scipline may seem severe, it is only the severity of uncompromising
love.

_May 20._--This has been a day of mercies at the hand of the Most
High. For a day or two past, I had observed a little dust falling
through a creak in the wall, and although on any other occasion, it
would have excited no anxiety; yet, knowing the cellars were full of
water, I thought it better this morning early to take out all our
things from this room; it was our own, mine and dear Mary's, and
therefore contained all we had of clothing, &c.; the dear little boys
and the servant were helping me, and we had not finished taking out
the last things above ten minutes, when the whole arch on which the
room was built gave way--our little stock of things and ourselves
being all safe. Oh! my soul, bless the Lord who watcheth over the ways
of his children.

Oh! how easy it is to kiss our dear and loving Father's hand when he
turns bright providences towards us. How easy, then, it is to praise!
but I feel my dearest teacher is teaching me the hardest lesson to
kiss the hand that wounds, to bless the hand that pours out sorrow,
and to submit, with all my soul, though I see not a ray of light. Oh,
thou holy and blessed Spirit, come and help thy poor wayward scholar,
who indeed would not entertain a hard thought of his dear and loving
Father. Through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom;
therefore, blessed Lord, prepare me for thy service. I am a poor
inexperienced soldier; clothe me with the whole armour of God, that my
soul may praise in the darkest day. All but myself are quite well, and
my indisposition seems only at present a little weakness, which
perhaps the exertions of removing the things from our room to-day, and
all the painful associations connected with it, has this evening a
little increased: but the Lord is very pitiful, and says, Ask what you
will of my Father, and he will give it you. Dear Lord, fill me with
thyself, that there may be no more room for the grief of any creature.
Thou, and thy Father, and the blessed Spirit, one eternal God alone,
are eternally a satisfying portion.

I am very anxious about the poor schoolmaster: should he die, he will
be the last of our teachers; _three_ are already dead, and he alone
remains.--Oh, my Lord, my soul desires to wait on thee for light,
and to remember Mizar and Hermon--days when the sun shone upon our
path; but the frost may be as necessary to bring the cover to full
perfection a