s he had cried out that night,
his whole soul rose in one desperate demand upon his Father for help.

"Oh, God!" he groaned, starting up, "oh, God, help me!"

And then it happened; the great wonder. The light from his Father's
boat! The sound of his Father's voice! Just as, long ago, lost in
mists and darkness, a prey to every terror, his father's voice, calling
down the shaft of light, had caught him up from despair to the heights
of joy, so it was now. Suddenly, without reason, there fell upon the
young man's writhing soul a great calm. He lay back on his pillow,
perfectly still, his whole being held in awe of what had happened. For
there, in the common light of day, within the bare walls of the
hospital room, not visible to the human eye, but plain to the eye of
the soul, staring beyond the things that are seen for a gleam of hope,
a Presence was quietly standing. Serene, omnipotent, all-calming, the
gracious One stood, close to his side, and fear and pain fled before
Him.

Roderick was conscious of no feeling of surprise or wonder. He felt
only a great serenity, and an absolute safety. He asked no questions,
felt no desire to ask any. There had been another young man once, who
had met this same One in a like headlong career, planned by his own
strong right hand, and he had cried out in fear, "Who art thou, Lord?"
But Roderick knew just as well as he had known his father's voice that
night coming out of the mists and darkness. His Eternal Father was at
his side. That was all he knew now. It was all he cared to know. He
lay there in perfect peace and, close to his side, silent and strong,
stood the Presence.

The orderly pushed up the little wheeled conveyance to the bedside, the
nurse took his wrist in her hand again. She beamed happily. "Good for
you," she said, as she placed her hand upon his forehead. "Why, you're
splendid. You've got your nerve all right," and she stared in
amazement when Roderick smiled at her. He did not answer, though, he
was listening to something. All the old promises he had learned at his
father's knee and that had meant nothing to him for so long, were
flooding over his peaceful soul, coming serenely and softly from the
Presence standing by his pillow.

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee and through
the rivers they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon
thee