Part 37 (1/2)
”Yes.”
”They leave no stone unturned, they work by night and by day, they think of nothing else, until their object is gained. Mark those two places, Rotha, and mark them in the fly leaf of your Bible, 1. and 2.”
”Suppose,” he went on when she had done this, ”suppose you have sought in this way, and the light does not come, and you are in danger of losing heart. Then turn to Hosea, sixth chapter and third verse. There you have an antidote against discouragement. You shall know, 'if you _follow on_ to know the Lord;' if you do not give over seeking and grow tired of praying. 'His going forth is prepared as the morning.' Blessed words!”----
”I do not know what they mean,” said Rotha.
”Do you know how the morning is prepared?”
”No, sir.”
”Do you know why the sun rises when morning comes?”
”It wouldn't be morning, if he didn't rise, would it?”
”No. Well, when the time comes,” said Mr. Digby laughing. ”Do you know why the sun rises? and why does he not rise where he went down?”
”No--” said Rotha, her eyes kindling with intelligent curiosity.
Whereupon Mr. Digby turned himself out of his hammock, and coming to the table gave Rotha her first lesson in astronomy; a lesson thoroughly given, and received by her with an eagerness and a delight which shewed that knowledge to her was like what the magnet is to the iron. She forgot all about the religious bearing of the new subject till the subject itself was for that time done with. Then Mr. Digby's questions returned into the former channel.
”You see now, Rotha, how the morning is 'prepared,' do you?”
”Yes, Mr. Digby,” she answered joyously.
”And sure to come. If the earth goes on turning round, it cannot help coming. Even so: the Lord's coming is prepared and sure, for any one who persistently seeks him. Keep on towards the east and you will certainly see the sun rise.”
”Yes,” said Rotha, ”I see. It is beautiful.”
”Mark that No. 3 in the fly leaf! But Rotha, remember, anybody truly in earnest and searching 'as for hid treasure,' will be willing to give up whatever would render the search useless.”
”Yes, of course. But what would?” said Rotha, though she was thinking more of the improvised planetarium with which her imagination had just been delighted.
”Turn once more to the fourteenth of John and read the 21st verse.” But Mr. Digby himself gave the words.
”'He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.'”
”That is somebody who has found the treasure, I think, Mr. Digby; it is 'he that _loveth me_.'”
”Quite true; nevertheless, Rotha, it remains a fact that n.o.body who is not willing to do the Lord's will, can come to the knowledge of him.”
”Mr. Digby, why are wrong things so easy, and right things so hard?”
”They are not.”
”I thought they were,” said Rotha in surprise. ”Am I worse than other people?”
”It all depends upon where you stand, Rotha. Would you find it easy to do something that would cause me great pain?”
”No, Mr. Digby,--impossible.”