. Goodriche had, and some young ducks which had been hatched a few days before, with many other pretty things. When dinner was ready, Mrs. Fairchild called the children in : and they all sat down, full of joy, to eat a roast fowl and some boiled bacon, with a nice cold currant and raspberry pie. When Mr. Fairchild was saying grace, he said, "Indeed, indeed, I must thank God with all my heart and soul for his

goodness to us. What blessings have we about us even in this world!" "And what blessings we may enjoy in the world to come, through our dear Saviour!" added Mrs. Goodriche.

After dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild and Mrs. Goodriche, with the children, walked as far as the wood where Emily had seen the doves, to gather strawberries, which they mixed with some cream and sugar at night for their supper. Before bedtime, Mr. Fairchild prayed, and sang a hymn; the subject of his prayer was thanksgiving to God for all his goodness and the hymn was in praise of the "Lamb without blemish and without spot." I shall copy both in this book for your use, altering only a few words.

A Prayer in Praise of God.

O Almighty and Glorious Father, who made me and all the world; and thou, dear Redeemer, who died for me; and thou, O Holy Spirit, who art always willing to come into our wicked hearts, to cleanse them and make them white; accept the praises of a poor child. Where shall I begin to praise or to speak my thanks for all thy goodness! It was thou, O Father, that madest me a little tender baby; and it is Thou who hast taken care of me to this hour. It is from Thee that I receive meat, and drink, and clothes; and that I have a house to live in, and a comfortable bed to lie down in. It is thou, O Lord, that sendest thy angels to guard me from danger in the night season, and who makest the bright sun to rise upon me every day. But above all, I thank Thee for having sent thy beloved Son to die for me upon the cross. What man is there who would give his son to die for any friend? yet thou, O Lord, gavest thy only Son to die for me, a sinful and miserable wretch, and one who by nature is the child of the devil, and at enmity with Thee! O thou

bleeding Lamb! how can I utter thy praises with these my sinful lips! Oh, thou that art all fair! Thou, in whom there is no spot! Thou, who are most lovely! I cannot praise thee now; but I desire to praise thee in heaven, where I shall be free from sin, and where I shall stand in thy presence, clothed in the garment of salvation, and clad with the robe of righteousness. There, in that blessed place, are millions and tens of millions of holy spirits, who have been washed from their sins by thy blood: there they behold thy beauty, and rejoice in thy presence. O blessed Lamb! make me one of the redeemed! draw my heart unto thee by the power of thy Holy Spirit, and fill my mouth with thy praises! Glory, glory, glory be unto God, and to the Lamb without spot; and to thee, O Holy Spirit. Praised be the holy Three in One, now and for evermore. Amen.

"Our Father," &c.

HYMN XV.

JESUS my All to heaven is gone;
He whom I fix my eyes upon :
His track I see, and I'll pursue
The narrow path till him I view.

The way the holy prophets went,
The road that leads from banishment,
The King's highway of holiness,
I'll go; for all his paths are peace.

This is the way I long have sought
And mourn'd because I found it not:
My grief a burden long has been,
Because I could not cease from sin.

The more I strove against its pow'r,
I sinn'd and stumbled but the more;
Till late I heard my Saviour say,
"Come, hither, soul! I am the way."

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