The fine weather continued; Sunday was bright and beautiful—the woods gay with autumn tints, the air balmy and sweet with the scent of late fruits and flowers. The Ion, Fairview, Roselands, Beechwood, Woodburn, Sunnyside and the Laurels people went to church in the morning, and in the afternoon most of them gathered at Woodburn to spend an hour in the study of the Bible, Mr. Ronald Lilburn being the leader of the class.

“Our subject to-day,” he said, “is the strength the Lord promises and gives to His people—His own loved ones, His servants, in their hours of need. ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’ Captain Raymond, can you bring to our attention any other promise of strength as it is needed?”

“Yes,” replied the captain; “here in the fortieth chapter of Isaiah we read: ‘Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.’”

“A most beautiful passage,” said Mr. Lilburn, “and now, friends, I think each one of you has one or more passages selected; please read aloud in turn as you sit, without waiting to be called upon.”

Violet’s turn came next, as she sat beside her husband, and she read: “I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

Her mother sat next, and she read: “The Lord is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places.... This day is holy unto the Lord: neither be ye sorry: for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Then Grace read: “The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall He rejoice.”

Then Lucilla read: “Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.”

“Seek the Lord and His strength: seek His face evermore,” read little Elsie.

Then Harold: “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.”

Then Herbert: “Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord, JEHOVAH, is everlasting strength.”

Then Max: “Let him take hold of any strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.”

Then Evelyn: “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness.”

The others said their selected texts had been read.

There was a moment’s pause, then Mr. Lilburn said:

“I think it altogether likely that every one present who has gone past the meridian of life could tell of personal experience of the fulfilment to her or himself of that gracious, precious promise, ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be,’ and I, for one, should be very glad to hear their testimony to our Heavenly Father’s faithfulness to His promise.”

A moment’s silence, then the captain said:

“And you, Cousin Ronald, being the eldest and our chosen leader, might well be the first with your story of the Lord’s goodness to you, and faithfulness to His promises.”

“I am entirely willing,” the old gentleman returned pleasantly. “The Lord has been exceedingly good to me through all the years of my life. I have had very many troubles, trials and difficulties, but His grace and the many great and precious promises of His Word have helped me through them all. I have seen the grave close over wife, children, parents and friends, but have been sustained under the sore trial by the glad hope of meeting them all in that better land where there is no more death, no sin, no parting, but all is righteousness and peace and joy forevermore.

“And even in this world the Lord has given me much to repair my losses and renew the joys of my younger days,” he added with a very loving look and smile directed to Annis.

She returned the smile and spoke in low, pleasing tones:

“I, too, have had some sore trials, and can testify to the Lord’s faithfulness to His promise, ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’ Years ago my heart was torn with grief over the deaths of parents, brothers, sisters and other dear ones. There have been other trials also, but the Lord’s promise has never failed. He has brought me safely through them all, and is making my later days my best days—full of peace, comfort and happiness.”

It was now Mrs. Elsie Travilla’s turn, as she sat next to her Cousin Annis. She spoke in low, sweet tones, distinctly audible in the quiet of the room:

“I give my testimony to the Lord’s faithfulness to that gracious promise, ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’ I never knew a mother’s love and care, for mine died when I had been but a few days in this world; and my father was so far away that it seemed much as if I had none. But I was in the care of those who taught me of Jesus and His love as soon as I could understand the meaning of the words; and while yet a very little child I learned to know and love Him. I loved my home, too, and it was a sore trial to be brought away from it. Then, when I first saw my father and perceived that he did not care for me, my heart was almost broken and only the love of Jesus helped me to bear it.

“That trial was soon happily over; but later in life sore bereavement came, the nearest and dearest being called away from earth. But even then strength was given me according to my day; and while grieving for myself, I could rejoice for them. And these later days are, oh, so full of peace and joy and love!”

Harold sat near his mother, and was the next to speak:

“I have as yet seen no very great trials, but in going into the recent war with Spain I felt that I was risking life and limb; but the Lord sustained me with the thought that I was doing so for the sake of oppressed and suffering fellow-creatures, and with that thought came strength according to my day.”

“And my experience was the same,” added Herbert.

“Mine also,” said Max. “When we went into the fight at Manila I feared wounds and death, but I knew we were in the right—fighting to free the downtrodden and sorely oppressed, and, knowing that the Lord had the disposal of it all, I had strength given me according to my day. Now you, dearest,” he added in an undertone to his wife.

Eva said in low, gentle tones:

“I have seen sorrow, losing my dear, passionately loved father before I had grown to womanhood; but my strength was according to my day, the Lord comforting me with His love, and as wife and mother, and having a kind father, brothers, sisters and friends, I am now a very happy woman, indeed.”

A slight pause, then Captain Raymond spoke.

“I have had many, many blessings and some trials also. My dear father died when I was a young lad, my best of mothers when I had scarcely more than reached man’s estate; brother and sisters had gone from earth also, and I was left alone, with small means, but good health. I was still quite a young man when I met a sweet young girl who had been, like myself, bereft of all her nearest relatives. We loved and married, but I had to leave her often, sometimes for long intervals, for the duties of my profession. We were very happy when together, but in a few years she left this world for a better, and the three children God had given us to my sole care, though I had to be away most of the time upon the sea. I have since found one to take her place—one as dear and loving as she was herself,” he added with a look and smile directed to Violet that thrilled her heart with joy and love.

It was her turn now, and she began at once:

“I have had a peaceful, happy life, both as a young girl and as a married woman, though some deep sorrows came to me years ago; first the death of a darling younger sister, then that of the best and dearest father that ever lived.” Her voice trembled with emotion, but she went on. “But then in those sad hours was fulfilled to me that precious promise, ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be;’ and though I feel it to be only reasonable to expect other and greater trials in the future, I can trust my Heavenly Father to fulfil it to me again and again till I reach that blessed land where there is no more sin or sorrow or suffering.”

No one else in the room made any lengthened response to the invitation to tell of the fulfilment to them of the gracious promise “As thy days, so shall thy strength be,” merely saying that they believed it and trusted in it for the future, but as yet had had no very great trials.

Then Violet went to her organ, played a short prelude and began singing a hymn, in which all joined: