The Little Pilgrim

The Little Pilgrim

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Pilgrim: Further
Experiences.
by Margaret O. (Wilson) Oliphant This eBook is for the use of anyone
anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You
may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project
Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
www.gutenberg.net
Title: The Little Pilgrim: Further Experiences. Stories of the Seen and
the Unseen.
Author: Margaret O. (Wilson) Oliphant
Release Date: November 11, 2003 [EBook #10051]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FURTHER
EXPERIENCES ***

Produced by Stan Goodman, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team

THE LITTLE PILGRIM:

Further Experiences
By Margaret O. (Wilson) Oliphant

I.
THE LITTLE PILGRIM IN THE SEEN AND UNSEEN.
The little Pilgrim, whose story has been told in another place, and who
had arrived but lately on the other side, among those who know trouble
and sorrow no more, was one whose heart was always full of pity for
the suffering. And after the first rapture of her arrival, and of the
blessed work which had been given to her to do, and all the wonderful
things she had learned of the new life, there returned to her in the midst
of her happiness so many questions and longing thoughts that They
were touched by them who have the care of the younger brethren, the
simple ones of heaven. These questions did not disturb her peace or joy,
for she knew that which is so often veiled on earth,--that all is
accomplished by the will of the Father, and that nothing can happen but
according to His appointment and under His care. And she was also
aware that the end is as the beginning to Him who knows all, and that
nothing is lost that is in His hand. But though she would herself have
willingly borne the sufferings of earth ten times over for the sake of all
that was now hers, yet it pierced her soul to think of those who were
struggling in darkness, and whose hearts were stifled within them by all
the bitterness of the mortal life. Sometimes she would be ready to cry
out with wonder that the Lord did not hasten His steps and go down
again upon the earth to make all plain; or how the Father himself could
restrain His power, and did not send down ten legions of angels to
make all that was wrong right, and turn all that was mournful into joy.
'It is but for a little time,' said her companions. 'When we have reached
this place we remember no more the anguish.' 'But to them in their
trouble it does not seem a little time,' the Pilgrim said. And in her heart
there rose a great longing. Oh that He would send me! that I might tell
my brethren,--not like the poor man in the land of darkness, of the

gloom and misery of that distant place, but a happier message, of the
light and brightness of this, and how soon all pain would be over. She
would not put this into a prayer, for she knew that to refuse a prayer is
pain to the Father, if in His great glory any pain can be. And then she
reasoned with herself and said, 'What can I tell them, except that all
will soon be well? and this they know, for our Lord has said it; but I am
like them, and I do not understand.'
One fair morning while she turned over these thoughts in her mind
there suddenly came towards her one whom she knew as a sage, of the
number of those who know many mysteries and search into the deep
things of the Father. For a moment she wondered if perhaps he came to
reprove her for too many questionings, and rose up and advanced a
little towards him with folded hands and a thankful heart, to receive the
reproof if it should be so,--for whether it were praise or whether it were
blame, it was from the Father, and a great honor and happiness to
receive. But as he came towards her he smiled and bade her not to fear.
'I am come,' he said, 'to tell you some things you long to know, and to
show you some things that are hidden to most. Little sister, you are not
to be charged with any mission--'
'Oh, no,' she said, 'oh, no. I was not so presuming--'
'It is not presuming to wish to carry comfort to any soul; but it is
permitted to me to open up to you, so far as I may, some of the secrets.
The secrets of the Father