now, sir, that I told you before I
married her, that I would not marry her for the sake of her fortune;
neither have I, I do not expect any, the Lord blesses us without any,
and he will still continue to bless us.' He acknowledged the truth of
what I said, and we parted." The fire of wrath was still smouldering
in the heart of the old man, and awakened in the mind of Mrs. Burdsall
feelings of painful anxiety, especially, as it was apparent, that life
was ebbing fast to its close. Mr. B. therefore, a short time after,
addressed a kind but faithful letter to him on the great subject of
salvation, and concluded with these remarkable and expressive words,
"I have no other reason for writing to you, that I know of, than this,
that the sun is going down." This produced no immediate effect, only,
whenever they met, Mr. Stables would say, "You write parables to
me." The allusion however so appositely and wisely put, like an
arrow directed to the mark, had fastened upon his conscience, and was
secretly undermining the strength of long and obstinately-cherished
resentment. The marksman was skilful, but still better, a man of
"fervent effectual prayer." "As a Prince he had power with God and
with men, and prevailed," for "when a man's ways please the Lord He
maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." So it turned out.
Mr. Burdsall says, "One time, as I was returning home from preaching
at a distant place in a very wet cold and hungry state, and as night
was coming on, having to pass his residence, I thought I would call
and see if he would receive me. I knocked at the door, and he himself
opened it. Seeing me he called his eldest daughter and said, 'Here is
thy brother, come and take his horse.' I alighted and went in. He then
accosted me as he had done once before, asking, 'What are you a riding
preacher now?' I answered, 'To be sure I am; for I have ridden from
York to Seacroft, and from thence to your house.' 'Well,' said he, 'I
know you live well.' I replied, 'We do; but I have not lived so well
to day as I might have done; for I feel rather hungry.' He smiled,
and bid his daughter put on the tea kettle. We then entered into
conversation, in which he said, 'You write parables to me, for you
told me the sun was going down.' I answered, 'I did so, and my reason
for it was, I knew I had stirred up your wrath in marrying your
daughter against your mind, and was fearful lest the sun should go
down upon it.' He burst into a fl