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TheJewishGirl犹太女子AmongtheotherchildreninthecharityschoolwasalittleJewishgirlcleverandgood-infactthebrightestofthemall.ButtherewasoneclassshecouldnotattendtheonewherereligionwastaughtforshewasinaChristianschool.Duringthehourofthisclassshehadhergeographybookbeforehertostudyordidherarithmeticbutthelessonswerequicklylearnedandthenthoughthebookmightstillbeopenbeforehershedidnotreadfromit;shelistened.Andtheteachersoonnoticedthatshelistenedmoreintentlythananyoftherest.“Studyyourbook〃saidtheteachergentlyyetearnestly.Butshelookedbackathimwithherblackeagereyesandwhenheputhisquestionstoheraswellastheresthefoundsheknewmorethanalltheothers.Shehadlistenedunderstoodandkepthiswords.HerfatherwasapoorbuthonestmanandwhenhefirstbroughthertotheschoolhehadgiveninstructionsthatsheshouldnotbetaughttheChristianfaith.ButtosendherfromtheroomduringtheScripturelessonmighthavegivenoffenseandraisedvariousthoughtsinthemindsoftheotherchildrenintheclassandsosheremained.Butthiscouldnotgoonanylonger.SotheteacherwenttoherfatherandexplainedthathemusteithertakehisdaughterawayfromtheschoolorconsenttoherbecomingaChristian.cannotbeartoseethoseburningeyesthatsincereyearningthirstofthesoulsotospeakafterthewordsoftheGospel〃hesaid.Thenherfatherburstintotears.〃Iknowverylittlemyselfofourownfaith〃hereplied“buthermotherwasadaughterofIsraelstrongandsteadfastinherfaithandonherdeathbedIpromisedherthatourchildshouldneverreceiveChristianbaptism.ThatpromiseImustkeepfortomeitislikeapactwithGod.〃SothelittleJewishgirlwastakenawayfromtheChristianschool.Yearshadpassed.InahumblehouseholdinoneofthesmallestprovincialtownsofJutlandtherewasamaidservantapoorgirloftheJewishfaith;thiswasSarah.HerhairwasasblackasebonyandhereyesweredarkyetfullofbrilliantlightsucheyesasyouseeamongthedaughtersoftheEast.Andtheexpressioninthefaceofthegrown-upgirlwasstillthatofthechildwhosatontheschoolroombenchlisteningwitheagerandwistfuleyes.EverySundaythesoundoftheorganandthesingingofthecongregationsoundedfromthechurchandthetonesfloatedacrossthestreetandintothehousewheretheJewishgirlattendeddiligentlyandfaithfullytoherwork.RemembertheSabbathdaytokeepitholy〃washerlaw;butherSabbathwasadayoflabortoChristiansandonlyinherheartcouldshekeepitholy.Andthatshebelievedwasnotenough.Butthenthethoughtcametohersoul〃WhatdodaysandhoursmatterinthesightofGod〃andontheSundayoftheChristiansshehadherownundisturbedhourofdevotion.Thenifthesoundoftheorganandthesingingcameacrosstoherasshestoodbehindthesinkinthekitcheneventhisbecameaquietandconsecratedspot.ThenshewouldreadthetreasureandpropertyofherownpeopletheOldTestamentandthatalone;forshekeptdeepinherheartwhatherfatherhadtoldtheteacherandherselfwhenshewastakenfromtheschool-thepromisehehadmadetoherdyingmother“thatSarahshouldnotbebaptizednorforsakethefaithofherfathers.z,TheNewTestamentwasandwouldforeverremainasealedbooktoher;andyetsheknewmuchofitforitshonethroughthememoriesofherchildhood.Oneeveningshewassittinginacornerofthelivingroomwhilehermasterreadaloud.SheallowedherselftolistenforthiswasnottheGospel;nohewasreadingfromanoldstorybooksoshecouldremain.ThemasterreadtothemofaHungarianknightwhowastakencaptivebyaTurkishpashaandyokedwithoxentotheplow.Hewasdrivenwithlashesofthewhipandsufferedpainandthirstalmostbeyondendurance.Butathomehiswifesoldherjewelsandmortgagedtheircastleandlandswhilefriendscontributedlargesumstohelpraisethealmostunbelievableamountofmoneythatwasdemandedasransom.Thisfinallywascollectedandhewasdeliveredfromslaveryanddisgrace.Sickandsufferinghereturnedhome.ButsoonthereresoundedoverthecountrysidethesummonstoacrusadeagainstthefoeofChristianity.Thesickmanheardthecallandcouldhaveneitherpeacenorrestanylonger;theyhadtolifthimonhiswarhorse.Thenthebloodrushedagaintohischeekshisstrengthseemedtoreturnandherodeforthtovictory.Theverypashawhohadmadehimsufferpainandhumiliationyokedtotheplowbecamehiscaptive.Hewastakenhometothecastledungeonbutbeforehehadbeenthereanhourtheknightcametohimandaskedhisprisoner〃Whatdoyouthinknowawaitsyou,z〃Iknow〃repliedtheTurk.Retribution.〃“YestheretributionofaChristiansaidtheknight.TheteachingsofChristtellustoforgiveourenemiesandloveourfellowmen.Godislove!Goinpeacetoyourhomeandlovedonesandbegentleandgoodtoallwhosuffer.z,Thentheprisonerburstintotears.〃HowcouldIhavebelievedsuchathingpossible”hecried.〃IwascertainIwouldhavetosuffershameandtorturehenceItookpoisonandwithinafewhoursIshalldie.Thereisnoremedy.ButbeforeIdieteachmethefaithwhichissofullofsuchloveandmercy;itisgreatanddivine!Inthatfaithletmedie;letmedieaChristian!z,Andhisrequestwasgrantedhim.Thatwasthelegendthestorythatwasreadtothem.AlllistenedtoitwithcloseattentionbutitsankdeepestintotheheartofherwhosatinthecornertheservantmaidSarahtheJewess.Largetearsstoodinhersparklingcoal-blackeyeswhileshesatthereasyearsagoontheschoolbenchandfeltthegreatnessoftheGospel.Thetearsrolleddownhercheeks.“LetnotmychildbecomeaChristian!Hermother,sdyingwordsrangthroughhersoulwiththoseofthelawHonorthyfatherandthymother!“StillIhavenotbeenbaptized!TheycallmetheJewess’;theboysoftheneighborhoodmockedmelastSundayasIstoodoutsidethechurchdoorandlookedinattheburningaltarlightsandthesingingcongregation.EversincemyschooldaysuptothisveryhourthepowerofChristianitywhichislikeasunbeamandwhichnomatterhowmuchIclosemyeyespenetratesintomyheart.ButmymotherIwillnotbringyousorrowinyourgrave!Iwillnotbetraythepromisemyfathermadetoyou;IwillnotreadtheChristiansBible!HaveInottheGodofmyfathersOnHimletmerestmyhead!z,Andtheyearsrolledby.Thehusbanddiedandthewifewasleftindifficultcircumstances.TheservantgirlhadtobedismissedbutSarahwouldnotleavethewidow.Shebecameherhelpintimeoftroubleandkeptthelittlehouseholdtogether;sheworkedlateeverynightandbythelaborofherownhandsgotbreadforthehouse.Therewerenocloserelativestohelpafamilywherethewidowgrewweakereachdaylingeringformonthsonasickbed.GentleandgoodSarahwatchedandnursedandlaboredandwastheblessingofthepoverty-strickenhome.“ThereistheBible“saidthesickwomanoneevening.Readalittletome;theeveningissolongandIsadlyneedtohearthewordofGod.〃SarahbowedherheadpickeduptheBibleandfoldedherhandsarounditopeneditandreadaloudtothesickwoman.Oftenthetearscameintohereyesbuttheyshonemoreclearlyandthedarknessliftedfromhersoul.MotheryourchildshallnotreceivethebaptismoftheChristiansshallnotbenamedintheircommunion.YouhavewisheditandIshallhonoryourwish.Inthisweareunitedhereonearthbutabovethisis-isagreaterunioninGod.HeleadsandguidesusbeyondDeath.Iwillpourwateruponhimthatisthirstyandfloodsuponthedryground.JOhIunderstandnow!IdonotknowmyselfhowIcametoit!ThroughHimitwas-inHim-Christ!〃Andshetrembledasshespoketheholyname;abaptismoffirestreamedthroughherstrongerthanherfeebleframecouldbearandshesankdownmoreexhaustedeventhanthesickwomanwhomshenursed.“PoorSarah!”peoplesaid.Sheiswornoutwithlaborandnursing!”Theytookhertothecharityhospitalandthereshediedandthenceshewascarriedtohergrave.ItwasnottothegraveyardoftheChristians-thatwasnottheplaceforaJewishgirl;nooutsidebythewalltheydugagraveforher.ButGod,ssunwhichshinesuponthegravesoftheChristiansshinesaswelluponthatoftheJewishgirl;andthehymnswhicharesungbesidetheChristiangravessoundalsobesidehergraveoutsidethewall.Andouttheretooreachesthepromise:“ThereisresurrectioninChristinHimtheSaviourwhosaidtoHisDisciplesJohntrulybaptizedwithwater;butyeshallbebaptizedwiththeHolvNB二HolyGhost!〃。