Seite:Marsh Hallig 1856.djvu/291

291

CONCLUSION.

the garret ; and the house being undermined, she was
thrown with its ruins, on a hay stack. There half
crushed by the timbers which swayed with every rising
and falling wave, she clung all night, and then waded
across the hallig, through deep water, to the only house
left standing, where she immediately gave birth to a
healthy child, who was christened John, or God is
gracious. This was the last child born upon this hallig,
excepting the eldest surviving daughter of the author.
  When at last, none were missing but Godber and
Maria, the thoughts and feelings of all were turned to
the losses they had suffered, and to the helplessness of
their present situation. All lamented, wept, and sobbed
together. But having overcome his first feeling of mis-
ery, the pastor who, during his residence upon the hal-
lig, had often pictured to himself a similar state of
things, and whom the Lord, as we have already seen,
had greatly comforted in his trial, soon began to recol-
lect the duties which his office imposed upon him ; and
never before had his vocation seemed so noble to him as
at this hour. He addressed himself, sometimes to indi-
viduals, sometimes to all ; called their attention to the
truly wonderful preservations told by one and another,
and endeavored to waken their confidence in their
Father in heaven, who sustains the birds of the air, and
clothes the flowers of the field ; pointed out to them the
fact that so many precious promises had been given ex-
pressly for such situations as that in which they now
found themselves, and encouraged them — as his first
proposition to endeavor to reach the mainland by the
help of the only vessel which lay at anchor uninjured,
was rejected — to wait with him in entire submission, on