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'Tribbylation! said the old woman musingly; 'I mind o' several verses on it: "In the world ye shall have tribbylation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world." "We must through much tribbylation enter into the Kingdom of God." "We glory in tribbylation also, knowing that tribbylation worketh patience." "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribbylation?"
He put up the coloured window too, and comes to church reg'lar; but he's hard and cold, like the stones he cut, and 'tis his troubles have spoilt him. I mind he were a bright-faced, bonny lad once, that I used to show birds' nests to in the hedges; but now he passes me wi'out a civil word or look. Ay, it's trouble and toil and tribbylation that is man's lot here below!
'Why, for sure He will. Betty gave a happy little sigh. 'I tell you what, now, Reuben added; 'if you're a-wantin' to have tribbylation made clear to you, I'll take you down to see old Jenny praychin' Jenny, she used to be called for she used to hold forth in chapel bettern than a parson.
'Punish, I take it, dearie, your father and mother punishes you at times, don't they? 'No, never; only nurse. 'Ah, well; and doesn't she desire your good? She don't do it just to spite you. 'I s'pose it's for my good, said Betty doubtfully. 'Tribbylation will allays be a mystery, went on the old woman, speaking more to Reuben than the child.
'I'm always thinking of it, she said, stopping the motion of the chair, and looking up at him with grave, earnest eyes. 'Ah, well, so am I! I've had a good bit o' readin', too, 'tis a most important thing, the Bible be; and I've been giving a good bit o' my mind to it latterly. 'Twas your calm tone of saying I must be ready to die, if I'd bin through tribbylation, started me off.
'Ay, dearie, most of us has tribbylation in some form or t'other; I often think, as I lie lookin' at my patchwork quilt, that it be just a pictur' of our life a little bit o' brightness and then a patch of dark; but the dark is jined to the bright, and one never knows just what the next patch will be.
'Ay, said Reuben, 'me and the devil have oft sat down together over my troubles; and he do know how to make 'em werry black! Betty's round eyes and puzzled gaze at this assertion made Reuben adopt another tone. 'But here's this little lass, Jenny, a-wantin' to have tribbylation, for fear she shouldn't be one o' the Lord's people after all.
'And that's what the Lord says, the old man went on; 'did He say the children were to have tribbylation afore they comed to Him? Why, for sure not! And if you, little missy, go straight into His arms when you gets to heaven, you'll be safe enough, and He'll know where to put you. Betty's little face beamed all over. 'And He will love me, even if I haven't been through tribulation?
Lift her up on the foot of the bed, Reuben. Why, what a bonny little maid! and who may she be? 'She be lodgin' at Farmer Giles's; and be troubled in her mind concarning tribbylation. The old woman reached over, and laid a wrinkled hand on the soft, childish one. 'Then tell old Jenny, dearie, what it is.
Ah, tribbylation is tryin' to the flesh, but 'tis for the improvin' of the soul! 'And does everybody have it except children? asked Betty with a solemn face. 'I think as how most folks have it in one form or t'other; the saints get it surely, for "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." 'What does "chasteneth" mean?
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