"Our hope is simply this," answered Persis; "'Christ died for the ungodly' † The greatest saint has no other plea, the greatest sinner may use it. Salvation is the purchase of Christ's blood; it is freely offered to all; they alone perish who reject it, and choose to continue in sin, rather than cast themselves, in humble faith, on the mercy of a pardoning Saviour!"
Sophy's bosom heaved convulsively; large drops rose in her dim eyes; she did not speak for some moments, and then it was between broken gasps, most painful to hear.
"I cannot believe that heaven can ever be opened to me! No—I shall be shut out, when those who love God pass in; when Norah and those I have known pass in to the light, and the glory, and the joy, I shall be lying in outer darkness, as I did by that rich man's door!"
* Matt. xix. 17. † Rom. v. 6.
"Oh! No, no!" exclaimed Norah, in a voice broken by sobs, "you will knock now—now—it is not too late! Did not the Lord Himself say—'Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out?'" *
"Yes, knock by prayer," joined in Persis, "cry, 'God be merciful to me—a sinner!' Lay yourself with all your sins and your sorrows at the foot of the cross, 'looking unto Jesus' † in whom alone we can have forgiveness, who is our Salvation and our only Hope!"
Sophy Puller could not reply, but she sank on her knees and sobbed while her friends prayed beside her. The first faint dawn of comfort had risen upon her deep darkness. Persis hoped that she was weeping as the penitent wept who washed our Lord's feet with her tears. But who can look into the heart of another? How often are we deceived even by our own! It is only the after-life that shows whether repentance has been really deep and sincere, or whether it has been like the morning cloud, and the dew that passes away.
* John vi. 37. † Heb. xii. 2.
Persis and Norah remained with Sophy as long as the rules of the workhouse permitted, and the short winter's day was already ending before they took their departure.
As Norah bade her poor friend farewell, she whispered, pressing Sophy's hand as she spoke, "You will not despair now, dear one? You have hope, oh! Say that you have hope! It is not all darkness now?"