“You would not have me add the sin of a double violation of a solemn pledge to my already overburdened conscience?”

“No, Jonas.  Heaven forbid!”

“The fear of that restrains me.  I dare not again take it.”

“Do you not deeply repent of your first violation?” the wife asked, after a few moments of earnest thought.  “Heaven knows how deeply.”

“And Heaven, that perceives and knows the depth and sincerity of that repentance, accepts it according to its quality.  And just so far as Heaven accepts the sincere offering of a repentant heart, conscious of its own weakness, and mourning over its derelictions, is strength given for combat in future temptations.  The bruised reed he will not break, nor quench the smoking flax.  Hope, then, dear husband! you are not cast off—­you are not rejected by Heaven.”

“O, Jane, if I could feel the truth of what you. say, how happy I should be!—­For the idea of sinking again into that hopeless, abandoned, wretched condition, out of which this severe affliction has lifted me, as by the hair of the head, is appalling!” was the reply, to his wife’s earnest appeal.

“Trust me, dear husband,—­there is truth in what I say.  He who came down to man’s lowest, and almost lost condition, that he might raise him up, and sustain him against the assaults of his worst enemies, has felt in his own body all the temptations that ever can assail his children, and not only felt them, but successfully resisted and conquered them; so that, there is no state, however low, in which there is an earnest desire to rise out of evil, to which he does not again come down, and in which he does not again successfully contend with the powers of darkness.  Look to Him, then, again, in a fixed resolution to put away the evils into which you have fallen, and you must, you will be sustained!”

“O, if I could but believe this, how eagerly would I again fly to the pledge!” Marshall said, in an earnest voice.

“Fly to it then, Jonas, as to a city of refuge; for it is true.  You have felt the power of the pledge once-try it again.  It will be strength to you in your weakness, as it has been before.”

Still Marshall hesitated.  While he did so, his wife brought him pens, ink and paper.

“Write a pledge and sign it, dear husband!” she urged, as she placed them before him.  “Think of me—­of the joy that it will bring to my heart—­and sign.”

“I am afraid, Jane.”

“Can you stand alone?”

“I fear not.”

“Are you not sure, that the pledge will restrain you some?”

“O, yes.  If I ever take it again, I shall tremble under the fearful responsibility that rests upon me.”

“Come with me, a moment,” Mrs. Marshall said, after a thoughtful pause.

Her husband followed, as she led the way to an adjoining room, where two or three bright-eyed children were playing in the happiest mood.