ed on
her suddenly, and she used to try to smile, and both, then, to cry
together, and neither say what they feared, only each unspeakably more
tender and loving. Ah, yes! in their love was mingling now something of
the yearning of a farewell, which neither would acknowledge.

'Now, while they lay here,' says sweet John Bunyan, in his 'Pilgrim's
Progress,' 'and waited for the good hour, there was a noise in the town
that there was a post come from the celestial city, with matter of great
importance to one Christiana. So enquiry was made for her, and the house
was found out where she was; so the post presented her with a letter,
the contents whereof were, "Hail, thou good one! I bring thee tidings
that the Master calleth for thee, and expecteth that thou shouldst stand
in his presence, in clothes of immortality, within these ten days."'

'When he had read this letter to her, he gave her therewith a sure token
that he was a true messenger, and was come to bid her make haste to be
gone. The token was an arrow with a point sharpened with love, let
easily into her heart, which by degrees wrought so effectually with her,
that at the time appointed she must be gone.

'When Christiana saw that her time was come, and that she was the first
of this company that was to go over, she called for Mr. Greatheart, her
guide, and told him how matters were.'

And so little Lily talked with Mr. Greatheart in her own way; and
hearing of her mother, gave ear to the story as to a sweet and solemn
parable, that lighted her dark steps. And the old man went on:--

'It is St. John who says, "And the sea arose by reason of a great wind
that blew. So when they had rowed about five-and-twenty, or thirty
furlongs, they see the Lord walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto
the ship: and they were afraid. But he saith unto them, It is I, be not
afraid." So is it with the frail bark of mortality and the trembling
spirit it carries. When "it is now dark," and the sea arises, and the
"great wind" blows, the vessel is tost, and the poor heart fails within
it; and when they see the dim form which they take to be the angel of
death walking the roaming waters, they cry out in terror, but the voice
of the sweet Redeemer, the Lord of Life is heard, "It is I; be not
afraid," and so the faithful ones "willingly receive him into the ship,"
and immediately it is at the land whither they go: yes, at the land
whither they go. But, oh! the lonely ones, left behin