304 THE GUERNSEY LILY. 



not extort from O'Neil a stronger word than * I 

 hope,' as regarded his eternal inheritance.' ' Are 

 you going to heaven, O'Neil V ' I hope, through 

 the precious blood of my Redeemer, that I am, 

 sir.' ' That is not enough : you must be sure of 

 it. ' I am sure, sir, that Christ came to save such 

 sinners as me ; and I am sure I desire to be saved 

 by Him ; and I hope He will save me, sir.' 

 * Why, have you not the earnest of the Spirit ? 

 I hope I have, sir.' At last my friend plainly, 

 told him that his state was far from satisfactory ; 

 the tears streamed from the poor old man's eyes, 

 and repeatedly he struck his breast ; but all that 

 he would utter was the ejaculation : — ' I hope — I 

 hope He will save me ! I took care to run back 

 to his-bed side, when the others were departing, 

 and to tell him that his hope would never make 

 him ashamed ; and that though assurance might 

 be a privilege, it was no test of saving faith. 

 Dear O'Neil enjoyed it at last, though if his latest 

 breath had been but an ' I hope,' I should be just 

 as well satisfied concerning him. 



My beautiful Guernsey Lilies — what is their 

 exquisite dress to that in which old Patrick O'Neil, 

 the Irish beggar of St. Giles's, now shines ! 

 " Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like 

 one of these :" but all the glory of this gorgeous 

 creation affords not a type for that in which the 

 redeemed soul stands complete before God. I 



