"You never had an answer to your own prayers?"
"No, ma'am," said Eleanor drooping.
"My dear, there may be two reasons for that. Whoever wishes direction from the Lord, must be absolutely willing to follow it, whatever it be—we may not ask counsel of him as we do of our fellow-creatures, bent upon following our own all the while. The Lord knows our hearts, and withholds his answer when we ask so."
"How do you know what the answer is, aunty?"
"It may be given in various ways. Sometimes circumstances point it out; sometimes attention is directed to a word in the Bible; sometimes, 'thine ears shall hear a voice behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.'"
Eleanor did not answer; she thought her aunt was slightly fanatical.
"There is another reason for not getting an answer, Eleanor. It is, not believing that an answer will be given."
"Aunty, how can one help that?"
"By simply looking at what God has promised, and trusting it. 'But let a man ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.'"
"Aunt Caxton, I am exactly like such a wave of the sea. And in danger of being broken to pieces like one."