Daisy In The Field

My heart sprang with such an impulse of joy as quite

overleaped all my own sorrows and took me out of them. Then

Molly had not forgotten; then the seed sown long ago had not

perished in the ground or been caught away; it had been

growing and springing all these years; life had sprung up in

the ungenial soil, even everlasting life; and what were

earth's troubles to that? One vision of unseen things, rushing

in, made small all the things that are seen. The poor old

cripple, deformed and diseased, whose days must have been long

a burden to her, was going even now to drop the slough of her

mortality and to take on her the robes of light and the life

that is all glory. What if my own life were barren for a

while; then comes the end! What if I must be alone in my

journey; I may do the Master's work all the way. And this is

His work; to set the captive free; light to the blind; the

opening of the prison doors to them that are bound; riches to

the poor; yes, life to the dead. If I may do this work, shall

I complain, because I have not the helper I wanted; when God

is my helper?

I waited but till Dr. Sandford was gone, for I made him go;

and then I knelt down by Molly's bedside, very, very humbled,

to weep out my confession and prayer.

Molly slumbered on, wanting nothing, when I rose to my feet;

and I went to the cottage door and sat down on the step. The

sun was going to set in glory beyond the blue misty line of

the mountains; the June evening light was falling, in

freshness and sweetness, on every leaf and blade of grass; and

the harmony I had wanted I had got again.

Molly's words had made the first rift in my cloud; the first

sunshine had reached me that I had seen for many a long day. I

saw it at last, as I sat in the cottage door and looked at the

glory of the evening. I saw, that although my life might be in

shadow for most of its way, yet the sunshine was on the other

side of the cloud, unchanged, and I should come out into it in

due time. And others were in its full rays already; - and my

poor Molly was just going to find its brightness. Could I not

wait a while? - just for myself? - and meanwhile do my blessed

work?

And now, in the hush of my spirit, nature came home to me with

her messages. The sunbeams laid their promise at my feet, of

everlasting joy; the hills told me of unchangeableness and

strength, and reminded me of what Mont Pilatte used to say.

The air breathed balm, comfort, the earnest of gracious

supply; the beauty around me said that God would not withhold

anything that was good for me. I could trust Him; and I

thanked Him for the messages of His creatures; and I prayed

that I, an intelligent living creature of higher order, might

live to carry higher messages, for Him, to all within my

reach. I gave myself to do His will. And as for the comfort of

my life, God would take care of that, and be Himself my

portion and my exceeding great reward.