Memories of Bethany

and S

d now been heard for four da

ll dead calm after the torture of the storm, the leaden sea strewn with wrecks, enabling them to realise more fully the extent of their loss. Amid the lulls of the tempest, while Lazarus yet lived, hope shrunk from entertaining gloomy apprehensions. But now that the storm

the tide of overmuch sorrow. The more sensitive heart of Mary, bowed under a grief too deep

of ascertaining the truth of the joyful tidings, ere intruding on the grief of Mary, the elder of the survivors rushes

er, wait His arrival. Leaving home and sepulchre behi

t be returned, must have been a painful effort to this child of sorrow. But what will the heart not do to meet such a Comforter? What will Martha be unprepared to encounter if the intelligence brought her be inde

emotions. "Why, Lord," seemed to be the expression of her inner thoughts, "wert Thou absent? It was unlike Thy kind heart. Thou hast often gladdened our home in our season of joy-why this forgetfuln

creature. Ah! if she could but have looked into the workings of that infinite Heart sh

is-"Why this u

His disciples is this-"I was glad

xclaiming-"How unaccountable this dealing! How baffling this mystery! Where is now my God?" This sickness-why prolonged? This thorn in the flesh-why sti

haracters of living light;-we can read it on anguished pillows-aching hearts-ay, on the very p

nces"-"untoward calamities"-"strokes of misfortune"-"unmitigated

tening direct to Bethany, all was well and wisely ordered. And although Martha's upbraidings were now received in forbearing silence, her S

e waters, but for His own glory, or the good of others. The delay on the present occasion, though protracting for a time the sorr

Lazarus, laid silent in a Jerusalem sepulchre. The Lord of Life was to be the victim of Death! His body was to be transfixed to a malefactor's cross, and consigned to a lonely gr

eir friend Lazarus to read the needed lesson. "I was g

gorating of our spiritual graces. Let us seek to accept more simply in dark dealings the Saviour's explanation, "It is for your sake!" He gives us a b

heir great lesson, never to be hasty in our

Omniscience had all the while been scanning that sick-chamber-marking every throb in th

ty, had He so willed it, to prevent the bereavement altogethe

each of us will learn out in eternity, that "all things are for our sakes, that the

r an anguished heart. The glance of tender sympathy and gentleness which met Martha's eye, at once hushes all remains of unbelief.

tossed on a tempestuous sea-a gracious confidence in the ability and willingness of Christ to save. The Friend of Bethany

ghtest joys. How blessed to lay hold on the perfect conviction that "the Ever-living Intercessor in glory has all power to revoke the sentence if He sees meet"-th

is willing, and as willing as He is able. "Him the Father heareth always." "F

ow a fresh reason for going to God. Laying our burden, whatever it may be, on the mercy-seat, it will be considered by Him,

of Christ to listen to our petitions! Standing as the great Angel of the Covenant with the golden censer, His hand never shortened-His ear never heavy-His upli

nd domestic altars, and public sanctuaries, whenever and wherever the knee is bent, and the Hearer