“Why?”
Madeline did not answer.
“Would you like angels to have a dwelling-place in your mind?”
“Oh, yes, Miss Harper.”
“That dwelling-place,” said Florence, very impressively, “was formed of the blessed words of truth she had learned from the Bible. Into these the angel could enter and abide; and she did enter, and by the power of celestial love drove out the fiend.”
“Long years afterward,” continued Florence, “when the child, grown to be a woman, had taken her place in the world as one of its actors, meeting its cares, trials, crosses, and temptations, she was able to overcome in all the life-battles she was called to fight. Evil spirits assailed her, and sought the destruction of her soul. They were around her in the morning, at mid-day and evening. But angels were also present with her, and present with power, for in her memory they found passages from the word of God, and they abode in them with all their protecting influence, and helped her to fight the enemies of her soul, even to their final overthrow. I very much fear that, if her mother had not filled her memory with stories and precepts from the Book of books, these evil assailants from hell would have overcome in her great life-battle. But she had angels on her side; and God’s angels are always more powerful than demons. One of these blessed beings can put ten thousand evil spirits to flight. Oh, then, let us make them our friends! Let us prepare dwelling places for them in our hearts, where they may always abide and shield us from the powers of darkness. They dwell with us in the divine teachings of this holy book.”
And Florence, speaking with tender solemnity, lifted the Bible from the table and held it open before Madeline.
“Fill your mind with its heavenly lessons. Let the angels come to you and make their abode with you in its divine precepts. Take it to your heart, dear Madeline!”
Madeline stood almost rigid for a moment or two, as if life were suspended. Then, with a gush of tears, she caught at the book and clasped it passionately to her breast.
“Amen! God be praised!” The lips of Florence parted, as her wet eyes sprung upward: there was a low murmur on the air; and these were her words of thankfulness.