Page:Memorials of Capt. Hedley Vicars, Ninety-seventh Regiment by Marsh, Catherine, 1818-1912.djvu/106

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THE WAR.
97

although mere creatures of the clay, are yet immortal, God-related beings, elected, destined to enjoy a glorious, never-ending eternity with Jehovah Jesus, our Father and Elder Brother? Then shall these dark tombs of hearts be made so pure and white that even the breath of sin can never come near to defile them; and now we see through a glass darkly, then shall we know even as we are known.'

"I often grieve when at night I look back on the many precious hours, of the day lost, given me for the purpose of making a closer acquaintance with Jesus; and I suppose the greater happiness we find in Him here, the greater will be our enjoyment of Him hereafter. It is only adding sorrow to grief to know as we do that Christ yearns for our love, and that it pains His human nature when forgotten by us, for whom He has done such great things; but I do desire to be always in Christ, and He in me ; and I think in His mercy God is leading' my heart to seek more earnestly 'the unsearchable riches of Christ;' and yet there is still the remains of the old leaven working in my heart, and it is only the grace of God that restrains me. But how comforting the assurance that He will carry on His 'labour of love' in our souls, that He does not leave the issue in the least doubtful; for His having come to us, and made His abode with us, filling our hearts with peace and joy in believing, and causing them to 'abound with hope through the power of the Holy Ghost,' is a proof that we shall persevere unto the end, and leads us to believe that (notwitstanding our frail natures) we shall never perish, but being sealed with the 'Spirit of promise,' be kept through faith unto salvation, and preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"I must not forget, dearest friend, to explain what I meant when I said that 'a sort of pride is apt to rise up in speaking even of our sins.' It is a fact that