"She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms." Among the many monitors which speak to the women of the present day, there is one to which it would be well that they should give heed, for it says to them, be strong. These are times when strength is needed. It has become a trite saying, that we live at a railroad pace; and it seems as if it is no use trying to slacken the speed, and there is nothing to do but to go forward, as all the world is doing. But there never were times that made such heavy demands upon physical and mental strength. There seems no room for the feeble. They are almost certain to be pushed and jostled out of the way. And women that are really weak have not only to suffer themselves, but they are the cause of suffering to other people also. Therefore it becomes our daughters to cultivate the strength which they will so surely need. And it is quite possible to do this. Grace Darling was not naturally strong, she was but a slender girl, whose life passed away soon; but she would not have been able to take an oar and propel the boat across the seething waves, if she had not had plenty of fresh bracing air, and out-of-door exercise. The times are past when there could be any other feeling than scorn for women who, not being really afflicted with disease, are useless. Let it be understood, as indeed it is beginning to be, that strong women are needed for the work of these days, and let all who would not be mere logs floating down the stream, listen to the injunction, and gird her loins with strength, and strengthen her arms.

"She stretcheth out her hands to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy." Every one who knew Grace Darling knew that she had a most pitiful and compassionate heart. But that was not enough, though many women, it would seem, are satisfied with it. Some there are who weep tears over the imaginary sorrows of a heroine in the last sensational novel, who would not move away from their own firesides to respond to the cry of real misery. No good comes of such pity, and such compassion is a dishonour to the name. It is not enough to feel for sorrow with the heart, the hands must be stretched out in prompt readiness to help. It was so in the case of the daughter of the lighthouse-keeper, and it was in consequence of this that her short life was blessed. Nor is it enough to relieve the distress which comes to the door, and presents itself to the eye. It is said of Solomon's ideal woman, that she "stretcheth out" and "reacheth forth" her hands. Grace Darling did this. She went out to those who needed her succour, though it is possible that many of her sisters would have contented themselves with simply going down to the beach to welcome the poor wretches, if they should be fortunate enough to reach the shore. Grace felt otherwise; and those who would do good in the world must be willing to seek, as well as to save, those who are lost.

There is room in the world for the exercise of all Christian charity. The poor are here, and unless a woman deliberately shuts her eyes to their needs, and selfishly thinks only of her own people, and their sorrows, she cannot help being touched. And the luxury of doing good need not be confined to those of them whose purses are filled with gold. Poor women help the poor, even more than the rich do. Nothing is required, excepting the will, which will certainly find the way. Money is useful where poverty reigns; but so are the kindly attentions, the filled plate sent from a table, the half-worn-out garment left at the door, and even the sympathetic pressure of a faithful hand. Let the women of England consider the poor, and they will find that they have double rewards for all which they do. It is a great thing to earn the blessing of him that is ready to perish; and those who do that know most of its value. It is a pity it should not be oftener enjoyed, since it is within reach of us all. Those who are selfish and greedy, mean, and grasping, cannot know it; but those who are benevolent, kindly, sympathetic, and liberal, are the people to whom life gives of its very best.

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness." It is said of Grace Darling, that she was particularly gently and unassuming in manner and speech. She was not lifted up in any way by the sudden popularity which she gained; nor did it cause her to be other than what she had always been—a simple, modest maiden. She could be dignified in the presence of those who sought her out of idle curiosity, and were rude enough to bore her with prying questions. But ever to strangers, whom she felt she could trust, she was always pleasant and kind. Her words were sensible, wise, and good. She told the truth, as every good girl will do; and she never had bitter words of sarcasm and envy for anybody who came in contact with her.

May not our women learn from her to open their mouths with wisdom?

They have not yet crushed out the reproachful references to "women's tongues," which for so long has been made in their hearing. Indeed, if for every idle word which is spoken an account must be given at the last great day, then may women tremble at the reckoning which has to come. Alas! too many say little besides idle words. Wise speech is not the every-day language in which they indulge; and, perhaps, of all the mischief which they do, that which is done by their tongues is the greatest of all. How is it that so few women open their mouths with wisdom? Is it not because they are foolish, and not wise? Their thoughts are wrong, and so are the words that spring from them. Their feelings are angry, envious, and bitter, how can their words be healing and kind? They need first to get their heads and hearts right by watchfulness and prayer, and then, as a natural consequence, the sting and the folly will be taken out of their words.

It is a great acquisition to be able to talk well. The art of talking is one that should be cultivated and brought to perfection; but let it be remarked that the truest accomplishment is not the power to say fine or clever things, but to say kind things well. There are some people who seem wonderfully like wasps—they are clever at stinging, and they seldom open their mouths but somebody is made to smart. They ought to be labelled, "Dangerous," and to have as wide a berth given to them as used to be accorded to the lepers. But there are others, whose words are kind and wise, and coming from such tender hearts, are so "fitly spoken," that whoever hears is better for them. Will not those maidens, wives, and mothers, who admire Grace Darling, try to belong to this better class, that their power of speech may be put to good uses for the production of the highest blessings?

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." Grace Darling was a working woman. She knew what it was to rise early in the morning, and assist her mother in all good household duties. She had quick, ready hands, that could perform whatever was required of them. She would have despised herself had she been idle. It was not hers to take upon herself the responsibilities of the mistress of a household, but, if it had been, no one doubts that she would have performed them nobly. But as it was, she found enough to employ her, and it may safely be said that she would have been ashamed to eat the bread of idleness.

And there is not a woman living but ought to be ashamed of it, too. Even if she be rich, and there is no need for her to labour in order to assist the bread-winner in his arduous duties, there is still plenty of work for all willing hands. No lady ought to be content to pass her life in cutting holes to mend them up again; in playing a little, reading novels, and visiting. There ought to be some real tangible good done. And there is need around every woman. There are poor children for whom warm garments may be cut and made, poor women who may be helped, and, indeed, a thousand ways in which a woman may, by diligence, benefit others. And she will certainly do it, if "she looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."

"Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." This is very high praise, but Grace Darling deserves it. Few women, if any, have done so good a deed as she. It was not for the sake of winning renown, praise, or reward. There were no witnesses of her act, excepting her aged father, and the poor creatures to whose help she had come. It would have been very different had it been a deed that could have been done before an admiring world. For instance, Joan of Arc was a noble girl, full of inspiration and courage; but her deeds were great as the world looks on greatness, and there was much of pomp and show about her achievements. But this girl went out on the angry waters in the grey light of an early morning, with the simple purpose in her heart of saving from drowning those whose lives were in jeopardy. She did not care whose lives they were. They might be only those of a few poor sailors or emigrants. It did not matter to Grace. They were human lives, and therefore precious. She must have had the purest motives in what she did, and in this she excelled many women who have been praised. Dear, indeed, she was to the hearts of her father and mother, and all who were more immediately concerned, and dear also to the world, which admired her heroic virtues. Another sermon which she preaches from this chapter is, that women should not be satisfied with less than the best. Even good actions and kind words are not enough; they must be the sincere expressions of good and pure motives.

"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." There have been other illustrious women besides Grace Darling: some, whose beauty has been so great, that men have gone mad over it, and hearts have been broken, and homes made desolate by it. But when we come to search for any good which came of it, we cannot find it. Beauty was there, but not "the fear of the Lord." When these two are seen together, then indeed there is

"A perfect woman, nobly planned, To warn, to comfort, and command."

Grace Darling was not what is called beautiful; but she had a pleasant face, and she made no wrong use of it. She had favour, too; but, perhaps, in her case, it was not deceitful. But better than beauty or favour is conscientiousness, that fears to do wrong and displease God. It is true that she did not parade her religion, and even refused to give satisfactory answers to some of those who sat in judgment over her, and wished to pry into her Christian experience; but no one could know her, or could read the records that have come down to us, without knowing that she was "a woman who feareth the Lord." There is a rule by which she never needed to have feared to be judged, "By their works ye shall know them." And Grace Darling's life showed only good fruits. Her heart must have been right, or her actions must not have been so worthy. And few women ever found greater truth in the words, "She shall be praised." She was praised, indeed, most eloquently and generously. She had not to complain that she was not appreciated, for honours were heaped upon her, both while she lived and after she was dead. And now a new generation adds its honours to those which were rendered by the old.

Will not the women who read this history also take the wise words to heart? Favour is deceitful. To be praised is not enough to satisfy a woman's heart alone. To be admired and flattered may be pleasant while it lasts; but it does not last long. People soon tire of their favourites, and cast them aside for new ones; and then there is desolation indeed in the hearts of those that have been carelessly rejected. And beauty is vain. It is often a snare to its possessor. The love which owes its being to nothing besides is not particularly worth having. For beauty fades; and the faded flower is often thrown away as something that is worthless. But beauty and favour are indeed God's gifts, which many women know how to use to His glory, and the good of those who love them, or are in any way connected with them. But it is only where these things are sanctified and controlled by the fear of God that they are really valuable possessions. The first thing necessary, then, is to seek that religion which comes from above, and, making the heart right, causes the life to be also right.

The last verse of this remarkable chapter of Proverbs is peculiarly applicable to the case of Grace Darling—"Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates." No true, and kindly person will begrudge her the praise she received, since she really earned it. She sowed the seeds, and it was only right that she should reap the fruit. And of all the praises that were heaped upon her none equalled the simple unvarnished story of her own deed. To describe her exploit, with no word of comment, was to load her with commendation of the highest kind. And it is well indeed when that can be said of any woman—which is always the case when her life is right. On the whole, even now people get pretty much what they deserve. For a little time an individual may be misunderstood and maligned; but in the long run it will be found that

"Ever the right comes uppermost, And ever is justice done."

The world is not so unfair as it seems. It is not very quick to read people, but it gets to comprehend them at last, and no one who is really good has to confess that he gets no praise.

These seem to be the teachings of Grace Darling's life. If the women of these times will take them to their hearts, and profit by them, the noble lighthouse-girl will do a better and more enduring work now, than when she went out with her father to the wreck of the "Forfarshire."



CHAPTER XVIII.

CONCLUSION.

"Where no shadow shall bewilder, Where life's vain parade is o'er, Where the sleep of sin is broken, And the dreamer dreams no more; Where no bond is ever sundered; Partings, claspings, sob, and moan, Midnight waking, twilight weeping, Heavy noontide—all are done; Where the child has found its mother, Where the mother finds the child, Where dear families are gathered That were scattered on the wild, Brother, we shall meet and rest, 'Mid the holy and the blest."—Bonar.

Very little remains to be told, either of Grace Darling or her family. The grief of the latter was of the most poignant kind, when their famous and beloved daughter had really left them. Death creates great desolation for those who are left behind; and the more excellent the deceased has been, the greater is the loss which is felt. But when this world has but been exchanged for a better, there are consolations for the mourners, who feel that the parting is for a little while only, and who look forward to a joyful re-union.

"A few more years shall roll, A few more seasons come; And we shall be with those that rest Asleep within the tomb.

"Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that great day; O wash me in thy precious blood, And take my sins away.

"A few more suns shall set O'er these dark hills of time; And we shall be where suns are not, A far serener clime.

"A few more storms shall beat On this wild rocky shore; And we shall be where tempests cease, And surges swell no more.

"A few more struggles here, A few more partings o'er, A few more toils, a few more tears, And we shall weep no more.

"A few more Sabbaths here Shall cheer us on our way; And we shall reach the endless rest, The eternal Sabbath day."

In this case the absence was a short one, for in four years the mother and daughter were together again. Mrs. Darling died on October 18th, 1848, and at the time of her death was seventy-four years old. The money which had been collected for Grace had been invested, and at her death the interest was paid to her father and mother, which greatly added to their peace and comfort during their declining years. Mr. Darling, the father of the heroine, and companion of her perils, lived until the year 1865. He was fourteen years younger than his wife; and when he died, on the 28th May, he was seventy-nine years old. After the death of his wife he left the lighthouse, and went to reside at Bamborough with his daughter.

Some thrilling and interesting stories are told of his youthful years.

When he was a little child, his father kept the Staple Island lighthouse. It was built on the south, that being the highest part, and it shared the fate of many other lighthouses, being carried away by the sea. One day the grandfather of Grace, who was looking out, saw an immense wave coming toward that part of the island where the house stood, which he felt sure must overwhelm it. With great presence of mind he rushed to his home, and hastily dragged his wife and child to a safe place. A few moments afterward, the wave swept over the spot, and completely carried away the lighthouse, and the home in which the Darlings lived. Had this happened in the night, or had the wave come unperceived, they must all have perished. As it was, they were without shelter or food until they were seen from the shore, when relief was sent to them.

William Darling had another narrow escape when he was about fourteen years old. At that time his father kept the light on the Brownsman, and the lighthouse was eighty feet high. The lad once went to the top and fell, but, fortunately, was caught about half-way by a projecting piece of wood. His father, having missed him, went to look for him, and was startled to find him apparently dead. He was taken into the house, however, and means were used for his restoration, which, after a few hours, were successful.

"My times are in thy hand, Whatever they may be; Pleasing or painful, dark or bright, As best may seem to thee."

"My times are in thy hand, Why should I doubt or fear? A father's hand will never cause His child a needless tear."

William Darling afterwards became a strong, fine fellow; and at the age of eighteen, was six feet two inches high. In his latter years he was very greatly respected by his numerous friends around Bamborough, who admired him, not only for the gallant deed which he achieved with his daughter, but for the sterling qualities of his life and character. He was buried with his wife and daughter, and a younger son, who had been the first to die, in Bamborough Churchyard, and the following is a copy of the inscription on their tomb:—

IN MEMORY OF THOMASIN DARLING, WIFE OF WILLIAM DARLING OF THE FARNE ISLES, WHO DIED OCTOBER 16, 1848, AGED 74 YEARS,

ALSO OF GRACE HORSELEY DARLING, THEIR DAUGHTER, WHO DIED OCTOBER 20, 1842, AGED 26 YEARS,

ALSO OF JOB HORSELEY DARLING, THEIR SON, WHO DIED DECEMBER 6, 1830, AGED 20 YEARS,

THE ABOVE WILLIAM DARLING, LATE OF THE LONGSTONE LIGHT, AND THE BELOVED HUSBAND OF THOMASIN DARLING, WHO DIED AT BAMBOROUGH, MAY 28, 1866, AGED 79 YEARS.

There are at present, we believe, three of the surviving members of the family—one Thomasin, who lives in Bamborough, and who, as her sister's nurse and attendant in her last illness, deserves the respect of all who feel interested in Grace; Robert, who resides at Alnwick, and George, at North Sunderland.

The following acrostic will be interesting, because it was printed in gold letters on a beautiful silk cover, which enclosed the Pictorial Bible which was presented by the ladies of Swinton to Grace Darling:—

"Great was thy deed, O fair, heroic maid! Rich in the beauteous grace of Christian love, A noble act thy generous soul displayed; Compassion nerved thy arm its strength to prove. Exalted female! Virtues grace thy name.

Daring, as thou hast done, the billows' rage; A nation's praise attests thy well-earned fame, Records thy valour on historic page; Lovely and brave, Britannia's daughters show, In active life, benevolence and zeal; Nobly they seek to stem the tide of woe, Giving kind aid life's numerous cares to heal."

There have since been two worthy memorials of Grace Darling and her heroic deed, erected—the one in Bamborough Churchyard, and the other in St. Cuthbert's Chapel, on the Farne Island. The former contains a recumbent figure of Grace; and the other, which was put up on the 9th September, 1844, bears this inscription—

TO THE MEMORY OF GRACE HORSELEY DARLING, A NATIVE OF BAMBOROUGH, AND AN INHABITANT OF THESE ISLANDS, WHO DIED OCTOBER 20, 1842, AGED 26 YEARS.

But the best memorial is in the hearts of the people, who love and revere her still. The name of Grace Darling will not be allowed to sink into oblivion. Mothers will utter it to their daughters, sisters to their sisters, and friends to their friends. No excursionist will take a seaside holiday in the north without wishing to see the Farne Islands for the sake of her who has done so much to make them famous. There will always be boats named after the heroine, and children, too, who know her name. And God grant that there may always be many imitators of her courage, unselfishness, and humanity, and that, though their deeds be of a humble kind, they may still be remembered for them.

"Needs there the praise of the love-written record, The name and the epitaph graved on the stone! The things we have lived for, let them be our story, We ourselves but remembered by what we have done.

"Not myself, but the truth which in life I have spoken, Not myself, but the seed that in life I have sown, Shall pass on to ages—all about me forgotten, Save the truth I have spoken, the things I have done.

"So let my living be, so be my dying; So let my name lie, unblazoned, unknown; Unpraised, and unmissed, I shall still be remembered— Yes, but remembered by what I have done."—Dr. Bonar.

THE END