Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

then inquired for me. I, timidly shrinking back, was pointed out by my mother, but myown father did not recognize me. It was hard for him to believe that I was his littleEllen, whom he had left only a few months before a healthy, happy child. This cut myfeelings deeply, but I tried to appear cheerful, though my heart seemed breaking.Many times in those childhood days I was made to feel my misfortune keenly.My feelings were unusually sensitive and caused me great unhappiness. Often withwounded pride, mortified and wretched in spirit, I sought a lonely place and gloomilypondered over the trials I was doomed daily to bear.The relief of tears was denied me. I could not weep readily, as could my twin sister;though my heart was heavy, and ached as if it were breaking, I could not shed a tear.I often felt that it would greatly relieve me to weep away my sorrow. Sometimes thekindly sympathy of friends banished my gloom and removed, for a time, the leadenweight that oppressed my heart. How vain and empty seemed the pleasures of earthto me then! how changeable the friendships of my young companions! Yet these littleschoolmates were not unlike a majority of the great world’s people. A pretty face,a handsome dress, attracts them; but let misfortune take these away, and the fragilefriendship grows cold or is broken. But when I turned to my Saviour, He comfortedme. I sought the Lord earnestly in my trouble, and received consolation. I felt assuredthat Jesus loved even me.My health seemed to be hopelessly impaired. For two years I could not breathethrough my nose, and was able to attend school but little. It seemed impossible forme to study and to retain what I learned. The same girl who was the cause of mymisfortune was appointed monitor by our teacher, and it was among her duties to assistme in my writing and other lessons. She always seemed sincerely sorry for the greatinjury she had done me, although I was careful not12