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THE RAINBOW, AFTER THE THUNDER-STORM.

by

A LADY.

[Illustration]







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 indisposition
the family were a little way from home for the benefit of the air. In
consequence 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 an
approaching storm. They were a great way from any house, but hurried to
the nearest one for shelter. It was a large brick-built house, with a
court-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 to
let us have a shelter from the storm? It appears likely to be very
severe." The servant replied, "I am very sorry, ma'am, but it is not in
my power; my master and mistress are not at home, and they have given me
orders not to admit any stranger."

There was no time to hesitate; immediately they proceeded to an
unfinished house they recollected to have seen; it was a quarter of a
mile distant. Almost breathless with fatigue, they arrived; the
wash-house door was standing open, they entered, and thought themselves
happy in having so good a shelter. "Oh," said Julia, "how cruel it was
in that young woman to refuse to let us go into the house! I would not
have 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 her
duty as a faithful servant."

Every minute the lightning became more vivid, and the thunder appeared
to be bursting over their heads. "Oh, mamma," said Julia, "how awful
this is!" "Yes, it is indeed, my dear," said her mamma; "God thundereth
marvellously with his voice; great wonders doeth he, which we cannot
comprehend." "This is a storm," remarked Julia, "such as I never
remember before. Hark! how it thunders. Oh, what a dreadful flash of
lightning! 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 dear
love," said her mamma, "you surprise me to see you so alarmed; it is
what I did not expect; don't give way to fear; _I_ cannot hide you from
this storm any more than I can hide you from the presence of God; and
that you are sure I cannot do. Be composed, my love, and let each of us
say--

    '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 to
you as our Lord said to his disciples when _they_ were in a storm, and
as he says to us now in his word, "Why are ye so fearful, have ye no
faith?" 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 not
blame them much for their fears, but kindly reminded them that it was
their 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, and
he 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 so
awful, my dear," said her mamma, "what must the second coming of Christ
be, when the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and
all the works that are therein shall he burned up! How will the sinner
tremble, and call to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us, and hide us
from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of
the lamb!' Now we need not try to hide ourselves, but if we love the
Saviour, may say--

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

[Illustration]

"I think the thunder is more distant," continued her mamma, "and does
not succeed the lightning so soon." "Does that make any difference?"
asked Julia. "It proves, my dear," answered her mamma, "that the cloud
is going from us; but I observed you were more afraid of the thunder
than of the lightning; when you hear the thunder, the danger is over. It
is 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 come
immediately after it, it is foolish to turn pale and tremble at a sound
which is not dangerous. After the flash of lightning is over, we may
securely wait for the clap of thunder; it is as harmless as the sound of
a cannon. The thunder tells us we have escaped the danger, and at the
same time informs us at what distance; for the greater space of time
there has been between the flash of lightning and the thunder, the more
distant the storm."

Julia's mamma proceeded, "I heard a poor woman once say she thought God
was 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 we
ought to be thankful for them; and though we know they sometimes do
hurt, and a few lives are lost, yet how few compared with what might be
expected! Out of seven hundred and fifty thousand persons who died in
the space of thirty years in London, there were only two killed by
lightning. Probably if there were no storms, the air would be so impure,
that men and other living creatures would perish by millions. Let us, my
dear, lift up our hearts in gratitude to the Almighty, who, though he
sometimes shows us his grandeur and his glory in this manner, yet always
displays more of _mercy_ than of _judgment_. After all, God has more
glory and greatness than he shows to us; what, then, will be the
manifestations 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_, and
not _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 blessedness
described 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 so
to 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 mamma
were glad to prepare for going home. As soon as they entered the field
leading to their home, Julia remarked how refreshed every thing
appeared. "Yes," said her mamma, "nature never appears more lovely than
after a Thunder-storm. The herbage of the field is revived, and what
before was fading is refreshed. All animals seem to rejoice; birds are
coming from their shelter, and are singing delightfully, though it is
nearly their time for rest; and the cattle share in the general
pleasure. See those two lambs, how prettily they are playing!"

[Illustration]




[Illustration]




THE RAINBOW.


It was at this moment Julia looked around to admire the scenery, and
beheld a Rainbow. "Look, look!" she said, "mamma, what a beautiful
Rainbow! How wide it spreads! How many colours are there? Let me count
them. One, two, three, four, five--" "My dear," said her mamma, "there
are seven, and in the following order: _red_, _orange_, _yellow_,
_green_, _blue_, _purple_, and _violet_. These colours appear so much
the more lively, according as the cloud behind is darker, and the drops
of rain fall the closer. The Rainbow can last only while the rain
continues. The sun must be behind us, and the rain opposite to us. The
sun and rain must appear at the same time in order to form a Rainbow. It
is caused by the rays of the sun reflected on drops of water, and is a
picture the most beautifully coloured of any the Creator has given to
us. The nearer the sun is to setting, the wider the arch extends. When
the sun is at its greatest height, the bow appears the smallest.

"Where do we read, my dear, in the Bible about the Rainbow?" asked
Julia's mamma. "I think, mamma," replied Julia, "it was to Noah as a
sign the world should not again be destroyed by water, and we read so in
the book of Genesis." "Yes," answered her mamma, "my dear, you are
right. How very fearful would Noah and his family have been whenever
they saw dark clouds arise and an appearance of much rain, if God had
not kindly said what he intended by the Rainbow! But he explained it by
saying, 'I do set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be for a token of a
covenant between me and the earth. And the bow shall be in the cloud;
and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant
between me and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the
earth!'

"A bow bespeaks terror; but this has neither string nor arrow; it is an
emblem of peace. If it had not been said that it was a token to all
generations, even _we_ should have feared a deluge whenever a storm
approached. How must Noah have felt when he and his family left the ark,
and not a vestige of any thing remained they had seen before! For the
waters had covered the highest mountains, and had risen fifteen cubits
higher; that is, seven yards and a half; so that in vain would salvation
have been hoped for from the hills and mountains. What was Noah's
conduct on leaving the ark? He did not forget (as many do) the mercies
of God which he had received. The first thing he did was to build an
altar for the worship of God. One would have thought, so dreary as every
thing must have appeared, his first care would have been to build a
house for himself and family, warm and sheltered as they had been in the
ark. But no; Noah _feared_ God, and therefore his first care was to
_serve_ him.

"May it be so, my dear, with _you_," continued Julia's mamma. "May _you_
seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other
things shall be added unto you! Noah's worship was accepted, and
immediately God said unto him, I will no more destroy the world with a
flood. What kindness is here shown! I think, my love, it is time we
hastened home."

[Illustration]

When they arrived at their abode, as Julia's papa was not expected that
night, her mamma, according to her usual practice in his absence, rang
the bell for the servants to attend family worship; and a large family
bible being laid on the table, her mamma, with great solemnity, read the
twenty-ninth Psalm, which being done, all kneeled, and she, in a sweet,
feeling manner, approached the throne of Mercy. When prayer was over,
all rose from their knees; Julia kissed her mamma, and took her leave of
her for the night. "Good night, my dear," said her mamma; "don't forget
to pray in secret before you close your eyes for sleep. Adieu! dear
Julia;

      'May angels guard thy head,
    And through the hours of darkness keep
      Their watch around thy bed!'"

I hope, my dear young reader, you will consider what Julia's mamma said
to her for _her_ instructions and comfort about the Storm and the
Rainbow is here mentioned for _your_ instruction and comfort too on such
occasions. Only fear God, and you need not fear any thing else.

    How dreadful to hear in the sky
      The thunder so long and so loud!
    To witness the fork'd lightnings fly,
      Discharged from yonder black cloud!
    Lord, mercy on me do bestow,
    And show me the peaceful Rainbow!

    In vain to shelters do I run,
      If I find no shelter in Thee;
    No threat'ning dangers can I shun,
      But as Thou art gracious to me.
    Thou can'st hush my fears I well know,
    By showing the peaceful Rainbow.

    That tells me the storm shall soon end,
      The earth shall be delug'd no more,
    That God is my father and friend,
      Whose love is great as his power.
    His signal to creatures below
    Is the peaceful, lovely Rainbow.

    This bow is not bent by a string,
      Because the anger is all fled;
    Nor has it an arrow to fling,
      So that I have nothing to dread.
    And God now would have me to know,
    All is _mercy_ in the Rainbow.

    In future, then, when I'm afraid,
      And darkness and storms fill the air,
    I will think that God who them made,
      Views me as a child of his care;
    That storms will soon cease from below,
    And the sky display the Rainbow.


FINIS.


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




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Transcriber's note:

Obvious punctuation errors were corrected.