Elsie at Home | Page 7

three, and under its benign
influence Eva made rapid improvement in health and spirits, enjoying
every day of her sojourn at Woodburn, the Sabbath even more than any
other, especially the afternoon study of the Bible in which all took part,
from Grandma Elsie and Captain Raymond down to little Ned.
The subject chosen for the first lesson after Eva's coming was the
resurrection, probably selected especially for Eva's comfort in her
sorrow over her mother's recent departure, to be with her no more in
this life.
"Mother," the captain said, addressing Grandma Elsie, when they were
all seated, each with a Bible in hand, "as you are somewhat older and
certainly much wiser than I--especially as regards spiritual things--will
you not take the lead to-day?"
"Older I certainly am," returned Mrs. Travilla, with her own sweet
smile, "but I think not wiser than yourself, captain; and certainly I have
not made the preparation for this occasion which doubtless you have.
So please lead the exercises just as you would if I were not present."
"You would prefer my doing so?" he asked.
"Very much," she replied. "The resurrection is the subject?"
"Yes; and what a glorious one! how full of comfort for all who believe
in Christ! 'For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand
at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my death my body is
destroyed, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself
and mine eyes shall behold, and not another,' said the patriarch Job;
comforting himself in his affliction with that blessed prospect. The
doctrine of a general resurrection is expressly taught in both the Old
Testament and the New, and I think we cannot spend our lesson hour
more profitably than in looking up the texts on the subject. Can you
give us one, mother?"

At that Grandma Elsie opened her Bible.
"Beginning with the Old Testament," she said, "here in Psalms xlix. 15
we read: 'But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave:
for he shall receive me. Selah.' Then here in Isaiah; 'Thy dead men shall
live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye
that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall
cast out the dead.'"
Then Violet, sitting next, read from her open Bible: "'The same day
came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and
asked him, saying, Master, Moses said, if a man die, having no children,
his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had
married a wife, deceased, and having no issue, left his wife unto his
brother: likewise the second also, and the third unto the seventh. And
last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection, whose
wife shall she be? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto
them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. For
in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are
as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the
dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.'"
Eva's turn came next and she read: "'And the graves were opened; and
many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves
after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto
many.'"
Then Lucilla: "'Women received their dead raised to life again: and
others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a
better resurrection.'"
"Will the resurrection be of all the dead, Grace? the wicked as well as
the righteous?" asked her father.
"Yes, papa," she answered; then read aloud: "'Marvel not at this: for the

hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his
voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection
of damnation.'"
It was little Elsie's turn and she read a verse in Acts pointed out by her
mother: "'And have hope toward God, which they themselves also
allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and
unjust.'"
It was Ned's turn now and he read a passage selected for him by his
mother: "'For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,
how