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Show 3G PRINCESS MARYS GIFT BOOK It was the alteruoou of the Red (‘ross weekl y workineparty. held in the village of Summerglade. in the *arly stages of the (treat \Var. The party was a small one. consisting: of Mrs. Batterby. a farmer's wife. in whose parlour the meeting was held; Mrs. Vealc. the wife of the village. doctor; Mrs. \Vindyhank. a gloomy widow: and Miss Skip- worth. an ingreuuons and tender-hearted spiust er. Between Mrs. Batterby and Mrs. Veale there existed a bitter and abidin g warfare. " May I ask what you were tllllll(lti§10t. ~iti not of the bravery of our own dear soldiersawhen you expres sed your assurance of the ultimate success of the Allied Force s!" asked Mrs. Veale, with her needle in her tingers and the light of battle in her eye. "By all means." replied Mrs. Batterby; "and. a civil question demanding a civil answer, I dont mind telling you that I feel sure we shall win, because we know that God is on our side and is lighting for us." "But their numbers are so great and their guns so magnificent," repeated Mrs. \Vindybank with a lugubr ious sigh. "I sometimes fear that they will win in the end. and we shall all be blown up bv Zeppelins and trampled underfoot. I‘m sure I pray every mornin};r that our armies may win. but I tremble when I think of the forces against us." " So did the Prophet's servant till his eyes were opened and he saw the mountain t'ull ot'horses and chario ts." replied Mrs. Batterhy. " hit .sonie folks eyes seem made not to open. like \tttttttitt'""" the stained-glasswindows iii Summcre‘lade Church." " It is i'irht to pray. but we must beware of presumptuousness in our prayer said Mrs. Veale sentcntiously. " \Ve'd much better beware of want " But it is ditlieult to have faith when of faith " rctortcd the hostess. things seem goiusr against us," said Matilda Skipwortli. ‘ O i . " Stutt' and nonsense. Matilda! It's when things seem going against us that. our faith is really any compliment to the Alu'iig‘hty. I cant see anything" very compliment ary to Him when every morni ng I. pray with faith, ‘ Give us this day our daily bread.' knowing~ all the time that it's in the larder with a damp elotli over it. But it's people pray that particular when pray ‘1', \‘i'lh no bread in the house and no money to pay for any, that their faith is any compliment to God 01‘ worthy ot‘ I Iis acceptance." i " I know my faith is very feeble and my prayers are unworthy." sighed .‘aliss Skipworth. " but I do try to believe. Still. I cannot help cnvyine‘ the Prophets seri ant who suze the horses and the chariots fighting on his side. I wish we could sec the angel hosts fighting for us. I do so wish that we had appearances of that kind nowa- days: it would make faith so much easier and life altogether so much more beautiful." ' . " But itwould not be in accordance with God's teaching in these later times. Such assistance to faith as the appearance of saints and angels would not be at all in accordance with our modern religious thought, and I am sure that the Almighty would not permit it," said Mrs. \ eale. " I am not so sure of that," retorted Mrs. Batterby. "I think that visions of angels are granted to-day to those that have eyes to see them, just as they were in Old Testament times. 1 . . ‘. " ()h l Mrs. Batterby," exclaimed Matilda 111 excitement. do you really believe that t " . . i"I do. But I don't believe that the angels appear as you \ioiild expect them. Matilda all got up in harps and crowns and ttauung swords. I believe that when they come nowadays they look1 so commonplace and what you might call ordinary-looking. that only t lose folks that have the eye of faith can perceive them'at all. they can .sclt them all right, mind you ! But they can t recognise them as the ange s 01 lefidIiIow I should like to see somebody who had actually seen an i 0.. l" .‘U‘ * W ss Skim'orth. ' 111.41. Ditlrlyliililelyl'er eofne across any one who had emoyed such an experience, ‘Mrs. Batterby :1 " asked IMrs. Veale in a. sceptical tone. .. 1 le " Yes. I did, Mrs. \‘caleithat is, it you can say that you L\Ll (at in v .lf." . ~ . . 7‘ ‘- IUOS‘S' 2,)(lilllfow interestiiig‘l-how very interesting! 'Cl‘lC(l‘ Miss 15:95.; worth. " But you don't look at all the sort 0t person that \\t)lt( s angelic];;i1(}g:ttcrl)v ' U‘ ‘ .- ‘ .' )irits." took the last remark _ . . as a compliment ; as upheld 1i: was intended. .. That'sjust my point. Matilda. n" 01 the real ange s 01 fill/NI MHU‘HH |