Ella Clinton; or, By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them Read online

  CHAPTER V.

  "If you'll excuse me, Miss Layton, I'll just leave Ella to entertainyou, as I have an errand out, but I'll not be gone long," said MissPrudence Clinton, one evening, soon after Miss Layton had taken up herquarters with her.

  "Don't hurry on _my_ account, Miss Clinton; I have no doubt that Ellieand I can entertain each other very well, until you return," repliedMiss Layton.

  "Very well then, Ella, I shall expect you to do your best," said auntPrudence, as she went out of the door.

  "Will you take a walk with me, Ella?" asked Miss Layton.

  "Oh yes, ma'am, I should love to, dearly! I'll get my bonnet in oneminute!" exclaimed Ella, bounding out of the room. In less than thespecified time she returned with her bonnet in her hand.

  "Where shall we go, Ellie?" said Miss Layton; "the sun is nearly down,so we cannot take a very long walk before it will be getting dark."

  "Will you come with me to see my mother's grave, Miss Layton? it isn'tvery far, and the grave-yard is very pretty; there are so many trees,and bushes, and flowers planted round the graves."

  "Yes, Ellie, we will go there, if you wish it."

  "I love to come here since mother died," said Ella, as they stood byMrs. Clinton's grave. "Sometimes I sit down on the grass, and lay myhead on the grave, and talk to mother, and it seems as if she couldhear me; but Oh, I wish she could speak to me! Oh, if I could onlyput my arms round her neck once more, and give her just _one_ morekiss!" and Ella burst into tears, and laid her face against the coldtomb-stone, while the tears fell like rain on the grass that coveredher mother's breast. Miss Layton's tears were falling too.

  "Your mother is not here, dear child," said she. "'Tis only thesenseless body that lies there, but your mother lives in heaven."

  "Yes, I _know_ she does, because she was so good, that I am sure Godwould take her there."

  "You don't mean, my dear child, that God would save her _because_ shewas good?"

  "Why, yes, Miss Layton; it's the _good_ people that go to heaven, isn'tit?"

  "My dear Ella, there is _none_ that doeth good and sinneth not; 'theyare _all_ gone out of the way; they are altogether become filthy; thereis none that doeth good--no, not _one_.'"

  "But you said my mother was in heaven!"

  "Yes, my dear, but not _because_ she was _good_, but because Jesus diedto save her. 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.' If we wereable to save ourselves by our own good works, then Jesus need not havedied. No, Ella, we cannot do anything _at all_ to _merit_ salvation,but must accept it as God's _free gift_, 'not of works, lest any manshould boast.' 'By their fruits ye shall _know_ them;' it is not saidthey shall be _saved_ by their fruits, but by them they are to be_known_; they are the _evidence_ of their acceptance with God. 'Believeon the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved:' we are to be savedby faith, not by works; but unless we do good works, unless we loveGod's commandments and try to keep them, we have no reason to think wehave any faith, for it must be a living faith that saves us, and theapostle James tells us that 'faith without works is dead.' Your motherprofessed to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and she showed by herworks that hers was not a dead faith, and therefore we may rest assuredthat she is in heaven; but if she had expected to be saved on accountof her own good deeds, we could have had no such assurance concerningher."

  "I think I understand it now, Miss Layton," said Ella, "and I rememberthat mother always seemed to think herself very wicked, though I don'tthink I ever saw her do anything wrong; but she said she was not afraidto die, because Jesus had died to save her."

  "Yes, Ella, this is the experience of all true Christians. But come, itis time for us to be going; it is growing quite dark, and the stars arebeginning to come out in the sky."

  "How pretty the stars are! Miss Layton," said Ella, gazing up into thesky; "I love to look at them. Mother used to like to look at them too,and she told me that some of them were great large worlds, a great dealbigger than ours, and some were suns with worlds moving around them.Miss Layton, what is that white streak up in the sky, that they callthe Milky-way? I asked aunt Prudence the other evening, and she said,'Nonsense! go away, and don't bother me with such silly questions.' Do_you_ think it's a silly question, Miss Layton?"

  "No, my dear, not at all silly. The Milky-way is said to be composedof millions of stars, which, though they are very large indeed, are atsuch an immense distance from us as to appear very small, and thoughthey are at great distances from each other, so much farther are theyfrom our world, that they look to us as though they were quite closetogether, and the rays of light coming from such a multitude of stars,mingle together, and cause that white appearance."

  "How very great and wise God must be, to be able to take care of somany worlds at once!" said Ella.

  "And remember, Ella, that he not only keeps all these worlds in theirorbits, but takes the same care of each one of the innumerable beingswhich inhabit them, as though there was but that _one_ for him to watchover and protect. You recollect that Jesus said, 'Are not two sparrowssold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the groundwithout your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.'Then we need not fear that we are too insignificant for God to notice,or that he will forget us, because he has so many creatures to carefor."

  "How strange," said Ella, "that God can see everything, and take careof everybody, when he has so many, so _very_ many people to watch!"

  "There is another thing I want you to think of, Ella," said MissLayton. "Our little world, compared with the millions of other worlds,is but as one leaf compared to all the leaves on all the trees of theforest, or as one grain of sand to all that are on the sea-shore; andyet the great God, who is the Creator and Ruler of all these mightyworlds, sent his own Son down to our little earth to suffer, and bleedand die to save _us_, who are rebels against him our Creator and lawfulsovereign. 'When we were yet without strength, in due time Christdied for the ungodly. God commendeth his love toward us in that whilewe were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' What _amazing_ love andcondescension! With what wonder and astonishment must the angels havebeheld it! And now, Ella, is it not strange that any of us should beguilty of such _base_ ingratitude, as to refuse to love this _precious_Saviour, who has shown such wondrous love and condescension toward us?How can _you_ refuse to give him your heart _now_--to forsake your sinsand devote your life to his service? It is a _reasonable_ service,a service he has a right to demand of each one of us. And it is a_delightful_ service; his yoke _is_ easy, and his burden light."

  Things now went on much more smoothly with Ella; Miss Layton'spresence being a restraint upon her aunt as well as upon Ella. MissPrudence still scolded, for she had indulged the habit so long that ithad become second nature to her to do so, but not so continually asformerly, and Ella bore it more patiently.

  "How do you get along with this child at school, Miss Layton?" askedaunt Prudence one day. "Don't you find her rather unmanageablesometimes? Mr. Burton used to make great complaints of her, and Ifrequently have much trouble with her myself."

  "No, Miss Clinton, I have had very little trouble with Ella. She isalways obedient, and though she is careless and quick-tempered, I findthat when reasoned with kindly, she is always sorry for her faults andanxious to try to do better."

  "Well, I don't see why it is that she behaves so much better forstrangers than for her own aunt. I'm sure I've tried my best to makea good child of her, but whenever _I_ reprove her, instead of seemingsorry for her faults, she is very apt to fly into a passion. You've noidea how bad she can be, for she has behaved remarkably well--that is,for _her_--since you've been in the house. And yet I can't think it'saltogether because you are a stranger, for she must have got prettywell acquainted with you by this time, going to school to you everyday, and she didn't mind showing out her badness to Mr. Burton just thesame as to me."

  "No, Miss Clinton, I don't think it is because I am a stranger; I
thinkElla is a very affectionate child, and can be very easily ruled bykindness."

  "But you scold her, don't you?"

  "I do not speak to her in an angry, impatient way. If you speak to achild in the loud, angry tones of passion, it rouses the same feelingsin _his_ breast, and instead of making him penitent on account of hismisconduct, excites a feeling of rebellion against your authority. Butif you speak mildly and kindly, in a way that shows him that you do itfor his good, and not because his faults annoy and provoke you, youwill generally find your admonitions have a very different effect."

  "Well, I don't know; but I think when children are bad, they ought tobe scolded; and whipped too, sometimes."

  "They certainly ought to be _reproved_, Miss Clinton, but not_scolded_; at least not in _my_ sense of the word. Some people, Ibelieve, include _all_ reproof under that head, but when _I_ speakof scolding, I only mean loud and angry, or fretful and unreasonablefault-finding, and _that_, I really believe, never benefitted anybody."

  "And you don't whip, either, I suppose, for most folks think that'sworse than scolding."

  "Then, there I differ from most folks," said Miss Layton, smiling. "Idon't pretend to be wiser than Solomon, who said, 'Foolishness is boundup in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive itfar from him;' and again, 'Chasten thy son while there is hope, and letnot thy soul spare for his crying.' I think it is _sometimes_ necessaryto use the rod, though not very often; but when all other means havefailed to make a child obey, I do not hesitate to resort to that. Butdifferent dispositions require different management. Ella, I think, canbe most easily ruled through her affections; and I had much rather havethe management of such a child, than of one who requires severity. Onlyshow her that you love her, Miss Clinton, as I have no doubt you do,and I think you will find her easily managed."

  "Love her! to be sure I do. She's the only near relation I have inthe world. There was quite a large family of us, but James and I wereall that lived to grow up; I was the eldest, and he the youngest, andI thought the world and all of my brother; but I never wanted him toget married, for I couldn't bear to think he should ever care more foranybody else than he did for me. However, I think now it's just as wellhe did, for though Ella does plague me half to death sometimes, Iwouldn't be without her for a great deal."

  "If you would just let Ella see, by your manner, that you do feel sucha strong affection for her, I am quite sure you would find her muchmore manageable."

  "Oh well, Miss Layton, people must act according to their dispositions;it never was my way to show my feelings, and I'm too old to alter myways now."

  "I think we should never consider ourselves too old to alter for thebetter," said Miss Layton, gently. "We are commanded to be 'kindlyaffectioned one toward another,' and parents are cautioned not to'_provoke_ their children to anger, lest they be discouraged.'"

  Miss Layton was an earnest Christian; one whose constant endeavour itwas to glorify her Father in heaven by her daily walk, and to bringsouls to Christ. She deeply felt her responsibility as a teacher; sheremembered that she was making impressions on those young minds andhearts, not only for time, but for eternity; and she felt that, whenshe had done all in her power for the intellectual improvement of herpupils, she had performed but half her duty; for she considered thesalvation of their souls of greater importance than anything else, andfelt that her first duty was to lead them to the Saviour; and not onlydid she pray with, and for them, but she embraced every opportunityto converse with them on the importance of the 'one thing needful,'the necessity of repentance, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Andher labours were not without fruit. One evening, Mary Young lingeredbehind her young companions, and when Miss Layton kindly inquired ifshe wished to speak to her, she burst into tears, exclaiming, "O MissLayton, I am such a sinner! what shall I do?"

  "'If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christthe righteous.' 'Who his ownself bare our sins in his own body on thetree.' 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, thatChrist Jesus came into the world to save sinners.' 'Believe on the LordJesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' These are the answers given youin God's own word, Mary."

  "But are they meant for _me_, Miss Layton?"

  "Surely, Mary; why not for you as well as for another?"

  "Because I am so very wicked, and have put off repentance so long?"

  "Jesus said, 'I came not to call the righteous but sinners torepentance,' and, 'Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.'"

  "But, O Miss Layton, I am _so_ vile, _so_ wicked, I've sinned againsthim so long and so often, that I'm not _fit_ to come to him, I don't_dare_ to come."

  "I would not have you think any better of yourself, Mary. You arejust as vile and sinful as you have said--yes, even far _more_ wickedthan you think--but it was just such as you that Jesus came to call.Just such ruined, helpless, undone sinners; and the more you feelyour sinfulness, the more conscious you are of your lost and ruinedcondition, the more you feel your need of him, the more willing he isto receive you."

  "But I am _so_ wicked, my heart is so hard, and when I kneel down topray, and remember what a holy God I am going to speak to, and that hesees my heart and knows how hard and full of sin it is, I am afraid tosay one word. I don't _dare_ to pray, for it seems like mocking him."

  "You might well be afraid to come, if you had to come in your own name,Mary, but even you may dare to come in the name of Jesus, since hetells us that it was just such sinners he came to seek and to save; andyou need not fear to come, weak and helpless as you are, for does henot say, 'Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace withme, and he _shall_ make peace with me?' You have no strength to helpyourself, you must just look to Jesus. Take hold of Christ."

  "O Miss Layton, _dare_ I come just as I am--with such a hard heart?Must I not wait till I feel my sinfulness more? I don't feel half sosorry for my sins as I ought to."

  "Come just as you are, Mary; you will never grow any better by stayingaway; and do you expect to make yourself more acceptable to God bycontinuing longer in rebellion against him--by continuing to refuse toobey his command, 'My son, give me thine heart?'"

  "But my heart is so _very_ hard, so unfeeling; it seems to me that Iought to feel more sorry for my sins."

  "I don't deny, Mary, that you ought indeed to feel more sorrow onaccount of your sins, but that need not keep you from Christ; if youwait for more feeling, you will never get it. Come _now_, just as youare. '_Now_ is the accepted time, _now_ is the day of salvation.'"

  "But it seems to me there never was such a sinner; will Jesus receiveme?"

  "He says, 'Look unto me and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth.' Hesays, 'I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins andiniquities will I remember no more.' And again, 'Him that cometh untome I will in no wise cast out.' Do you doubt his word?"

  "O Miss Layton, what must I do?"

  "Just go and tell God what you have been telling me, that you area lost, ruined, helpless, undone sinner, utterly unable to helpyourself, or make yourself any better; cast yourself entirely upon hismercy, pleading for salvation only through the blood and merits ofJesus Christ. He will not reject you; you need not fear, for none evercame to him in the appointed way and was refused. 'I will in _no wise_cast out.' You have the word of him who cannot lie."

  "When shall I do it, Miss Layton?"

  "Now; this moment; the present only is yours."

  They knelt down, and most earnestly did Miss Layton plead with God forher young friend, that he would pardon her sins, that he would washthem all away in the blood of the Saviour, that he would enable her tolay hold by faith upon Christ, and trust in him alone for salvation.And Mary prayed for herself, confessing in broken words, and with manysighs and tears, her great sinfulness, her entire helplessness, andpleading for mercy only for the sake of Christ.

  From that day there was a marked change in Mary Young. An amiable girlshe had always been, but now much more so; so w
illing to do a kindnessto any one, ever ready to deny herself that she might give pleasure toothers, and so conscientious, so afraid to do wrong, seeming ever tofeel herself in the presence of God, so meek and humble, and with aheart so full of love to Jesus, ever striving to lead her young friendsto a like precious faith. The language of her heart was,

  "Now will I tell to sinners round, What a dear Saviour I have found."