ONE afternoon, when teacher and pupil were at their studies, Isaac appeared. In an instant books and slates were forgotten, and Rachel ran to meet him. She perceived that her grandfather had something pleasant to tell her.
At last he said, "My Rachel, would you like to bid farewell to books, and go away with me?”
This was delightful. He then turned to Caroline and told her he wished to depart the next day for the continent, and would be glad if she would accompany her pupil, to go with him. He wished for her faithful attendant, Martha, to go also.
At the stated hour all were ready, and the next day they were in Paris. This was not, however, to be the place of Isaac's destination, but Jerusalem, the city of his fathers. The more he read from his treasured volume, the more he longed to go. His purpose was to be accomplished, unlike his departed son, who set out for the earthly Jerusalem, but whose goal was the heavenly one.
Many scenes in Paris were sought out. The beautiful paintings and other works of art drew out the wonder of the little one.
They remained in this city for some time. Rachel could now speak French quite fluently, and her accent became much improved. Caroline had told her of Napoleon, and of his wonderful battles, so there were many things to be seen that interested her. She had been taken to Chislehurst, and had seen the residence of the Empress Eugenie, the widow of the dethroned Emperor Napoleon, and had also seen the little chapel, where his remains were buried. She had known one at Chislehurst who knew the young Prince personally, whose young life had come to such an untimely end. Her little childish heart had felt very sorry for the poor Empress Eugenie; and when admiring the beautiful Tuileries she wished that the dethroned Empress were still reigning in that land, feeling sorry indeed that Prince Napoleon should have died in Zululand, and left his widowed mother alone. On one occasion she had seen the Zulu king when he was in London; and although a savage, he looked a king: he had the majesty of one in all his bearing.
How many widowed hearts there are sorely bleeding! none are exempt, from the Queen to her meanest subject; and were it not for the bright prospect of meeting again, many would give way to despair. This is the case with some who know not where to resort in times of trouble, and who do not know the mighty Comforter. Those who are acquainted with Him, can speak well of His name. He comforts those who are cast down, He shields them from the fiery darts of the evil one, He hides them in His pavilion from the strife of tongues. Oh! would that many thousands more knew Jehovah-Jesus, the Mighty to save!
They visited Strasbourg and many places of note on the banks of the beautiful Rhine. On they went to Rome, and were most anxious to see the Vatican, Rome greatly interested them—Isaac especially, for he had an eye for the beautiful. The exquisite paintings and sculptures he saw there made him feel as if he could stand and gaze forever. When he set foot for the first time in that place his feelings overcame him. He thought of the great apostle Paul suffering for his Master in that ancient city-that unbelieving Rome; of Paul whose writings had been handed down to him, and had been the means of speaking sweet peace to his soul.
"That lovely seven-hilled city,
That sits on Tiber's breast,”
Thou hast much to answer for! With what gratitude should the heart of every Christian swell for the freedom that we have in our days—each able to read the word underneath his own vine and fig-tree, and none daring to make him afraid. Such were the thoughts of the travelers as they stood in that very city where Nero, the tyrant, held his sway—the one who tortured the poor Christians, and had them tied to stakes, after their garments had been steeped in oil, to light his gardens at night. Then, again, how the early Christians endured the great fight of affliction. Would they have suffered thus for a faith that was not true? Ah! no; they had a heavenly city in prospect, a building of God, eternal in the heavens. They looked for a city that hath foundations.
Little Rachel often talked of the steps up which Martin Luther had commenced to go on his bare knees, when those beautiful words, "The just shall live by faith," spoke peace to his soul. Yes, indeed, the just shall live by faith, as many a child of God has learned; but faith without works is dead. Show me, says the apostle James, thy faith by thy works. Blessed be God! He, who is the Reader of all hearts, knows what is true, genuine faith. It is not faith, however, that is our Savior, but the Object of faith; still, man cannot read the heart, so it is only by our works that we can be known. "By their works ye shall know them." Oh that all the redeemed of God were living epistles known and read for the Master's glory!
Go to Him, failing Christian, whoever thou art, He will strengthen thee, He will cheer thee, He is greater than our hearts, for He knoweth all things. He knows what poor, weak things we are. "Without me, ye can do nothing," said our blest Redeemer; so why go on in thine own strength any longer? "Trust in him at all times, ye people;" not now and then, but at all times. He will be thy Guard and thy Guide, even unto the end. The Shepherd of Israel, who never slumbereth or sleepeth, is the "same yesterday, to day, and forever.”
Isaac, ere his conversion, had been accustomed only to one religion; and now that he professed to be a follower of the Nazarene, he longed to be with those who were like-minded. He was puzzled with the multitude of more than a thousand creeds; it had stumbled him greatly. Oh! what a time will that be, when the church militant will be the church triumphant. All will be one outwardly then; no jarring discords of men's opinions and creeds. But God has His chosen ones everywhere; He knoweth them that are His, and when He cometh He will make up His jewels, that cost Jesus His life's blood to purchase. Go on, thou redeemed of God, He will lead thee in the right way. Thou hast thy compass and thy chart—thy Bible, and God for thy Guide; thou hast naught to fear. Take His word for thy guide, not thy conscience, except in the light of the written word. Consciences are often seared, so that apart from the word thy conscience cannot be depended upon-cannot be your guide through all the tangled mazes of man's opinions. The heart that is true, however, will be led aright.
After some weeks in Rome, they embarked for Alexandria. They had all that money could purchase for their comfort. Naples they visited on their homeward journey, and saw the museum, which they were much interested in. The recent excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii were the means of placing before them many scenes of interest. Even here Isaac learned a lesson—how uncertain life is. He thought of those buried cities, and of the mementos of the past, lodged now in the museum, telling their own mighty tale, and his heart bounded with thankfulness when he saw how good God had been to him in saving him from the errors of his people. And now, come the hour of his departure when it might, he knew on whom he had believed. His moments sometimes, however, were saddened by the thought of his departed wife. Cheer thee, thou loving husband, who knows but next to thy Redeemer, thy wife will be the first to welcome thee in the better land?
They visited Cairo. Here every scene interested them, especially the pyramids of Egypt—perhaps some of the work of the Hebrew race; but none are left to tell the tale? Isaac read much of the wanderings of his fathers, and in doing so, he knew of the innumerable mercies bestowed on them by his father's God. He read of the passage through the Red Sea, to which he was now very near. The crystal walls that had been reared to save the Israelites, fell in judgment on their enemies.
Reader, will you be, or are you already, sheltered by the crystal walls of salvation —really death's dark waters, whose torrent was stemmed by the Redeemer? Yea, more, the waves and the billows went over Him that thou mightest pass over dry-shod safe on to the other shore:—
“Glory, glory, everlasting
Be to Him who bore the cross;
Who redeemed our souls by tasting
Death, the death deserved by us.
Spread His glory,
Who redeemed His people thus.”
Isaac Barnard, in the midst of all, could not help recalling the time when his wife Sarah had been with him; nor that happy day when he, just on the threshold of manhood, stood with her at the marriage ceremony in her father's drawing-room. The rude hand of death had come in and severed them; but naught could separate him from the love of his Redeemer. The link that binds the redeemed souls to their Head on high can never be divided, for the link is not their faith, which one day flows, the next day ebbs; but it is the Holy Spirit, through faith, that unites all believers to each other and to their Head in heaven. What have we to fear with such a Guard and Guide? Naught, surely. Would that all knew what it is to be saved by the blood of the eternal Son of God,
"Of all the gifts Thy love bestows,
Thou Giver of all good:
Not heaven itself a richer knows
Than the Redeemer's blood.”