inner; I have done nothing to merit God's love and mercy;
but I know that Jesus Christ died for me, and that His blood cleanseth
from all sin; and, trusting to Him, I am sure that He will receive me in
the place He has gone before to prepare for those who love Him. I have
faith in Christ; that is my happiness, hope, and confidence. I am not
afraid to die, for I know that He will be with me through the shadow of
the valley of death."
Mr Lennard gazed at her, unable to speak. He could not ask her further
questions, but was revolving in his own mind the meaning of what she had
said. She had no confidence in any of the objects which he had been
accustomed to present to the minds of the dying, if he believed them to
be good Churchmen, and if not, he had always urged them to repent of
their sins and to take the sacrament, in the hope that thus God might
receive them into heaven. Mary's remarks had brought new light to his
soul; she trusted solely to the _all-finished work_ of Christ, to whom
she looked as her Saviour, with full assurance that He would welcome her
to heaven. She thought not, she spoke not, of any of the rites and
ceremonies in which he had trusted himself, and had taught others to
trust, rather than to the blood of the Atonement. She did not ask even
him, her father, and, as he had fancied himself, a priest, to offer a
prayer on her behalf. No, she was resting joyfully on Christ as her
all-sufficient Saviour.
"I see it all now," he said, half aloud; "it is this of which the
general has been speaking to me lately, but which I did not comprehend."
"Yes, dear papa; Jesus did it all long ago; He saved me then, and I am
trusting in Him; that makes me so happy, so very happy," exclaimed Mary.
"I believe as you do," answered Mr Lennard; "would that I had known and
taught your poor brother the same truth! it would have prevented him
from falling into the toils of Rome."
"We can pray for him, that he may be rescued from them," said Mary.
"I wished to make him a sound Churchman, and taught him that there is
but one true Church, and that that is the Church of England; and
miserable has been the result," said Mr Lennard.
"Alfred may be brought back. God will hear our united prayers,"
whispered Mary.
"I cannot pray with faith that my prayer will be answered," he murmured.
"I did my utmost to instil the belief into him, and he has ever since
been with those who have done their utmost to forward the
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