There are many who think to reverence the Most High by assuming that he can and should do anything or everything that pleases him in a mere moment. In their eyes power is a grander thing than love. But his Love is higher than his omnipotence. Nowhere is it said in the Book that God is omnipotence. But because they are told that he is omnipotent, such call him Omnipotence. But when told that he is Love, they do not care to argue that he must then be loving? But as to doing what he wills in an instant—see what it cost him to redeem the world! He did not find that easy, or to be done in a moment without pain or toil. Yea, awfully omnipotent is God. For he wills, effects and perfects the thing which, because of the bad in us, he has to carry out in suffering and sorrow, his own and his Son’s. Evil is a hard thing for God himself to overcome. Yet thoroughly and altogether and triumphantly will he overcome it. And not by crushing it underfoot—any god of man’s idea could do that!—but by conquest of heart over heart, of life in life, of life over death. Nothing shall be too hard for the God that fears not pain, but will deliver and make true and blessed at his own severest cost.

For a time, then, the Frankses went on, with food to eat and money to pay their way, but going slowly down the hill, and finding it harder and harder to keep their footing. By and by the baby grew worse. They sought help at the hospital, but saw no Mr. Christopher. The baby did not improve. Still they kept on, and every day the husband brought home a little money. Several times they seemed on the point of an engagement, but every time something happened to prevent it, until at length Franks almost ceased to hope, and grew more and more silent.

Poor Franks, struggling in his own way with the conflicts of life but having little philosophy to assist him, yet had much affection, which is indeed the present God in a man—and so he did not go far in the evil direction. The worst sign of his degenerating temper was the more frequently muttered oath of impatience with his boys—never with his wife. But not one of them was a moment uneasy in consequence—except when the guv’nor wasn’t jolly, neither were they.

15. Out of the Frying Pan

—Fifteen —

Out of the Frying Pan

There is another person in my narrative whom the tide of destiny seemed now to have caught and was bearing more swiftly somewhither. Unable, as she concluded, any longer to endure a life of espionage, distrust, and ill-tempered rebuke from her two aunts, Amy Amber did at last as she had threatened.