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Then they nailed him up。 Ah； what pain！ His lips are parched with
thirst； and they mock him still in this great agony； yet with those
parched lips he prays for them； ‘Father； forgive them； for they
know not what they do。’ Then a horror of great darkness fell upon
him； and he felt what sinners feel when they are for ever shut out
from God。 That was the last drop in the cup of bitterness。 ‘My God；
my God！’ he cries； ‘why hast Thou forsaken me？’
“All this he bore for you！ For you—and you never think of him；
for you—and you turn your backs on him； you don’t care what he
has gone through for you。 Yet he is not weary of toiling for you： he
has risen from the dead； he is praying for you at the right hand of
God—‘Father； forgive them； for they know not what they do。’ And
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he is upon this earth too； he is among us； he is there close to you
now； I see his wounded body and his look of love。”
Here Dinah turned to Bessy Cranage； whose bonny youth and
evident vanity had touched her with pity。
“Poor child！ Poor child！ He is beseeching you； and you don’t
listen to him。 You think of ear…rings and fine gowns and caps； and
you never think of the Saviour who died to save your precious
soul。 Your cheeks will be shrivelled one day； your hair will be grey；
your poor body will be thin and tottering！ Then you will begin to
feel that your soul is not saved； then you will have to stand before
God dressed in your sins； in your evil tempers and vain thoughts。
And Jesus； who stands ready to help you now； won’t help you
then； because you won’t have him to be your Saviour； he will be
your judge。 Now he looks at you with love and mercy and says；
‘Come to me that you may have life’； then he will turn away from
you； and say； ‘Depart from me into ever…lasting fire！’”
Poor Bessy’s wide…open black eyes began to fill with tears； her
great red cheeks and lips became quite pale； and her face was
distorted like a little child’s before a burst of crying。
“Ah； poor blind child！” Dinah went on； “think if it should
happen to you as it once happened to a servant of God in the days
of her vanity。 She thought of her lace caps and saved all her money
to buy ’em； she thought nothing about how she might get a clean
heart and a right spirit—she only wanted to have better lace than
other girls。 And one day when she put her new cap on and looked
in the glass； she saw a bleeding Face crowned with thorns。 That
face is looking at you now”—here Dinah pointed to a spot close in
front of Bessy—“Ah； tear off those follies！ Cast them away from
you； as if they were stinging adders。 They are stinging you—they
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are poisoning your soul—they are dragging you down into a dark
bottomless pit； where you will sink for ever； and for ever； and for
ever； further away from light and God。”
Bessy could bear it no longer： a great terror was upon her； and
wrenching her ear…rings from her ears； she threw them down
before her； sobbing aloud。 Her father； Chad； frightened lest he
should be “laid hold on” too； this impression on the rebellious
Bess striking him as nothing less than a miracle； walked hastily
away and began to work at his anvil by way of reassuring himself。
“Folks mun ha’ hoss…shoes； praichin’ or no praichin’： the divil
canna lay hould o’ me for that；” he muttered to himself。
But now Dinah began to tell of the joys that were in store for
the penitent； and to describe in her simple way the divine peace
and love with which the soul of the believer is filled—how the
sense of God’s love turns poverty into riches and satisfies the soul
so that no uneasy desire vexes it； no fear alarms it： how； at last； the
very temptation to sin is extinguished； and heaven is begun upon
earth； because no cloud passes between the soul and God； who is
its eternal sun。
“Dear friends；” she said at last； “brothers and sisters； whom I
love as those for whom my Lord has died； believe me； I know what
this great blessedness is； and because I know it； I want you to have
it too。 I am poor； like you： I have to get my living with my hands；
but no lord nor lady can be so happy as me； if they haven’t got the
love of God in their souls。 Think what it is—not to hate anything
but sin； to be full of love to every creature； to be frightened at
nothing； to be sure that all things will turn to good； not to mind
pain； because it is our Father’s will； to know that nothing—no； not
if the earth was to be burnt up； or the waters come and drown
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us—nothing could part us from God who loves us； and who fills
our souls with peace and joy； because we are sure that whatever
he wills is holy； just； and good。
“Dear friends； come and take this blessedness； it is offered to
you； it is the good news that Jesus came to preach to the poor。 It is
not like the riches of this world； so that the more one gets the less
the rest can have。 God is without end； his love is without end—
Its streams the whole creation reach；
So plenteous is the store；
Enough for all； enough for each；
Enough for evermore。
Dinah had been speaking at least an hour； and the reddening
light of the parting day seemed to give a solemn emphasis to her
closing words。 The stranger； who had been interested in the
course of her sermon as if it had been the development of a
drama—for there is this sort of fascination in all sincere
unpremeditated eloquence； which opens to one the inward drama
of the speaker’s emotions—now turned his horse aside and
pursued his way； while Dinah said； “Let us sing a little； dear
friends”； and as he was still winding down the slope； the voices of
the Methodists reached him； rising and falling in that strange
blending of exultation and sadness which belongs to the cadence
of a hymn。
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Chapter III
After the Preaching
n less than an hour from that time； Seth Bede was walking by
Dinah’s side along the hedgerow…path that skirted the
I
pastures and green corn…fields which lay between the village
and the Hall Farm。 Dinah had taken off her little Quaker bonnet
again； and was holding it in her hands that she might have a freer
enjoyment of the cool evening twilight； and Seth could see the
expression of her face quite clearly as he walked by her side；
timidly revolving something he wanted to say to her。 It was an
expression of unconscious placid gravity—of absorption in
thoughts that had no connection with the present moment or with
her own personality—an expression that is most of all
discouraging to a lover。 Her very walk was discouraging： it had
that quiet elasticity that asks for no support。 Seth felt this dimly；
he said to himself； “She’s too good and holy for any man； let alone
me；” and the words he had been summoning rushed back again
before they had reached his lips。 But another thought gave him
courage： “There’s no man could love her better and leave her freer
to follow the Lord’s work。” They had been silent for many minutes
now； since they had done talking about Bessy Cranage； Dinah
seemed