The Turned Lesson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · June 3, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 23

The Turned Lesson.

“I thought I knew it!” she said; “I thought I had learned it quite!” But the gentle teacher shook her head, With a grave, yet loving light In the eyes that fell on the upturned face, As she gave the book With the mark still set in the self-same place.

“I thought I knew it!” she said, And a heavy tear fell down, As she turned away with bending head; Yet not for reproof or frown, And not for the lesson to learn again, Or the play-hour lost; It was something else that gave the pain.

She could not have put it in words, But the teacher understood, As God understands the chirp of the birds In the depths of an autumn wood; And a quiet touch on the reddening cheek Was quite enough; No need to question, no need to speak.

Then the gentle voice was heard, “Now, I will try you again,” And the lesson was mastered, every word. Was it not worth the pain? Was it not kinder the task to turn Than to let it pass As a lost, lost leaf that she did not learn?

Is it not often so, That we only learn in part, And the Master's testing time may show That it was not quite “by heart”? Then he gives, in his wise and patient grace, The lesson again, With the mark still set in the self-same place.

Only stay by his side Till the page is really known; It may be we failed because we tried To learn it all alone; And now that he would not let us lose One lesson of love (For he knows the loss), can we refuse?

Then let our hearts be still, Though our task be turned to-day. Oh! let him teach us what he will, In his most gracious way, Till, sitting only at Jesus’ feet, As we learn each line, The hardest is found all clear and sweet.

—Good Words.