has ever had thee under His peculiar care. When He saw thee of a fitting
age, He made thy name to resound marvellously throughout the earth, and
thou wert obeyed in many lands, and didst acquire honourable fame among
Christians. Of the gates of the ocean sea, shut up with such mighty
chains, He delivered to thee the keys; the Indies, those wealthy regions
of the world, He gave thee for thine own, and empowered thee to dispose of
them to others, according to thy pleasure. What did He more for the great
people of Israel, when He led them forth from Egypt? Or for David, whom,
from being it shepherd, He made a king in Judaea? Turn to Him, then, and
acknowledge thine error: His mercy is infinite. He has many and vast
inheritances yet in reserve. Fear not to seek them. Thine age shall be no
impediment to any great undertaking. Abraham was above a hundred years
when he begat Isaac; and was Sarah youthful? Thou urgest despondingly
for succour. Answer! Who hath afflicted thee so much, and so many times,
God, or the world? The privileges and promises which God hath made to thee
He hath never broken,[23] neither hath He said, after having received thy
services, that His meaning was different, and to be understood in a
different sense. He fulfils all that He promises, and with increase. Such
is His custom. I have shown thee what thy Creator hath done for thee, and
what He doeth for all. The present is the reward of the toils and perils
thou hast endured in serving others.' I heard this," adds Columbus, "as
one almost dead, and had no power to reply to words so true, excepting to
weep for my errors. Whoever it was that spoke to me finished by saying,
'Fear not! All these tribulations are written in marble, and not without
cause.'"

[Footnote 23: A sarcasm to "catch the conscience of the king."]


RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM.