ページの画像
PDF
ePub

tion of that which they have a right to, and therefore seems the most difficult of all duties to practise.

"A poor negro woman, in the island of Jamaica, was much valued by the family in which she lived for the fidelity she had shown in all her duties. They became so pleased with her conduct, that she was at length promised liberty, not only for herself, but for her large family of children. Orders were given for the papers to be drawn up, which, when they were signed, would set her free. We may well conceive how it rejoiced her heart to think that herself and children would soon be slaves no longer.

"About this time she was led to attend the preaching of the gospel. Her master was not a pious man, nor did he wish his slaves to be taught; and when he found out that his negro servant went to hear the missionaries, he was angry. He thought that slaves had nothing to do with religion; and threatened, if she did not give up her attendance on the preaching, she should not have her promised liberty. The negress was ready to obey her master in all things that were right; but, in this matter, she had already learned that she must obey God rather than man.' She had been brought to love Christ as her Saviour, how, then, could she keep away from the house of God! Her master severely reproached her, saying that she was without a mother's affection, for, by her obstinate

conduct, she would deprive her children of their freedom. How hard was the trial here of a Christian mother's love! It is difficult, indeed, for us fully to comprehend the painful trial involved in such a conflict. But she knew that the self-denial which was to rob both herself and her children of their liberty was a duty even to them. She sought counsel and direction in prayer to him who could alone direct and support her through such a trial.

Tears flowed down her dark

A few days were given her

cheeks, but she was firm. to consider whether she would leave the preaching of the gospel, or remain a slave for life. At the appointed time she was called into the presence of her master. The papers which would restore her and her children to liberty were shown her, and the terms again proposed. In prayer she had found grace for this time of trial tears fell from her eyes as she said, 'Massa, me want to be free, but me cannot deny my Saviour.' The master, overcome with rage, told her to take up the papers from the table, and throw them into the fire. She did so, and saw them destroyed in a moment: she then returned to her work as a slave, and the mother of slaves. Yet, would it have been the love of a mother, even for the freedom of her children, to have denied the Lord that bought her, and winning their liberty from man, to have cast from her the liberty wherewith Christ makes his people free?

"This proof of Christian steadfastness became known

to the wife of a missionary. She made great efforts on behalf of the negro mother; and, through the blessing of God, she at last obtained freedom for all the family."

It may not be out of place to contrast, with the anguish of the poor West Indian negress, the last parting scene of an English family, born in a station as pre-eminently exalted as that of the Christian negress was humble and degraded. The scene is the palace of Whitehall; the period the 29th of January 1649, the day after doom had been pronounced on the monarch of England. It tells so keenly of loving hearts and human affections mingling amid the sternest deeds of unrelenting justice and retribution, that it may most fitly find a place here, though the self-denial inculcated by the king on his infant son may perhaps appear a mean sacrifice, if we compare it with that which the poor negress made in her fidelity to a Divine Master and King :—

"Charles was then a prisoner in what was once his royal palace. After morning prayer, he produced a box containing broken crosses of the order of St. George and of the garter: You see,' he said to Bishop Juxon, 'all the wealth now in my power to give my two children.' The children were then brought to him; on seeing her father the princess Elizabeth, twelve years old, burst into tears; the Duke of Gloucester, who was only eight, wept also when he saw his sister

weeping; Charles took them upon his knees, divided his jewels between them, consoled his daughter, gave her advice as to the books she was to read to strengthen herself against Popery; charged her to tell her brothers that he had forgiven his enemies; her mother, that in thought he had ever been with her, and that to the last hour he loved her as dearly as on their marriageday; then turning towards the little Duke, 'My dear heart,' he said, 'they will soon cut off thy father's head.' The child looked at him fixedly and earnestly: 'Mark, child, what I say; they will cut off my head, and perhaps make thee king; but mark what I say, thou must not be king so long as thy brothers Charles and James live, but they will cut off thy brothers' heads if they can catch them; and thine too they will cut off at last! Therefore, I charge thee, do not be made a king by them.' 'I will be torn in pieces first!' replied the child, with emotion. Charles fervently kissed him, put him down, kissed his daughter, blessed them both, and called upon God to bless them; then suddenly rising, 'Have them taken away,' he said to Juxon; the children sobbed aloud; the king, standing with his head pressed against the window, tried to suppress his tears; the door opened, the children were going out, Charles ran from the window, took them again in his arms, blessed them once more, and at last tearing himself from their caresses, fell upon his knees and began to pray with the bishop and Herbert, the only

witnesses of this deeply painful scene. Already the sounds of axe and hammer announced that the scaffold was preparing for the last act of this great tragedy. The morrow-the 30th of January 1649-was the day appointed for execution."

The delightful picture of domestic happiness exhibited in the family-circle of the good old English puritan divine, Philip Henry, has already been referred to; and its entire origin and sustaining source may be shown to have flowed from the constant operation of the law of love and mutual self-denial. There, indeed, we see proof of the apostolic maxim, "Love never fails." Mr. Matthews, whose daughter Philip Henry loved and sought for his wife, would by no means consent to the match. By patient and consistent perseverance he at length so far overcame the opposition, that he obtained the wife of his choice. It was not until the 26th of April 1660 that their marriage was at length accomplished, and Mr. Hamilton has well remarked in his life of his son, "Seldom has a scene of purer domestic happiness been witnessed than the love of God and one another created there." In his own quaint way, the old divine tells, that after living many years with her, he was never reconciled to her because there never happened between them the slightest jar that needed reconciliation. The opposition of the father, however strong while it lasted, appears to have been cordially

« 前へ次へ »