Page:Memorials of Capt. Hedley Vicars, Ninety-seventh Regiment by Marsh, Catherine, 1818-1912.djvu/124

Rh approach a throne of grace — that Jesus is pleading for us, and that our prayers are His.

"I greatly like the passage from Captain A's letter, and rejoice in the hope that he has chosen Christ Jesus for his portion, or rather that Jesus has chosen him 'before the foundation of the world,' and written his name 'in the book of Life' Tell him, in seeking and following Jesus, he will find peace and rest to his soul. A hard struggle it will be at first but ere long he will find his Saviour's words to be true, 'My yoke is easy and my burden is light.'

" Often do I join you in spirit at your cottage reading and sacred prayer meetings. What happy hours are those when, shut out from all that makes the world unlovely, we can enjoy uninterrupted communion with the Lord's people! it is so refreshing to know that Jesus is precious to other souls. The Christian does not want a monopoly of that love. There is enough and to spare for all. Oh, that my comrades would be wise: that they would taste and see, ere they talk lightly of the lore of Christ, or rob Him of the glory of their souls' redemption, purchased by the atoning blood of his Cross! Would that, not only they, but every living man, drawn by redeeming love, would let the Redeemer 'see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied!'

"We generally get a few together for Bible reading in the afternoon. Nares has been ill; I have had many a delightful talk with him on subjects that used to be of little interest to either of us.

"I saw a Greek funeral the other day; it was a horrid sight. The corpse dressed like a bride, with trinkets and ornaments, and a wreath of flowers round the head, was carried through the streets in an open coffin. Three or four fat dirty-looking priests holding large crosses, led the procession, without even a mock air of grief, but looking rather jolly than otherwise.