Elizabeth: The Disinherited Daugheter | Page 5

allow others to talk to him about the absent one for
several weeks.
All these were not only precious weeks to Elizabeth, but lengthened out
a most valuable epoch of her life. At length the wily parson succeeded
in getting to the stormy heart of this enraged and unhappy father, and
portrayed in glowing colors the clearness of Miss Elizabeth's "effectual
call" and "blessed hope," and managed to bridge over "that awful
slough of Methodism" by descanting gravely upon some of the
"mysterious leadings of sovereign grace." "And now, if our dear lamb
of the Saviour can be rescued from those deluded people and carefully
instructed in 'the doctrines of grace,' what an ornament she would be to
our church with such a brilliant experience, and such 'a burning and
shining light!'"
Whether the hard heart of that father relented, or whether, weary of
brooding over his disappointed hopes of a worldly sort, his pride saw
prospect of indulgence in another direction, we leave it for subsequent
events to determine. The kind parson was successful, and Elizabeth was
soon ordered to return home.

CHAPTER IV.
ORDER OBEYED.
The order to "close up her school and return home" did not disguise the
anger of the father over the radical change in Elizabeth's religious
condition and associations. But she had ever yielded unquestioning
obedience to that father's commands; and so with all practicable

dispatch she now prepared to comply with the stern and precipitant
demand.
It was painful to be suddenly torn from her agreeable relatives in
Pittsfield; for, although she had departed far from their notions of
doctrine, dress, and usage, and fully adopted the principles and spirit of
a new and despised people, they had never reproached her for her
religion, but, deeply impressed with the genuineness of her experience
and sweetness of her Christian spirit, had regarded and treated her with
tenderness and respect.
It was not easy to bid adieu to her pupils who clung to her with much
affection. But it was the hardest parting from the church which had led
her to the Saviour. But here, too, grace triumphed, and she spoke
rapturously of meeting that dear people "where parting will be no
more;" and, catching, as if by divine suggestion, a strong presentiment,
she declared her impression that even in this life they should enjoy each
other's society again--"even in this blessed place, where my sins were
forgiven and I have received such valuable lessons and enjoyed such
glorious seasons of communion with God and His people. Pray for
me!"
"We will continue to pray for you, dear sister; and we too hope that our
heavenly Father may so order your lot that you may meet with us again
in the place of your espousal to Christ; but let us so live that we may all
meet in glory." And then they broke forth into song:
"Amen, amen, my soul replies; I'm bound to meet you in the skies, And
claim my mansion there!"

CHAPTER V.
THE FIERY FURNACE.
Elizabeth's reception at her father's surprised her by its coolness and
reserve, as if she were a stranger or a visitor.

At once a happy thought struck her with great force: "If my religious
profession puts such a distance between me and all my father's family,
the throne of grace must, if possible, unite us." So, before retiring for
the first night's rest, she asked and obtained authority to set up a family
altar, and for some months at least one of that family enjoyed freedom
of spirit and tenderness of heart.
Parson Huntington visited her with much paternal kindness; and
although, in presence of her joyous piety, he often seemed embarrassed,
yet he remained true to his first conclusion as to the "effectual character
of her call and blessed hope." But the promised "teaching" found her a
less tractable pupil than he had hoped and led the father to hope. She
ever treated his instructions with profound respect, but seemed to be a
dull learner. Alas, that she was all the while imbibing more than they or
she supposed! Still, the predestinarian aliment did not set well on her
palate, or nourish her young and tender graces of spirit. Her father
sought to confine her to that sort of diet--at home, at church,
everywhere; for his only hope of rescuing her from Methodism seemed
to center in a thorough course of Calvinian instruction, excluding with
rigid surveillance everything Arminian.
But she longed for the food her soul had fed upon with such relish and
profit; and, after a while, hearing that the little Methodist society of
Middletown held noon class meetings, not far from the church which
she was required to attend, she often managed to slip out during part of
the intermission and go