“No; and that would be a bad lesson to begin her education with—the keepin’ her oot o’ the Bible class. I’m not particular where our class shall meet, and Woodburn will suit me as well as any ither place.”
Just then there were arrivals from Fairview and the Laurels, which caused the subject to be dropped for the time. But it was taken up again after a little, and Woodburn finally settled upon as the place for the next Sunday’s Bible class.
CHAPTER XIX
The fine weather continued; Sunday was bright and beautiful—the woods gay with autumn tints, the air balmy and sweet with the scent of late fruits and flowers. The Ion, Fairview, Roselands, Beechwood, Woodburn, Sunnyside and the Laurels people went to church in the morning, and in the afternoon most of them gathered at Woodburn to spend an hour in the study of the Bible, Mr. Ronald Lilburn being the leader of the class.
“Our subject to-day,” he said, “is the strength the Lord promises and gives to His people—His own loved ones, His servants, in their hours of need. ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’ Captain Raymond, can you bring to our attention any other promise of strength as it is needed?”
“Yes,” replied the captain; “here in the fortieth chapter of Isaiah we read: ‘Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.’”
“A most beautiful passage,” said Mr. Lilburn, “and now, friends, I think each one of you has one or more passages selected; please read aloud in turn as you sit, without waiting to be called upon.”
Violet’s turn came next, as she sat beside her husband, and she read: “I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”