THE LOVE THAT LASTS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 4, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 40.

THE LOVE THAT LASTS.

THE mother-love and father-love for a wayward child is but a reflection of the everlasting love of God for sinners. That is to be remembered in reading the following story of a mother's love and prayers for her lost boy:—

It was my happiness to know something of the enduring and indestructible character of a mother's love.

She had much trouble when I was young. My father died early, and we found he died a bankrupt. Things had to be sold. One trouble came after another, and my widowed mother had as much as she could bear.

At last, to crown all, her eldest son, who should have been her prop and stay, ran away in distressing circumstances. I well remember the early years of that cruel separation. Sitting by the fire in the long winter nights, my mother would speak to me and the other children calmly of our poor father; but if anybody named the wanderer, she could not endure the anguish; and so, after a time, his name was never heard.

I remember how in the night, when the wind was raging round our humble cottage, making it tremble to its foundations, I used to hear my mother (for her bedroom was over mine) pacing the floor, sobbing and praying for her lost boy. She did not know where he was, and, for aught she knew, he might be on the sea.

Fourteen years passed away. All of us were scattered except two, twins, now men, but little more than babies when their brother went away. 'Twas early summer, and they and mother were sitting in the little parlor with the window open, when who should come, with halting step, but a great, dark-bearded stranger. He looked in, leaning on the window-sill.

My mother looked at him, and did not know him at first. But the big tears were running down his face, and she knew him through the tears. She sprang up, and bade him instantly come in.

"No, mother!" said he, "I shall never cross your threshold till you have told me you forgive me everything."

My mother said: "Why, dear, I've forgiven you long, long ago. There's nothing to forgive, save that you have stayed away so long."

—Selected.