Catharine Shaw

“ Here you all are!" said Aunt Ruth.
"Yes, just ready for a nice twilight story," said Rose. "They are getting the tea, and there is just time."
Aunt Ruth was always willing, though she seldom suggested a talk unless they did. Often she seized upon a little lesson from what was passing at the moment, which the children were grateful for, and did not forget.
"Well, come along, settle yourselves quickly," she said, "for if Rose is right about the tea, there will not be much time."
They all gathered round her affectionately.
"Well, auntie?" said Oswald, by way of a beginning. ”

“ Aunt Ruth pointed to the sunset, and rose to go in; but as Tom struggled to his feet, she said softly: "Tom, I don't think there is any home in America getting ready—"
"But I know there is," said Tom, bluntly; "meanwhile, and always, 'He careth for you,' auntie!"
They went in at last, and as they were wishing good-night, Aunt Ruth said: "Children, as you all seem to want me to live with you, I am only too happy to come." ”

“ When the shortest day comes, I say to myself, 'My summer has begun.' You cannot think how, to rejoice in the lengthening days, seems to shorten the winter!"
"I daresay it does," said Tom reflectively.
"Every bit of hopefulness does one good, you know," Mary went on softly. "You laugh at me for quoting 'Pa Gladden' so often, but he says 'Human nature air always huntin' for the cheerful,' and I have noticed that cheery people bring sunshine." ”

“ If we look-out for them, they will come to us fast enough, and we shall get used to watching ourselves."
"Is that all about Truth?" asked Florence.
"Not half enough, but you must think it out for yourselves; we shall not have time to-night for more than a few suggestions. We must now proceed to the 'Breastplate of Righteousness.'"
"That's mine," said Hugh.
"All of us need it," answered Agnes, "for I think it is one of our best weapons against Satan."
"How?" asked Hugh.
"Don't you see that it is only as we carry the 'Breastplate of Righteousness' we can face Satan boldly, without fear?" ”

“ Do you think of it like that, Alice?"
"Yes," answered her sister. "I was reading these words on Sunday: 'Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.' I suppose that has something to do with my piece of armour."
"Of course it has!" exclaimed Agnes eagerly. "And it is so difficult to combine those two things in the same person—grace and truth. People can be truthful, but they find it very hard to be gracious also; or they are so gracious that they fail to be truthful."
"I don't see how you mean," said Hugh.
"In this sort of way," answered Agnes. ”

“ Milicent raised her head, and put out her hands to the blaze thoughtfully.
"They must love Jesus very much to bear all that for Him," she said at length.
"Yes; and love the poor ignorant people, too, Milly!"
"Do the Eskimos learn to love Christ, Auntie?"
"Indeed they do. The children are taught to read, and to sing hymns, and to repeat Scripture; and by and by little Mission stations spring up and a church is built; and those who used to be cannibals and at constant warfare with each other, learn to be kind and gentle and forgiving even as Christ is!" ”

“ But no eyes looked out from the dark cavity, and no movement came from those rigid arms. Florence stepped back to Minnie's side with a whispered:
"It's all right, Minnie; you needn't be one bit afraid—he's not real."
"Now for the story!" said Hugh, who had been impatient all this time, if not to get it over, at any rate to find out what it was.
"Come, then," answered Agnes, turning towards the window, and pointing to an old-fashioned settle covered with a warm rug. "Sit down here, opposite to the old knight, and I will tell you what I have been thinking about." ”

“ A very soft little "That will do for me!" came up from a very faithful little heart.
"Now, Minnie?"
"Might I have the shield? 'The shield of Faith.' But there'll be nothing nice left for you, Aggie!"
"The very thing is left for her that is most suitable!" exclaimed Alice warmly.
"Her 'feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.' Agnes is a thorough peacemaker, and she loves to tell people about the Gospel of peace, too."
"So I do; but not half as I ought," answered Agnes, lifting down the pieces of armour and handing each to the various possessors. ”

“ Satan would keep us outside; but when we can say to him 'God said so,' he has not a word to answer, and is obliged to let us pass!"
"I see!" said Tom.
"Let us all try this year to have a promise, or an assurance, every morning. I am sure it will bring happiness."
"Have you got one for to-day?" asked Jean, shyly.
"Yes," said Aunt Ruth, looking up. "It is 'Certainly I will be with thee.'"
"That's a ticket to a very good seat!" said Oswald, with his eyes shining. "I think your 'tickets' are a good idea, Auntie. We'll each see if we can't get some for ourselves." ”

“ But the Lord Jesus bids us follow Him closely, assuring us with tenderness that is wonderful, 'He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life!'"
"But," said Oswald, pressing closer to her side, "there are so many things that are so small, Auntie, and yet they worry you no end! Perhaps you've had a lesson to learn, and you've had a headache, or somebody has thrown you over, and made it ache, and so your lesson isn't half prepared, and you get up in the morning feeling that the world is dark and you cannot see any way out of the bother. ”

“ I want us all to choose a piece of this spiritual armour—not because one piece will do, but because one piece is better than none; when we have got used to our one piece, we shall begin to think of trying another! ”

“ The little girl was reassured by the loving arms wrapped round her, and by the warm kisses pressed on her flushed cheeks.
"That knight in armour, who looks so terrible there," explained Agnes, "is not a real man, though he has on real armour, which was used in real warfare, long ago. So, before I tell you my story, Minnie and Florence shall have a good look at him to make sure that it is only a wooden man, and not a hero of bygone ages come to life again." ”

“ To have feet always ready to do our Lord's bidding; to go everywhere, not with our own poor, bare, tired feet, but shod with His Gospel of peace; a covering which will make us welcome wherever we go."
"What next, Agnes?" asked Hugh.
"'The Shield of Faith,' Minnie's great piece of armour."
"Yes, that's mine," nodded Minnie.
"Here we come across another reference to the power of Satan," said Agnes, "and you see there is no disgrace in taking refuge under the Shield. ”

“ The tone made Tommy look up, and then his eyes wandered to the crutch, and back again to the patient face wistfully.
"If the blackberry hedges had nothing but sun, they would be scorched up, Tommy, boy! And if my life had been all pleasure, perhaps there would have been no fruit on my bush!"
"Fruit?"
"Yes, don't you remember how the lesson in Sunday School, yesterday, was 'He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit?'"
"Oh, I see!" said Tommy. ”

“ May Jesus Christ be praised
Alike in work or prayer,
To Jesus I repair,
Let Jesus Christ be praised!"
"But I am specially fond of the sixth verse—this:"
"The night becomes as day,
When from the heart we say,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The powers of darkness fear,
When this sweet chant they hear,
May Jesus Christ be praised!"
"I'll learn it," said Nancy, and perhaps the others thought the same, for Tom said gently, as he smoothed his sister's hand, "I should think it was almost worth while being ill!"
CHAPTER XXVII. MID-WINTER.
"HERE is the first Sunday in December, Mary!" ”

“ He had looked in the cupboard and not a bit of fresh food for Christmas fare appeared to be there. He had peeped in the corners of the kitchen and shed, but no surprises lay anywhere that he could see.
"I did try to be a little Christian," he had murmured, "but what's the good? Other people have a good Christmas, but we haven't. God has forgotten all about father being ill, and mother and us not having enough to eat!" ”

“ Victory at last; no defeat or dismay for those who trust Him. 'Take the Helmet of Salvation,' and the joy of the Lord shall be your strength!"
"Oh, Agnes," whispered Florence, "how nice!"
"And then," pursued Agnes, "the last equipment must be taken in hand, and never put down till the fight is fought. 'Take ... the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.'"
"I often think how our Lord conquered Satan when He was on earth. Don't you remember that at every attack, He answered him by the Word of God? Satan hates to have Scripture quoted to him. ”

“ Thank you, dear, heavenly Father!'"
"Then she rose with a wonderful happiness, and opened the basket."
"As she took out the things one by one, she told her neighbour 'it was just like the Lord,' for there was bread, and butter, tea and sugar, and a piece of bacon! 'And didn't we have a good supper!' she concluded."
"And did that really happen here, auntie?" asked Rose.
"Really happened here!" said Aunt Ruth. "The Lord is the same Lord always, 'rich unto all that call upon Him.'"
"But sometimes we ask for things and don't get an answer?" ventured Tom, in his downright fashion. ”

“ The wind blows round in gusts; the snow lies thick wherever the wind has not lifted it; the cold seems to have taken possession.
Daisy looked out of the window on a dull February afternoon. The weather outside matched the chilled little heart. An arm came round her shoulders, and a gentle voice said, "Well, little one, what is that head of yours so busy over?"
"Oh, I don't know, Auntie! I was looking at the snow, and thinking—somehow—the winter seems never-ending!" ”

“ They did not guess that their love and sympathy helped her very much too.
"Well!" she said, brightly, "I was thinking this morning about God's promises, and I made up my mind to take one each day this year to live upon!"
"How do you mean?" asked Rose.
"Every morning to take some distinct promise, or assurance, out of the Bible, and think about it whenever I could, and remind God of it whenever I was in any difficulty. I'm going to call it my ticket!"
"Your 'ticket,' Auntie?" said Oswald, affectionately. "I do not believe you want a ticket to get into God's presence. Is that what you mean?" ”

“ He knows its power, and would by every device urge the soldier to lay down this powerful weapon. But let us all be too wary for this. Let us brighten our Sword ere we go to bed; let us grasp it afresh when we rise in the morning; let us wield it in our hearts and in our lives all day, that so the Word of Christ may dwell in us richly, and we may be able to fight the good fight of faith."
Agnes paused, and all her listeners were silent.
"Do you catch my meaning, dears?" she asked gently.
"Oh yes, Agnes," answered several voices, and then John spoke earnestly. ”

“ Dorothy smiled at her tone, and Mary said, "Will you take the comfort that Jesus wants to give you about me, and be sure He is doing His best for me? I'm at the triumphant text to-night, you see!"
There were bright tears glittering in her soft eyes for all that, and Dorothy kissed her almost reverently.
"Well—I'll take one of your texts, if I can't take the other!" she said, "At present!"
"God must teach you Himself," said Mary, "and then you will be able!"
CHAPTER V. ROBBIE'S CHRISTMAS EVE.
"WHY, Mother, it is almost as light as day!" ”

“ Oswald pressed her arm. Aunt Ruth was so comforting.
"Every one of us has our own special difficulty, and what is 'darkness' to Oswald may not appear at all bad to Tom!"
Tom could hear a smile in his Aunt's voice as she turned towards him.
"The timid child who hates to go upstairs after dusk, feels itself quite safe if father is in front! So little Ted Jones could not see the way to go, and he felt afraid in the dark lanes lest he was not going right. ”

“ Not driving them, then?"
"No, that was what I noticed and I thought you'd perhaps have a twilight talk over that?"
Jean smiled as she said it, and Aunt Ruth smiled too.
"So you are beginning to look-out for spiritual lessons from everyday things?"
"I like that sort of lesson," said Jean, "so much better than geography and history!"
"Ah! But we cannot properly learn the spiritual, unless we are in touch with Christ in the everyday things!"
"Can't we, Auntie?" asked Tom, soberly. ”

“ To the old woman who is hungry, He sends bread and all she wants, and to the little girl who is worried about her shoes, He sends the best thing for her in His wisdom and love—an acquiescence in His provision, and then forgetfulness of what she thought would spoil her day! ”

“ Satan hurls darts at those who are bearing God's name, and carrying His armour, and he hopes by their terrible fiery nature to beat down the combatant. But our Captain, who has not sent us out to battle unarmed, has provided a shield, which not only protects us from the fiery darts, but actually quenches them! The Shield of Faith. Minnie, whatever people say as you go on in life, whatever Satan may say, take your Shield of Faith and answer, 'If God be for us, who can be against us?' 'He that believeth shall not make haste.'"
"I never knew what it meant before," said Minnie. ”

“ At first she was not sure, but after a few moments of thinking it over, she confessed to herself that it was not "pleasure," for she thought she did not get much of that; it was not "work," though she had heaps of that; it was not "care," for as yet she felt but little of that; it was—she paused—she hated to acknowledge it to herself—it was worry! She had got into a kind of vexation with her life, and all that belonged to it. She could not alter it; the more she tried the worse it seemed to be. ”

“ So this afternoon as I wanted a walk, I made my way to the old spot, and, presently, as I went along, something delicious seemed to surround me, and without thinking, I exclaimed, 'Violets!' And then laughed at myself, for what else was I searching for? So when I had found a few I sat down on the warm, sunny bank, and thought—"
"You always have 'thoughts,' I do believe, Auntie," said Oswald. "Let's have them, then!"
"I thought—I wondered whether we Christians could be like the violets."
Jean smiled. "They are hidden," she said.
"And sweet," said Tom. ”