"Can I find food and shelter here?" he asked, his voice tremulous with emotion.
The door was shut upon him.
It was not the cold of the piercing storm which he felt then, but the chill of an inhospitable soul. It froze the warm current of hope that, a few moments before, had leaped so wildly in his veins; and he went forth from the elegant mansion, and sat upon the ground and wept.
"O father! why did you send your child so far away to meet the harsh and cruel treatment of the world when your home abounds with plenty?"
said the weary child.
The shades of night were gathering fast. The cold, damp ground, which had been his only bed so many nights, offered a poor protection now for his weary form.
"I was contented there. Why did he send me hither?" was the questioning of his mind as he sat alone and sad.
As he was about to lay himself upon the ground, he saw light glimmering through the trees, just as the light of hope breaks on us at the moment of despair.
"I would journey thither," he said, despondingly; "but rest and shelter were denied me here. How can I hope to find it elsewhere?"
But hope whispered to his weary heart; and he arose, and pa.s.sed on.
It was a small, humble dwelling, but one in which dwelt loving hearts.
He turned involuntarily into the little path that wound by fragrant shrubs and flowers to its door, and then checked himself, as though he could not bear again a cold denial. It were far easier to feel the blast and storm than again to hear unwelcome tones fall on his ears. Despite his feeble faith, he walked to the door and gave a timid rap.
The door flew open wide, as though the hinges were oiled with love; and there stood before him a form all radiant with smiles of welcome.
She bade him enter; and the traveler, already warm with her bright smiles and words of welcome, felt a glow pervade his whole being,--a feeling new and unfelt before; for he had never, before this absence from his father"s house, known a want or woe.
Both food and shelter did the woman give unto him; and, when the morning sun came over the eastern hills, another sun of joy and grat.i.tude was shining over his hills of doubt. And when the woman turned from his warm, full thanks, and went about her daily tasks, these words came with a new life and meaning to her mind: "As ye have done it to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Years rolled away. The murmur of their deeds was like the distant rumbling of retreating clouds after a great storm.
The youth visited strange cities, saw nations at war with each other, and learned the conflict of the human soul, and how it battles in the great life which threatens to bear it down each hour. Amid all this strife and selfishness of heart, he found many that were loyal to G.o.d and Truth. He daily learned rich lessons which he would not have effaced for all the gold and pomp of earth.
The light of wisdom began to dawn. "This is the experience which my father saw I needed. Had he provided me with means with which to journey through the world, how different would have been my life! I then should have known no value of human love and kindness. O my father! I long to return to thee, and love thee as I never could have loved thee before!"
He sat weary, but not sad, by the roadside one day, thinking of his father"s love, when the sound of a traveler"s approach was heard on the road. He turned his eyes in its direction, and saw one of his father"s servants on a beautiful white horse.
"Your father bids you come," were the welcome words that fell upon his ears.
"Take thy steed," he said, "and journey quickly home: he waits impatiently for your return."
Fast over hill and dale he rode; and when day pa.s.sed from sight, leaving a jeweled sky to mark its absence, the long-absent son rode to his father"s door, and wept tears of joy upon his breast.
Together they stood, father and son, upon the Mount of Experience, overlooking all the scenes of life.
Our heavenly Father wakes us all from the slumber of infancy and helplessness, and sends us forth alone into the world to learn life"s great lessons. When we have learned them well, he sends the pale messenger, Death, to take us home. How blessed will be that reunion! With the crown of wisdom on our heads, how sweet it will be to go no more out, but dwell with him forever!
XVI.
FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY.
In one of the dark periods, when shadows lay upon the earth, a beautiful angel was sent to abide there and teach the doubting and weary of a Father"s love and care.
She found it a tedious task, and, after many years of toil, felt that she needed a helper.
"If my sister were here," she often said to the people, "she could aid you to greater efforts; for, while I seem to supply a needed element to your souls, I only half succeed in meeting your wants."
"If she is but half as good as yourself we will welcome her," answered those to whom she spoke.
"I will go for her," said Faith, one dark night, after she had been trying to rouse the people to higher states, with what seemed to her but little success. Faith was weary, and wept; and, when her tears flowed, her sister, yet in the realms of peace, by a strange law of sympathy, knew it, and ran to her father, saying, "I, too, must go to the earth; for Faith needs me."
Her parent sat awhile in deep thought, and Hope waited impatiently for his answer, which came spoken in a firm, clear voice: "We have done Faith a great wrong, I fear, in sending her alone where so much light and comfort is needed. It was too much for her. Go, Hope, and my blessing attend you."
She was overjoyed at receiving her father"s permission to join her sister; for, since Faith had gone, her beautiful home had seemed lonely.
Faith sat all night with her eyes uplifted to heaven, and, when the morning sun lit the hill-tops, behold! on its beams Hope was descending to earth.
Faith was not long in ascending the hill to meet her sister. Their meeting was full of joy.
"If my eyes had not been lifted heavenward, I should have missed you, Hope: and you must have searched a long time for me; for my journeys are far each day," said Faith to her sister.
"Keep your eyes _ever_ uplifted," answered Hope, "and you will see not only the brightness of the heavens, but also the father"s angels whom he chooses to send to your aid."
"I will," answered Faith; and ever after her eyes were raised heavenward.
They descended to the valley, hand in hand, and reached it as the people were pa.s.sing to their daily toils.
How light now seemed the labors of Faith! What a comfort it was to have Hope by her when she walked along the dreary wayside; and Hope"s bright words, how they cheered the downhearted!
"I wonder your parents ever permitted you to come to the earth alone,"
remarked an old and venerable woman to Faith, as the latter was imparting to her some truths which lay almost beyond the grasp of mortals.
"My father, as well as myself, had to learn that I needed Hope with me to make my work more perfect. We must first feel our own inadequacy before our helpers can be fully appreciated. I think she came in the right time," said Faith reverently.
"No doubt," replied the woman; "I have often heard you say that all our blessings come at the needful moment; but surely Hope looks as though she could endure the rough clime, and still rougher ways of our people, better than yourself, although I do not know what my life would have been without you."
"That was why I was sent here. I came to prepare the way for Hope. I was needed first; and now, with my sister"s brighter element, I expect to do a good work on the earth."
"A blessed pair!" exclaimed the woman, as they left her home to go to others more dark and drear.
Faith was summoned that night to the home of a widow whose only child was pa.s.sing away; for the clear, far-seeing eyes of Faith could see the soul depart and take on its heavenly form. It was a great comfort to the bereaved in hours like those to have her near.
"I wonder how we lived without her," were household words, and words which she could hear without any semblance of vainglory; for her soul was too deeply impressed with the magnitude of her mission to allow her to be elated or depressed by any remark that might be made.
Faith"s eyes followed the dying boy far into the realms of light. She wiped the mother"s tears away, and disclosed to her sight the way the soul had fled, while Hope stood by to a.s.sure her that the parting was not forever. The two tarried through the night with the mother, and when friends came to bury the dead form she had learned that "the grave is not the goal."
The sisters toiled together many years. They wove beautiful truths into the minds of the people, till the once dark condition of earth seemed pa.s.sing rapidly away. People grew trustful, and less gloomy: yet, with all the teachings of Faith, and the cheering words of Hope, they failed to exercise the right feelings at all times towards each other.