260 THE LIFE OF E. J. PECK 



was chiefly occupied with preparation for the 

 journey. But here we will allow Mr. Peck to tell 

 the story of what happened almost in his own words, 

 as the entries are made in his diary. 



" On Tuesday, August n, we rose early, and after 

 breakfast had our usual reading and prayer to- 

 gether. The portion of God's word for the morning 

 was Luke xiii., from verse 31 to the end of the 

 chapter." The last verse is the solemn one which 

 here seems to have a peculiar adaptation, " Behold, 

 your house is left unto you desolate : and verily I 

 say unto you, Ye shall not see me until the time 

 come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh 

 in the name of the Lord." 



The boat was ready, and " I went out to see Mr. 

 Parker start. There was a fresh breeze blowing, 

 but nothing to cause anxiety. After a hearty shake 

 of the hand, and watching the boat out of sight of 

 the island, I returned to our little house. The 

 passage of Scripture which came that day in my 

 ordinary consecutive study happened to be the 

 2oth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, which 

 speaks so touchingly of Paul's farewell to the Elders 

 of the Ephesian Church. While reading this portion 

 I was almost overcome with a strange, overpowering 

 emotion which I cannot describe, but which par- 

 took of the nature of a hallowed but awfully solemn 

 and tender sense of love to the Lord Jesus, and of 

 strangely drawn-out affection for Mr. Parker." 



