Grace Darling by Eva Hope (novels to read for beginners TXT) 📖

far better. If I remained here, I should be subject to trouble and sickness, but in dying, I go to be with Christ, my Saviour."

Just before she died, she earnestly exhorted her relations to meet her in the eternal world of blessedness and peace, and then the look which they dreaded to see spread over her features, and she peacefully passed away, "to be with Christ, which is far better." And those who looked at her could but say, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labour; and their works do follow them."

The tidings of the death of the heroine of the Farne Islands was received everywhere with the most sincere regret. People had loved, even more than they had admired her, and they had delighted to think that she would live long to enjoy the fruit of her matchless deed. It was not to be, however, and all that was left to her admirers was to show their sympathy and affection by letting her life and death teach them some salutary and valuable lessons.

She was interred in the graveyard of the ancient Church of Bamborough, on the Monday after her death, and the funeral was numerously attended by those who were anxious to render her the last tribute of respect. The pall was borne by Robert Smeddle, Esq., of Bamborough Castle; William Barnfather, Esq., from Alnwick Castle; the Rev. Milford Taylor, of North Sunderland, and Mr. Fender, Surgeon, Bamborough. Her father and her brother William were chief mourners, and eight of her more immediate relatives followed. Mr. Evans, Officer of Customs, Bamborough, and a young man from Durham, who had most sincerely and fondly loved Grace, were also among the mourners. And after them came an immense concourse of people of all ages, and belonging to all classes of society, many of whom were deeply affected.

It may be said, indeed, that the world which had applauded her, now mourned her loss. Death comes alike to the lowly dweller in the cottage-home and the nobleman in his mansion, but it seems particularly sad when such people as Grace Darling are stricken down so early in life. But though she so soon left the world which she brightened by her presence, her good deed did not die with her, and its influence remains still. Who can tell how much Grace Darling has had to do with the change which has certainly come over people's minds with regard to the training and education of girls? It is not now considered a thing to be proud of that a girl should be delicate and useless. Such expressions as "young ladyish" and "missish" have far less meaning now than they used to have; for girls of all classes are more sensible, strong, and courageous, than they were at one time. Some heroic actions are performed by young women every day; and it may be they have gained their inspiration from the story of the maiden of the Farne Isles. We cannot but lament her early death; but she, "being dead, yet speaketh;" and her voice, that was so gentle and meek in her lifetime, is heard still in all lands where her name is familiar. And her quiet death-bed was so hallowed a scene, that as we turn from it we cannot but think of the home to which she has gone, where the good and illustrious of all ages and all lands have met together. And there may it be the privilege of the writer and readers to greet her when this life is over.

We cannot better close this chapter on the death of the heroine, than by quoting some beautiful lines written by J. E. on the occasion of her death:—

"And art thou gone—the young, the brave!
The heroine of the wreck and storm!
Who manly strength and power gave
To woman's form!

"The toiling mariner to cheer,
On Longstone's height
No more the careful hand shall rear
The friendly light

"And 'mid the shipwreck's wild alarm,
And tempest's swell, oh! never more,
By pity moved, thy sturdy arm
Shall grasp the oar!

"Thou, who the elements defied!
The spoiler—invidious, slow,
(He spares not youth, nor wealth nor pride),
And laid thee low!

"And he who all thy perils shared,
Thine aged sire, of thee bereft,
To muse on all thy courage dared,
Is lonely left.

"Thus, while though all the wave-washed north
Is told to thrilling ears the tale,
Each heart is sad, each lyre gives forth
A sound of wail.

"Yet trust we to thine anxious eye
Did heaven's own beacon fire appear,
To guide thee, 'neath the dark'ning sky,
Thy course to steer.

"Trust that the Saviour was to thee
The ark upon the 'whelming wave,
The life-boat, 'mid the yawning sea
Of sin to save.

"That now, where joy, and light, and peace,
Are by His living presence poured,
Where storms are o'er and tempests cease,
Thy bark is moored."

CHAPTER XVII. "BEING DEAD, YET SPEAKETH."

"What wouldst thou be?
A blessing to each one surrounding me,
A chalice of dew to the weary heart,
A sunbeam of joy bidding sorrow depart,
To the storm-tossed vessel a beacon-light,
A nightingale song in the darkest night,
A beckoning hand to a far-off goal,
An angel of love to each friendless soul—
Such would I be.
Oh, that such happiness were for me."—Frances Ridley Havergal.

It would be little use either to write or read any biography or record of deeds and lives, unless some good lessons could be learnt from the same. But

"Lives of great men all remind us
We may make our lives sublime,
And departing leave behind us,
Footprints on the sands of time."

From the life of Grace Darling several sermons could be preached, especially for those members of her own sex who are interested in her and her heroic exploit. Nor need the preacher be at a loss for texts, for Grace is an illustration of the words of the wise man in the last chapter of the Book of Proverbs. Several of the verses especially appear adapted to show what kind of girl she was; and if the reader will take a few, it will be seen how aptly in her own life she exemplified the teaching, which she must often have read, and with which she must have been very familiar.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Grace Darling was, of necessity, after her act had made her famous, well known, and constantly watched. But there is only one report concerning her, and that is, that she was the personification of pure and simple goodness. It would not have been very wonderful if the tongues of malice and envy had found something hard to say of her, but we never hear of the shadow of a suspicion of any kind having rested upon her fair name. She possessed in herself the three Graces—Faith, Hope, and Charity. She was tender and pure. She impressed all who knew her by the unostentatious faithfulness of her spirit, and purity of her life. She seems to have been actuated every day by the one desire, to do her duty. She wished to serve God, obey her parents, and do any good work that might be in her power. And who does not see how much better she was than a useless fine lady, who could do nothing but pass her life in idleness? Who will not own that King Solomon was right when he said that the price of a virtuous woman is far above rubies? Gold and gems shine, but the pure light of a good woman's life sheds a better and more enduring radiance on the world than any jewels could do. And her value no one can estimate. Had the father of Grace Darling been asked to take a sum of money in exchange for his daughter, it is certain that the world would scarcely contain enough to have satisfied him. Rubies! Oh, they need not be mentioned in the same breath. The weary, sinful, suffering earth could do very well without rubies; but good women are what it sighs and groans for.

And there is not a girl who reads these pages, but can become that most valuable treasure—a good woman. It is possible to every one of them to attain to that degree of excellence to which Grace Darling reached. They may not, as has already been said, have the same opportunity of saving life by going out over the stormy waters to the rescue of the perishing; but they can be, if they cannot do, the same. And the world does not so much need a few heroines, as it needs a large number of good common-place women. There is not a home in the whole of our land but would be the brighter and better for any number of these women, as mothers, wives, daughters, aunts, cousins, or servants. The millennium will have come when all our women are virtuous, when they who are the very chief over the home-loving peoples are pure, modest, true-hearted, honourable, dignified, devoted, and, in a word, virtuous. But if any one is in doubt as to how these good qualities are to be obtained, let them know that God can give them to one as well as another. They come in answer to prayer; and those women who steal away sometimes to their chambers, and there pour out their souls in earnest entreaty to Him from whom every perfect gift must come, are the women who bring serene faces into the family circle, and pleasant smiles to dissipate the gloom. These are the women who will be patient among irritating circumstances, who will give the soft answer that turneth away wrath, who will never make man's care the greater, but who will hold weary heads to their bosoms, and prove what comforters and helpmates they can be. Such women may all who wish to claim sisterhood with Grace Darling, become.

"She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms." Among the many monitors which speak to the women of the present day, there is one to which it would be well that they should give heed, for it says to them, be strong. These are times when strength is needed. It has become a trite saying, that we live at a railroad pace; and it seems as if it is no use trying to slacken the speed, and there is nothing to do but to go forward, as all the world is doing. But there never were times that made such heavy demands upon physical and mental strength. There seems no room for the feeble. They are almost certain to be pushed and jostled out of the way. And women that are really weak have not only to suffer themselves, but they are the cause of suffering to other people also. Therefore it becomes our daughters to cultivate the strength which they will so surely need. And it is quite possible to do this. Grace Darling was not naturally strong, she was but a slender girl, whose life passed away soon; but she would not have been able to take an oar and propel the boat across the seething waves, if she had not had plenty of fresh bracing air, and out-of-door exercise. The times are past when there could be any other feeling than scorn for women who, not being really afflicted with disease, are useless. Let it be understood, as indeed it is beginning to be, that strong women are needed for the work of these days, and let all who would not be mere logs floating down the stream, listen to the injunction, and gird her loins with strength, and strengthen her arms.

"She stretcheth out her hands to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy." Every one who knew Grace Darling knew that she had a most pitiful and compassionate heart. But that was