286 THE PALE BELL OF THE HEATH. 



home after a more lengilicncd pilgrimage, we 

 somelimes behold exlraordinary fuielasies of ihe 

 joy set before ihcm, wjiich ihey are able lo com- 

 municate to surrounding friends, who doubtless, 

 with the church at large, experience much couifort 

 and encouragement therefrom. They seem, indeed, 

 to be granted for that purpose : and why should 

 not a peculiar demonstration of indwelling grace 

 be occasionally afforded to the watcliful eye of a 

 tender mother, whose infant is about to be taken 

 from her bosom ; and to cheer, as it surely is cal- 

 culated to do, the hearts of many mourning parents, 

 who may be longing to accumulate proofs as to 

 the actual m-'.v filiation of Christ's love to liiile 

 babes, even in the flesh? 



In this case, the Lord liad emphatically lent the 

 infant heirs of glory to parental care, and very 

 early received them to his own kingdom. Is it 

 too much to lyciieve of him whose name is "Love," 

 and whose nature is " very piiifnl," that under a 

 reiterated blow upon the shrinking heart of a most 

 fond yotmg mother, he should vouchsafe an es- 

 pecial conlial ? was it not a sharp trial lo see five 

 little cotlins successively borne away from her 

 door, leaving but two of her household flock over 

 whom to watch and to tremble? Mothers, p;^r- 

 haps, c;in ritrhily answer this question. We do, 

 most shamefullv, litnit the Holy One of Israel; 

 and to Him alone is it known how many cups of 



