she was suffering from cataract, but no operation was spoken of at this time. To Rebecca Zaytoun. "16th of Tenth Month, 1884. "It is a very common temptation of him who was a liar from the beginning to represent that any failure in Christian conduct on the part of professors is a proof that their religion is false. It seems to me that it would be just as reasonable to shut the shutters close in a room, and then looking in and finding it dark there, to say: 'O, there is no sun, there is no light anywhere!' Perhaps these terrible trials (for such they are) are permitted to make us feel that our faith must not stand in the goodness of men any more than in their wisdom, but in the power of God, in His unspeakable love in sending His Son to die for us, to save us from our sins, and give us eternal life and blessedness with Himself. Truly to whom shall we go? Thou, the Saviour of our souls hast the words and the gift of eternal life. Yea, let God be true, though every man be a liar; and happily there are no small number who can set to their seals that God is true." To the same. "30th of Tenth Month, 1884. "I often think how expressive those Scripture images are: Under the shadow of His wings.' 'He will cover thee with His feathers, under His wings shalt thou trust,' and many more. These promises of shelter and refuge show that there is something to require it, that we are not to look for all fair weather and sunshine-this seems to me to be a mistake in the teaching of our faith-healing friends-that because the Lord Jesus 'bare our sicknesses and carried our sorrows,' we are justified in claiming exemption from them—a view not given in Scripture nor confirmed by experience." To the same. "IIth of Twelfth Month, 1884. I was much struck yesterday in reading that beautiful Psalm, prophetic of the Messiah with the verse He shall deliver the needy when he crieth, the poor also, and him that hath no helper.' How often have I felt as the poor, and as him that hath no helper, and it is at such times that the ever-present compassionate and all-powerful Saviour is felt to be indeed precious.. Things are wisely ordered for ends which we see not at the time, and so it seems to me that every case has its own rule, and every one his or her own place if it can but be attained unto. I have thought many and many a time that I must have missed mine, the trials of life have been so intense, and the results so small. But I am more inclined now to leave all, the past as well as the present and the future with Him who knows the end from the beginning, who work His will deep in unfathomable mines to our poor shallow comprehension. There is great rest in thinking of this, in feeling assured that His infinite love is over us, no more to be turned away by our involuntary fears and shrinkings, than is that of a mother by the fretting of a restless child. What a precious promise: 'As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you.'" To Hannah Southall. [Early in 1885.] "And now I have been reading over again thy dear letter written on the last day of 1884. Very precious it is in every way, especially in its loving desires and sweet thoughts for me. Yes, I do feel very thankful for the degree of calm permitted, the 'sparing mercies,' as I have known such called. Things are difficult sometimes now, and [there are] many causes of anxiety, and yet how different from the experiences, the extremities of former years. I do feel reverently thankful, sometimes with wonder, at the power of enjoyment which yet for a little season remains, and for the absence of soul and body weariness, after all that has been gone through. The trying season of Christmas and the New Year passed more cheerily than the last, without that ache of gone-ness; though I have realised more than before how old I really am. Not that I feel it in any particular way, but it seems natural now to fill the part of an old woman-to take some one's arm to go up and down stairs, and to be dependent on help in walking out in the evening. Of course this is not from age exactly, but it is an infirmity that must be expected to increase till the end comes." To Rebecca Zaytoun. "22nd of First Month, 1885. "How remarkably it is the case that our earthly but heavenward journey is taken in the midst of so many trials and difficulties. I come in contact with such in my own experience, and sharing in that of others to a large extent, and must believe that it is in this way that much of our spiritual education-the strengthening of our faith and the enlargement of our understandings is carried on." CHAPTER VII. "In a service which Thy will appoints, For my inmost heart is taught the truth And a life of self-renouncing love Is a life of liberty." A. L. Waring. N the summer of 1885, Ann Hunt laid before her IN Monthly Meeting a proposal to visit the families of Friends in Bristol and its neighbourhood, and to her great comfort and help, her friend Joseph Storrs Fry desired to accompany her in this service. The proposition was cordially received and both Friends were set free to accomplish it. Ann Hunt was fitted for such work by nature and experience; her surroundings were now calm and peaceful, and though age and past troubles had told upon her strength, she had full confidence that ability would be given her to do that which she felt called to perform. Her companion writes thus on the subject, after mentioning that the visits included many of the attenders not in membership in our meetings and were afterwards extended to the members of other Monthly Meetings in the compass of the Quarterly Meeting: "For one in advanced life and in rather feeble health the service was somewhat arduous but she was enabled to perform it to the comfort and spiritual help of her friends. It was striking to observe with what interest and discrimination she entered into sympathy with persons in very varied circumstances, and how appropriately the message was delivered with delicacy and tact. Her habitual diffidence and humility were remarkably combined with Christian courage and faithfulness in speaking the word in season as occasion called for it. To those in sickness or other affliction she was peculiarly fitted to hand the consolations of the Gospel, and to speak of the loving-kindness of the Lord from her own experi ence." What she felt herself in reference to this engagement may be best seen in her letters of about this date. To John Gayner. "24th of Seventh Month, 1885. "The subject spoken of has taken so strong a hold of my mind that I have ventured to mention it to proposing to ask the sanction of Friends at the next Monthly Meeting for such service as we were speaking of. . . It seems a great, an almost fearful thing to have done, for though old in years I am young in such experiences,-but it is nothing with the Lord to help whether with many or with those who have no power, and I have abundant cause to trust his loving-kindness and His faithfulness." |