“And thou of gentle spirit,
Not formed for earth's fierce fight,
May yet be Christ's brave soldier,
And honored in His sight.”
WE may be sure the letter from home was a great disappointment. Lizzie, like many who have just tasted the joy of knowing the forgiveness of sins, thought she had only to tell her nearest and dearest of the One who had loved and given Himself for her, and they too would accept salvation as a free gift, and unite with her in thanking the Giver.
She was not one who talked much about her own joys or sorrows, so that I cannot say as a fact that I really know she cried over what must have seemed harsh and uncalled-for words of reproof; but it is quite likely that she did, and such tears are bitter ones. And yet they have their own afterward of blessing, for often, even though for a time the tear-dimmed eyes cannot see to read clearly the purpose of an all-wise and loving Father, another page of life's lesson book has been turned by the One whose own words are, "I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit." (Isa. 48:1717Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. (Isaiah 48:17).)
Perhaps one lesson Lizzie was to learn through her disappointment was that no power but that of the Holy Spirit can really bring a soul to Christ. I think I almost hear some one saying, "Then I cannot come to Him, for I do not feel that a power outside myself is drawing me to Him.”
Stay a moment, dear one, before you run off to your lessons or your play, and please do not be vexed with an unknown friend for telling you that you are without excuse, for the desire, however faint it may be, to know the Lord Jesus as your own trusted Savior is the tender, gracious whisper of that Spirit, an echo of the voice that once spoke on earth, but is, through the written word, speaking from the glory now, saying, "Come unto me.... and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28).)
Another lesson Lizzie had to learn was that, while she still owed a child's duty of obedience and affection to her father and mother, she was as a child of God brought into a new circle with new affections and new relationships.
The remaining weeks of her stay at Reading passed rather slowly, but they were not unhappy ones, for through her opportunities of meeting with Christians older and better taught in divine things than herself, her Bible seemed like a new book, and prayer was a great comfort and delight.
At last the day fixed for her return came, and in her longing to look once more on the dear faces of her friends, she forgot for a moment that she was not returning to her father's house exactly the same Lizzie who had left it only a few months before. The welcome she received was much less warm and cordial than she had expected, and it must have been a real grief to her affectionate heart to find that her father, whom she loved and honored greatly, was gravely displeased with the public way in which she had confessed her faith in Christ; and before many days had passed she was plainly told that except she gave up what were called her "absurd notions" she could not be allowed to remain at home.
Lizzie was sadly distressed. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right" (Eph. 6:11Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)) was, she saw, a very plain teaching of her much-loved Bible, but even this duty must not be allowed to interfere with faithfulness to Christ. She prayed much to be rightly guided, and the good great Shepherd who had been caring for her all along inclined the hearts of some of His own to offer to teach her the straw bonnet business, with a view to her afterward taking charge of a workroom in which a number of girls and young women were employed.
The offer was accepted, and with tear-filled eyes Lizzie said good-bye to the home of her childhood, never again to be more than a passing guest or casual visitor under her father's roof. And yet it was not alone that the young disciple went forth to suffer or to serve. Her Bible would be still her companion and guide, and from its pages the Holy Spirit was free to take precious gems of encouragement and counsel and make them in a new and very blessed sense her own. So she could look up and repeat faith's whisper and say, "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." (Psa. 27:1010When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. (Psalm 27:10))