before God, and new desires, to the end that the child be prepared for a sacrifice that shall be holy and well-pleasing to God.  And the more you live together in this spirit, the happier you shall be in Heaven and on earth; for, believe me, true worldly happiness and heavenly happiness are to be found on exactly the same road.  Believe me:  the dear God has brought you together to help each other gain Heaven, to be prop and staff to each other on the narrow, toilsome way that leads to eternal life, to level and lighten that way for each other through love, meekness, and long-suffering—­for it is rough and thorny.  Now when gloomy days come, when faults break out in one or the other, or both, then think not of bad luck, as if that made you unhappy, but of the dear God, who has long seen all these faults and who has brought you together just so that one should cure the other and help him to mend his ways; that is the purpose and the task of your marriage.  And as love sent the Saviour and led Him to the cross, so love must be active in you too; that is the power which exceeds all others, which cures and betters.  With cursing and scolding, with threats and blows one can put down the other, but not better him so that he can be well-pleasing to God.  Usually, the worse one grows, the worse the other becomes too, and so they help each other down to hell.  So never forget:  God has brought you together, and He will demand each of the other.  Man, He will say, where is your wife’s soul?  Woman, He will say, where is your husband’s soul?  Act so that you can answer with one voice:  Lord, here are we both, here at Thy right hand.  Forgive me, little wife, that I have spoken so seriously to you this morning.  But it is better that you be so talked to now, than later, after Uli is dead, and men think him ruined by your fault; and for Uli too it is better now than later, when he should have brought you to the grave.  But this I think neither of you would have done, for you both look to me as if God and men might take pleasure in you.”

When Freneli heard him speak of dying, the tears rushed to her eyes, and with agitated voice she said, “O, Your Reverence, there is no thought of offense.  I give you a hundred thousand thanks for your beautiful lesson; I’ll think of it as long as I live.  And it would make me very glad if you would some time come into our district and visit us, to see how your words bear fruit in us, and that we haven’t forgotten them.”

The pastor said he would surely do so as soon as he came into their district, and that might very easily happen.  He considered them, although they did not live in his parish, as quite half his sheep, and they might depend upon it that if they prospered and were happy, nobody would rejoice more than he.  And if he could serve them in any way, let it be what it would, and if it were in his power, they must surely come to him; it would be a pleasure to him.

Thereupon they took their leave and all felt very happy and cheerful at heart.  A comforting, warming feeling had been aroused such as all people ought to feel for each other at every meeting; then it would be beautiful on God’s fair earth.  “Isn’t that the friendliest gentleman?” said Freneli as they went away; “he takes things seriously and still he is so kind; I could listen to him all day long and never get tired of it.”