Page:Narrative of the life of Mrs. Hamilton (1).pdf/18

 ſentence I read, was "He that will not forſake father and mother for my ſake, is not worthy of me." I now immediately ſaw my duty plainly, and felt reſolved to obey God rather than man. Nevertheleſs I thought I would go to the Romiſh church, where I might ſee my father, and that he might ſee me alſo; peradventure, all his paternal affecttion was not loſt for me, and that when he ſaw me in a reduced ſtate of poverty and diſtreſs, it might poſſibly affect his heart, I accordingly went. But, O my heart ached to ſee thoſe ſtupid mortals bowing to their images and prieſts, expecting they had power to pardon ſin Shocking thought! I even trembled at the ſight, and could hardly contain myſelf. As ſoon as the exerciſe was over my father came out. I went to him, but was ſo overcome, that I could not ſpeak for ſome time; at length I recovered ſtrength, but could not forbear ſcreaming, and fell down before him; but inſtead of exciting pity in him, he turned from me, as from an heretic unworthy of his notice, and would ſay nothing to me I then went home again, and hired my board for a ſhort time, with what money I had left, which my brethren had given me for the expences of my journey. Soon after this. my father, whom I ſtill hoped had not loſt all regard for me, ſent a gentlemen to me who addreſſed me in the folowing language:—

Mrs. Hamilton: Your honoured father