[Illustration:
THE EPIPHANY.
with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
The same Collect, Epistle, and Gospel shall serve for every day after, unto the Epiphany.
The Epiphany,
Or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.
THE COLLECT.
O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE EPISTLE. Eph iii. I.
For this cause, I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you ward. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ, by the Gospel whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly]
It was but one of many, and you can imagine how difficult I found it to continue with the service and put the subject from my mind till the funeral was over and I could return to solitude and my third and final examination into the meaning of this mysterious gift.
You can also imagine my wonder when by following out the plan I have indicated, the subjoined sentences appeared, which, if somewhat incoherent at times—as could only be expected from the limited means at his command—certainly convey a decided meaning, especially after receiving the punctuation and capital letters, which, after long study and some after-knowledge of affairs, I have ventured upon giving them:
"My sin is ever before me.
"Correct, lest thou bring me to nothing.
"Do those things which are requisite and necessary for a pure and humble one, Grace by name, begotten by son, he born of first wife and not obedient to the law abroad, a prisoner.
"Revelation made known in few words whereby when ye read ye may understand the mystery which was made known unto the sons, fellow-heirs of Grace.
"Go and search diligently for the young child.
"The higher powers resist and are a terror to good works.
"Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise, minister of God.
"Wherefore ye must needs be subject for wrath, for they are attending continually upon this thing.
"Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute; honor to whom honor.
"Two possessed of devils, exceeding fierce of the household, hope Grace may evermore be cast away.
"They murmur against the good man of the house, and do not agree to mercifully defend against perils in the city an honest and good heart.
"My will leave(s) heritage to Grace.
"The devil is against me.
"Behold a woman grievously vexed with lost sheep of the house.
"Then came she, saying: 'It is not mete to take the children's bread and to cast it to the dogs. Be unto, us an offering named as becometh saints. For this ye know, that no unclean person hath any inheritance because of disobedience and fellowship with works of darkness. For it is a shame to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.'
"Beelzebub, the chief of devils, and sons cast out man; taketh from him all wherein he trusteth and divideth the spoils against me.
"To purge conscience, the new testament means redemption of the transgressions under first testament.
"Said a deviclass="underline" 'Father, ye do dishonor me. Say ye know him not, thy son, and suffer that a notable prisoner, his wife and child, were not called by thy name.' 'I will,' said I. But I deny all here. My soul is sorrowful unto death, as I bear false witness against them.
"The hand that betrayeth me is with me.
"I appoint you to sift as wheat.
"This must be accomplished, for the things concerning me have an end.
"Words sent unto me out of prison, said: 'Daughter weep(s). Beseech thee graciously to fetch home to thee my child in tribulation. For lo, the ungodly bend their bow and make ready their arrows within the quiver, that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart. Show I thy marvellous loving-kindness unto an undefined soul forsaken on every side of mother and friendly neighbors. Make haste to deliver and save. I am clean forgotten, as a dead man out of mind. I am become as a broken vessel.'
"Whilst I held my tongue, my bones consumed away daily.
"I will inform thee and teach thee ill the way wherein thou shalt go.
"Blessed are folk chosen to inheritance; the children of them that dwell under the king.
"Poor Grac(e) come over the see (sea), unaware that I were sick.
"Deliver my darling from the lions, so will I give thee thanks.
"O let not them that are mine enemies triumph that hate me.
"They imagine deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
"Child is in thy land.
"Look after daughter among honorable women. House in City of the East Wind.
[Footnote: Number omitted for obvious reasons.]"—C-H-A-R-L-E-S-S-T-R-E-E-T.
"Child I have looked upon not.
"I promised with my lips and spake with my mouth, but God turned his mercy upon me, and upon health hath sent forth his voice, yea, and that a mighty voice.
"I sink, and the deep waters drown me.
"Mine adversaries hath broken my heart.
"Let the things that should have been for them be for the poor prisoner's posterity.
"Break down the carved work and search out my will.
"Walk to table under southwest borders of room, take the wood that hath in it operations of the law, and cleave.
"For my days are gone like a shadow, and I am withered as grass."
XXIII
TOO LATE
The conclusion which I drew from these sentences after a close and repeated perusal of them was to this effect:
That Mr. Pollard instead of possessing only two sons, as was generally supposed, had in reality been the father of three. That the eldest, born in all probability before Mr. Pollard's removal to this country (he was an Englishman by birth), had, by some act of violence or fraud, incurred the penalty of the law, and was even now serving out a term of imprisonment in his native land. That this son had a daughter innocent and virtuous, whom he desired to commit to the care of her grandfather; that he had even sent her over here for that purpose, but that Mr. Pollard, taken down with the illness which afterwards ended in death, had not only failed to be on hand to receive her, but that, surrounded and watched by his wife and sons, who, in their selfish pride, were determined to ignore all claims of kinship on the part of one they despised, he had not even had the chance to take such measures for her safety and happiness as his love and regard for her lonely and desolate position seemed to demand. That the will, whose concealment in his desk he had managed to describe, had been made in recompense for this neglect, and that by it she would receive that competence and acknowledgment of her rights which the hatred of her unscrupulous relatives would otherwise deny her.