Naomi

by Mrs. J. B. Webb

"Is it the belief of the Christians," asked Naomi, "that the Messiah will speedily return in his glory?"

"The church looks for his coming," replied Mary, "both speedily and suddenly. Some of our brethren even expect his appearance during the life of his only remaining apostle John. But this arises from their misunderstanding the words of the Lord to Peter, when, after the resurrection of his Master, that disciple inquired of him what should be the fate of the beloved John. 'If I will that he tarry till I come,' said Jesus, 'what is that to thee?' And therefore a saying went abroad that John should not die until the Lord came again. But he himself did not so understand it: and he is now at Ephesus, anxiously awaiting the hour when he shall be summoned by death into the presence of that Lord whom on earth he loved so devotedly."

"And is John still living, then?" exclaimed Naomi. "I supposed that none remained on earth who had seen the Saviour, except you, Mary."

"Yes, the highly-favoured and divine apostle John is still alive, though of a great age. He governs the churches in Asia, and edifies the believers in every nation by his pious and holy writings, which all breathe the same spirit of Christian love and tenderness that shines so brightly in his own life and character. But John was not always the angelic being that I have described him to you. I knew him in his youth, ere the voice of Jesus had called him to be his disciple; and then both he and his brother James were impetuous and fiery of temper. It was the love of Jesus that changed his heart, and made him what he is. His Master's character was reflected in that of the disciple whom Jesus loved."

"Surely the same effect will, in some measure, be observed in every one who contemplates the graces that were displayed in the life of the blessed Redeemer," observed Judith. "We cannot look on him with our bodily eyes, but by faith we may behold him; and the more we love him the more we shall strive to be like him. Already, my dearest Naomi, I perceive something of this change in you. Your countenance no longer expresses the same pride and self-confidence that I have always lamented in your character; and your manner is meek and gentle, like that of one who has renounced all human pride and human dependence, and consented to learn of Him who was meek and lowly of heart: and oh, may you thus find rest unto your soul—that rest which He has promised, and that peace which He alone can give. I would not wish, my child, to take from you one spark of the enthusiasm that is now directed to so noble an object, or to weaken that firmness and resolution which have always marked your disposition, and may one day be called for to enable you to bear the trials and sufferings of life. By God's grace these qualities will now be properly guided and controlled, and we shall see you, through good report and evil report, through persecutions and afflictions, or in the more dangerous trials of prosperity, exhibiting that singleness of heart and courageous determination to honour your Master's name that should always characterize his true disciples. Alas! that some should so sadly have fallen short of this resolution and courage, even among his earliest and most privileged disciples!"

"It is because I now feel the sinfulness of my own heart that I am not the proud creature I used to be," replied Naomi. "When I consider the purity and holiness of my Redeemer's life, and compare my own corrupt inclinations, and evil thoughts and actions, with his faultless character, surely I must feel humbled in the dust. But when I remember that that divine Being shed his blood to wash away my sins, can I fear any sufferings, any trials, by which I may prove my love and gratitude? Oh! sometimes," she continued, clasping her hands fervently, while her eyes sparkled through tears of enthusiastic emotion,—"sometimes I envy the apostles, and the blessed martyr Stephen, and all those holy Christians who have already been called to shed their blood in confirmation of their faith!"

"Trust not, my beloved Naomi, to your present ardent feelings," interrupted Mary, in a gentle voice, "nor suffer yourself to be too confident in the firmness of your faith. I pray God that you maybe endued with strength by his Spirit, to carry you triumphantly through every trial that he deems fit to send upon you; but I covet neither for you nor for myself the sore temptations to which some of our brethren have already been exposed. Remember how Peter, the brave, the lion-hearted Peter, failed in the hour of danger, because he trusted in his own strength and boasted of his own courage."

"Oh yes, I do remember that sad event," replied the young Christian, somewhat abashed at the mild reproof of Mary. "That denial of Peter, and the desertion of their Master by all his disciples at the last, have always been a source of astonishment to me. I have frequently heard it related by my father, and the rabbis who frequent his house, as a strong argument against the truth of the Christian doctrines, and the belief of the disciples in the divinity of their Master. And even when I considered Jesus of Nazareth as merely a human teacher, and perhaps also as an impostor, I still wondered that those who had dwelt with him, and followed him, and professed to believe in him, should forsake him in his hour of sorrow and suffering."

"It is indeed a humbling proof of the weakness and depravity and selfishness of the human heart," answered Mary; "and for this reason it has been faithfully recorded by some of the apostles themselves, as you have seen in the precious copy which I possess of the life of Jesus Christ, written by Matthew the publican. At the time of the Redeemer's death the Holy Spirit of God had not descended upon his disciples, and without the aid of that Spirit none can hope to stand in the time of trial. All must be born again, as our Lord himself informed Nicodemus, or they cannot enter the kingdom of God—they cannot belong to Christ on earth, or dwell with him in heaven. But when the apostles were endued with power from on high, according to the promise of their Master, then they were enabled to declare the truth with boldness, and to endure a great fight of afflictions, and at last to receive the crown of martyrdom, and enter into their rest with songs of rejoicing. In the strength of the same Spirit which supported them can we alone hope to stand, and for that Spirit let us unceasingly pray."

"But, Mary," asked Naomi, "can we expect that the Holy Spirit will descend visibly upon us, as you have told me it did upon the apostles, and give us power to work miracles, and speak with tongues as they did? Neither you nor Judith possess those gifts, and yet I feel sure that you are the true disciples of Jesus."