116 Darknefs and Light.

“¢ It is true, Roderick, we are all apt to refem-
ble the Jews in their journey through the wilder-
nefs.”’

“¢ ‘Yes, Mamma; and particularly people who
can’t truft in God, though they know He is every-
where. The Jews knew He was in the cloud
and the pillar, and ftill were always afraid He
couldn’t take care of them. And what came in-
to my head was, that I ufed to be as bad as thofe
old Jews once; knowing that God was prefent
everywhere to take care of me, and ftill not fee/-
ing it fo as really to believe it, and not be afraid.
But the blindnefs has quite cured me, and is it
not very likely that it came on purpofe to do fo,
and to make me truft in God; for I have done fo
more and more, dear Mamma, as I groped about
this year, for I have all along hoped He would
take care of me, and keep me from falling ; and,
therefore, I think the blindnefs has done me a
great deal of good, and I hope I fhall never be
like the naughty old Jews again! ‘Tohis is what
I had to fay ; and I hope you will be as glad as I
am.”

‘¢ T will try, my darling,” cried poor Madeline,

The tendereft love, the bittereft grief, mixed
with earneft ftruggles for refignation to the will
of Heaven, contended in the Mother’s bofom, as
fhe clafped her innocent child to her heart. He
was almoft frightened. She lifted him on to her
knees, and buried her face on his fhoulder. He