HEN haunting dreams of pleasant things Make the lone wilderness more drear, When every hour in passing brings Some present pain, some threatening fear, And stretched before our shrinking eyes, Like a dark sea, the future lies Then, Lord, be Thou at hand to guide, In heaven is light, though earth be dark; LAYS OF THE SANCTUARY. CHAPTER VIII. ONTRARY to his wife's expectations, Eliezer was not taken far-only to a town situated a few miles from his birthplace. Here all the civil authorities were Jews, and the large bribes his enemies offered them, combined with their own animosity to the Christian religion and towards those of their race who embraced it, rendered his sojourn there not a little dangerous. Instead of being thrown into prison, he was conducted to a lonely inn, and placed under a strict watch consisting of four Jewish soldiers. Early in the day, to which he had been looking forward with such delight as his first day of freedom, a rabbi, accompanied by several of his bitterest foes, came to dispute with him and insist on his return to Judaism. The rabbi, who was ostensibly opposed to him, but in reality secretly favoured him, at once commenced the controversy, and managed so adroitly that, after some hours of earnest argument, the audience were divided concerning the prisoner, one half demanding his liberation, the other clamouring for his death. Between these contending parties he was wellnigh torn to pieces, but, finally, his enemies triumphed, and led him off with malicious delight to a solitary wayside house on the outskirts of the town. In the large room where they were assembled was a blazing fire; snatching from him his Hebrew New Testament and German Bible, they flung both on the burning pile, and, seizing their helpless victim, beat him most cruelly. "My Bible," exclaimed he, "you have indeed destroyed, but you cannot deprive me of the treasures which I have culled from it and stored up in my memory." "Return to Judaism," was the fierce retort, or we will burn thee also!" 66 "Poor deluded men," answered Eliezer, "you imagine that now, because you have destroyed that one copy, you have entirely done away with the Bible. Happily, you are deceived, for heaven and earth may pass away, but God's Word never will; and, as for killing me, you cannot do me a greater kindness. You will release me from my sufferings and send me at once into the presence of my beloved Saviour, whom I long to behold. From the time Christ was crucified, His followers have been martyred, but their blood only serves to increase the number of His disciples." Several Jews seemed touched by his meekness, but the majority, enraged beyond all bounds, almost flew at him, and would have beaten him to death had not the others interposed and rescued him. Some violent discussion ensued, but, at length, the more peaceably inclined, fearing bloodshed might be the result, induced their companions to leave their victim, and Eliezer was again |