“Now she holds in her arms a child-a bright-eyed boy, which has your look upon its face.”
He started with a defiant look, but this changed in an instant to one of grief, and he leaned his head upon his hands and wept.
Slowly the fair face faded away; then Dawn knew all, and knowing all, how great a comforter did she become to him! Angels smile on and mingle in such scenes; mortals see but the surface, and wonder why they thus mingle, with the usual earthly questioning, whether it is for any good that the two thus come together.
The long pent-up grief passed away, in a measure, and Clarence felt as though in the presence of an angel, so sweet and soothing were the words of promise, and tender rebuke which came from the lips of Dawn and flowed to his heart, strengthening his purpose to become a better man.
“Can he who fully repents be wholly forgiven,” he asked, in a tone of deepest want.
“God's mercies are for such and his forgiveness is free, full, and eternal. It does not flow all at once: it must be obtained by long-suffering and earnest asking, that we may know its value, and how precious is the gift.”
“Do you think if I were to go beyond, where dwells that one I have wronged, I could be with her and walk by her side?”
“If your repentance was pure and complete. You would be where your soul was attracted.”
“Do spirits feel the change in our states? If we are sorry for our misdeeds, can they see that we are?”
“Their mission to earth as helps and guardians to mortals would be of little use if they could not. They rise and fall with us. They administer to us, and learn of us. The worlds are like warp and woof. We stay or go where our labor is, wherever the soul may be which has claim upon us.”