Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed.
NEW
STORIES
BY
A ∙ L ∙ O ∙ E
HOLD FAST.
"Hold fast, brother, hold fast!" shouted poor Sam in mortal
terror at my danger.
HOLD FAST.
New Stories No. 5.
BY
A. L. O. E.
T. NELSON AND SONS.
LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK.
HOLD FAST.
BY
A ∙ L ∙ O ∙ E
"NAY, my child, I've nothing else to hold by, either in life or death,but the great truth, that Christ died for sinners. It's a joyful thingto hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which God hath givenus through our Lord Jesus Christ!"
The speaker was Peter Ross, a blind and aged man, with bald headand silvery beard, who, clad in a pauper's dress, had come, as hewas allowed once a fortnight to do, to visit the house of his son.The listener was a rosy-checked girl, about nine years of age, who,seated at his feet, and resting her little arms on his knee, looked uplovingly into his face.
He that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise
"Ah! grandfather," said Rose, "if you did not hope to go to heaven,I don't know who else could! You are so good, so patient, so kind;you have served God all your life long; you have never been given todrinking and swearing, like the wicked men in our court, and I reallythink that you know nearly half of the Bible by heart! I'm certain thatyou deserve heaven!"
"Rose, Rose," cried the old man earnestly, "my only plea for heavenis this,—"
"I'm a poor sinner, and nothing at all;
But Jesus Christ is my all in all!"
"I can't tell how it is," said Rose, looking into his face with apuzzled expression, "the best people seem to think themselves theworst. If I was half as good as you are, grandfather, I'd be quite sureof getting to heaven."
"By your good works, my child!"
"Yes, by my good works," repeated Rose. "I can see why bad people hopeto be saved only by the Lord; but it must be so very different withpious people like you!"
"Rose," said the blind old man, "do you think that I ever pass one daywithout sin?"
"I'm sure that you do," replied Rose, "I never knew you do anythingwrong."
"If my salvation were to depend upon my passing one waking hour withoutsin, Rose, my p