We must both look away to our dear
Saviour, and not for a moment doubt his love. I do not — you
must not. Is it not said that 'he loved Martha, and her
sister, and Lazarus?' "
"Yes," said Ellen, who never stirred her eyes from Alice's.
"And might he not — did it not rest with a word of his lips,
to keep Lazarus from dying, and save his sisters from all the
bitter sorrow his death caused them?"
Again Ellen said, "Yes," or her lips seemed to say it.
"And yet there were reasons, good reasons, why he should not,
little as poor Martha and Mary could understand it. — But had
he at all ceased to _love them_ when he bade all that trouble
come? Do you remember, Ellie — oh, how beautiful those words
are! — when at last he arrived near the place, and first one
sister came to him with the touching reminder that he might
have saved them from this, and then the other, weeping, and
falling at his feet, and repeating 'Lord, if thou hadst been
here!' — when he saw their tears, and more, saw the torn
hearts that tears could not ease — he even wept with them too!
Oh, I thank God for those words! He saw reason to strike, and
his hand did not spare; but his love shed tears for them! and
he is just the same now."
Some drops fell from Alice's eyes, not sorrowful ones; Ellen
had hid her face.
'Let us never doubt His love, dear Ellie, and surely then we
can bear whatever that love may bring upon us.
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