The Rainbow, After the Thunder-Storm Read online

  THE RAINBOW, AFTER THE THUNDER-STORM.

  by

  A LADY.

  London:Printed for Francis Westley,Stationers'-Court, Ludgate-Hill.1823.

  T. C. Hansard, Printer,Peterboro'-court, Fleet-street, London.

  THE RAINBOW, AFTER THE THUNDER-STORM.

  JULIA and her mamma resided chiefly in London. Owing to indispositionthe family were a little way from home for the benefit of the air. Inconsequence of that, Julia and her mamma were frequently walking out.One summer's evening they had extended their walk to an unusual length,when suddenly the clouds gathered, and distant thunder indicated anapproaching storm. They were a great way from any house, but hurried tothe nearest one for shelter. It was a large brick-built house, with acourt-yard, inclosed by a high wall. At the iron gate was a servant,with a pitcher in her hand, taking some milk of a man who stood by.Julia's mamma went up to her, and said, "Will you be so obliging as tolet us have a shelter from the storm? It appears likely to be verysevere." The servant replied, "I am very sorry, ma'am, but it is not inmy power; my master and mistress are not at home, and they have given meorders not to admit any stranger."

  There was no time to hesitate; immediately they proceeded to anunfinished house they recollected to have seen; it was a quarter of amile distant. Almost breathless with fatigue, they arrived; thewash-house door was standing open, they entered, and thought themselveshappy in having so good a shelter. "Oh," said Julia, "how cruel it wasin that young woman to refuse to let us go into the house! I would nothave done so." "Then," replied her mamma, "you would have done wrong;however painful it must have been to her, to refuse was no more than herduty as a faithful servant."

  Every minute the lightning became more vivid, and the thunder appearedto be bursting over their heads. "Oh, mamma," said Julia, "how awfulthis is!" "Yes, it is indeed, my dear," said her mamma; "God thunderethmarvellously with his voice; great wonders doeth he, which we cannotcomprehend." "This is a storm," remarked Julia, "such as I neverremember before. Hark! how it thunders. Oh, what a dreadful flash oflightning! Oh, the thunder! It gets worse; how shall I bear it! Hide me,hide me, my dear mamma; let me get into some dark place." "My dearlove," said her mamma, "you surprise me to see you so alarmed; it iswhat I did not expect; don't give way to fear; _I_ cannot hide you fromthis storm any more than I can hide you from the presence of God; andthat you are sure I cannot do. Be composed, my love, and let each of ussay--

  'Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, Till the storm of life is past; Safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last!'

  Our father sits at the helm; he will guide the storm, and I shall say toyou as our Lord said to his disciples when _they_ were in a storm, andas he says to us now in his word, "Why are ye so fearful, have ye nofaith?" Let us put our trust in _him_, and look for our protection from_him_. How much tenderness was there in our Lord's words! He did notblame them much for their fears, but kindly reminded them that it wastheir duty to trust in God. You are not like your little brother when_he_ was about four years old. I was out with him when it thundered, andhe said, 'Don't be afraid mamma; if we love God, nothing can hurt us.'"

  "It makes me tremble so much," said Julia. "If a storm like this is soawful, my dear," said her mamma, "what must the second coming of Christbe, when the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, andall the works that are therein shall he burned up! How will the sinnertremble, and call to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us, and hide usfrom the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath ofthe lamb!' Now we need not try to hide ourselves, but if we love theSaviour, may say--

  'This awful God is ours, Our father, and our love.'

  "I think the thunder is more distant," continued her mamma, "and doesnot succeed the lightning so soon." "Does that make any difference?"asked Julia. "It proves, my dear," answered her mamma, "that the cloudis going from us; but I observed you were more afraid of the thunderthan of the lightning; when you hear the thunder, the danger is over. Itis only the _lightning_ that is fatal. When we have seen the lightning,but have not been touched by it, and when the thunder does not comeimmediately after it, it is foolish to turn pale and tremble at a soundwhich is not dangerous. After the flash of lightning is over, we maysecurely wait for the clap of thunder; it is as harmless as the sound ofa cannon. The thunder tells us we have escaped the danger, and at thesame time informs us at what distance; for the greater space of timethere has been between the flash of lightning and the thunder, the moredistant the storm."

  Julia's mamma proceeded, "I heard a poor woman once say she thought Godwas angry with the people, and had sent a storm to punish them. That is,however, a very ignorant way of talking. Storms are a blessing, and weought to be thankful for them; and though we know they sometimes dohurt, and a few lives are lost, yet how few compared with what might beexpected! Out of seven hundred and fifty thousand persons who died inthe space of thirty years in London, there were only two killed bylightning. Probably if there were no storms, the air would be so impure,that men and other living creatures would perish by millions. Let us, mydear, lift up our hearts in gratitude to the Almighty, who, though hesometimes shows us his grandeur and his glory in this manner, yet alwaysdisplays more of _mercy_ than of _judgment_. After all, God has moreglory and greatness than he shows to us; what, then, will be themanifestations of them, when in another world we see him face to face!Yet what we shall behold of him there will fill us with _delight_, andnot _terror_, as I heard you singing the other day, my dear--

  'Millions of years my wond'ring eyes Shall o'er thy beauties rove, And endless ages I'll adore The glories of thy love.

  Sweet Jesus! ev'ry smile of thine Shall fresh endearments bring, And thousand tastes of new delight From all thy graces spring.'

  May we be prepared for that period, and enjoy all that blessednessdescribed in those beautiful lines! There, my dear, will be no storms,and we shall have no fear." "I thank you, my dear mamma, for talking soto me," said Julia; "I have not felt so much fear since you began."

  The rain had nearly ceased, and the storm was gone. Julia and her mammawere glad to prepare for going home. As soon as they entered the fieldleading to their home, Julia remarked how refreshed every thingappeared. "Yes," said her mamma, "nature never appears more lovely thanafter a Thunder-storm. The herbage of the field is revived, and whatbefore was fading is refreshed. All animals seem to rejoice; birds arecoming from their shelter, and are singing delightfully, though it isnearly their time for rest; and the cattle share in the generalpleasure. See those two lambs, how prettily they are playing!"