BITTERLY had Isaac felt the separation from his son, and soon after he had cast him off Sarah passed away, and she cursed her son on her dying bed. Such, my reader, is the mistaken zeal of some of the Jewish race. But ere she died, a peaceful expression stole over her face. Let us leave her; we know not what passed through her mind. Perhaps truths she possibly might have read in her son's Testament spoke peace to her soul, when making her exit into the eternal world. Many we expect to see in heaven we shall not find, and many unexpected will be there.
Isaac was now bereft indeed. Riches he possessed, which procured all that this poor world could afford; but nothing brought him happiness. Lasting peace nothing in this world can bestow. The void in the heart of man, that is ever craving for something to satisfy, naught but the Creator who made that void can fill:
“Jesus, only He can give
Sweetest pleasures while we live.”
Not religion, but Christ. Reader, only try Him, you will never repent it.
[ORIGINAL.]
Once I dreamed of happiness,
And sought it in this world of tears.
I grasped a shadow, and thought it was the sub-
stance I possessed;
But to my cost I had to learn
That in this transitory scene
No rest is found,
No sure foundation.
He, whose sovereign will hath sway,
Permitted this, to teach me this deep lesson.
And when 'twas learned,
I heard, in accents sweet,
“Come, heavy burdened one,
Come unto Me, and rest.”
I came, and found there, too, a sure Foundation,
Even the Rock of Ages.
It was through fiery trial I found this blissful
haven,
For my poor wayward, willful heart
Would not be led in paths of peace,
In calm dependence on my God,
But chose the path, that seemed to me the best.
But e'en then an unseen Eye was watching,
And now the goal is gained.
Need I fear that I shall wander more?
Ah! no, for He who is my Rest,
Will guide me to the end.
Isaac, to find solace in his loneliness, was looking about one day seeking for some books in the library, in the perusal of which he might drown his thoughts, and found Benjamin's little Testament. There in his luxurious chair, a blazing fire on the hearth, everything around reminding him of his wealth, sat Isaac. Although the wife and son, who had so often sat with him in that room, were now no more with him, Isaac was not alone, for the God of Israel was as interested in him as He had been in Mark. God, the lover of all mankind, was leading Isaac by a right way. He knew this son of Abraham with all his wealth was not at ease. Thoughts of the way in which he had treated his boy were uppermost in that busy brain; and now Mark was gone to that land where Isaac could make no recompense to him. To Abraham's bosom (or to the place of the departed) he believed his son had gone; but his rest was on another bosom.
"Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o'ershadowed
Sweetly his soul shall rest.”
Isaac had just heard through David D'Israeli that his son had died. Mark's prayer had gone up times without number for his parent's conversion, and now that he had gone to that "better land," his prayers were about to be answered.
Isaac at last opened the precious volume; he read on, until his interest was so great, that he was not aware it was almost midnight. He could not forget the beautiful third chapter of St. John, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." He knew well from boyhood the account of that scene in the wilderness, over the sands of which his fathers had trodden. He had a bright, intelligent mind, with great reasoning powers; and these truths that were propounded in this little volume, commended themselves to his intellect, but his conscience had not yet been touched.
The next day he went as usual to his counting-house—the quick, sharp, intelligent man of business, whom all his employs were afraid to offend; and whom on the other hand, they one and all respected. He was shrewd; he would only have those about him who knew well how to serve him. He had mixed with men of the world, of all characters, and he could easily read those who came in his way. He had amassed wealth, and now that he had neither wife nor child to work for, he was beginning to lose interest, for money (although he was a Jew) was not his god. He had amassed a fortune, for everything he touched seemed to prosper.
In the evening he returned home alone; and after the dinner was over, he repaired again to the library. The little volume was at once sought for; but this night the Spirit of God was dealing with him. He found out that he was a sinner, and came short of the glory of God—that not only had he broken the law, but he had within him a nature to sin—that the more he tried to do good, the more evil was present with him. He admired the great apostle Paul, and because he was a Jew, he was the more interested in him. He read his epistle to the Roman Christians, in which the apostle tells to them his past experience, how that when he had tried to better himself he had failed, and had found out that he had no power whatever to do the thing that was right. He found out that the only One who could give him the power was God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And then in a note of praise, he cried out, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. They have another standing, before God. He now reckons the child of Adam, who believes in Jesus, as dead through Jesus Christ our Lord, and alive again through Him—all through Him, from first to last, the Author and the Finisher of our faith. Now the child of God has His Holy Spirit to give him the power to walk aright.
Isaac saw all this and felt it, too (that which takes some a life-time to learn), and like the apostle he uttered a song of praise.
Isaac, like his son, was zealous in all he undertook; and now he was ready to leave all and follow Jesus. He had many relatives, brothers and sisters, with whom he had intercourse; still, giving them up was not to 'him what it had been to poor Mark. Isaac had wealth at his command, he need not fear poverty—speaking after the manner of men. God alone knows the future, however; wealth takes wings and flies away. Friends may one day soothe and the next day grieve.
Those who have the Eternal as their refuge and their strength, need fear nothing. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Isaac did not fear, the faith of his son was now exemplified in him. His heart, however, seemed to yearn for something or for someone who could share his new-born joy. A week later he received a letter from France from David D'Israeli, telling him that he had heard his son's widow was dying.