58. His Keeping Power
His Keeping Power THIS IS SUFFICIENT.—When Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, came out of the Tower of London and saw the scaffold on which he was to be beheaded, he took out of his pocket a Testament, and, looking up to Heaven, he exclaimed, “Now, O Lord, direct me to some passage which may support me through this awful scene.” He opened the book, and his eye glanced on the text, “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” He instantly closed the book and said, “Praise be the Lord! this is sufficient for me and for Eternity.”
PROMISES ALIKE TO ALL.—When Watts was almost worn out by infirmities, he observed, in conversation with a friend, that he remembered an aged minister used to say that the most learned, when they come to die, have only the same plain promises of the gospel for their support as the unlearned; “and so,” said he, “I find it.”
INDIAN MOTHER LOVE.—A touching story is told to us of a squaw, the wife of one of the chiefs of Indians on Manitoulin Island. She had wandered too near the edge of the shore-ice at a time when thaws had loosened it. The block on which she stood parted from the rest, and a wind carried it out into the open water. She was found dead from the cold, but her last care had been for her baby, and it was found to have perished also, but had been covered by the mother with everything she had which might give it warmth; and when she had herself lain down in the icy blast to die, she had arranged her body so that even in death it might be a shelter for her infant against the storm.
MOTHER’S TOUCH.—A young man wounded in the war lay in the hospital. His mother came a great distance to see him. She was told that her son was sleeping, and that his state was critical. “Let me at least go and look at him while he sleeps,” she pleaded. The doctor hesitated, but at length yielded and permitted her to stand by the bedside. When she saw her son’s pallid face her motherly instincts were too strong for her, and, in spite of the doctor’s warning, she placed her hand gently on the invalid’s brow to wipe the death sweat away. The sufferer recognized the touch in a moment and murmured, “That’s mother’s hand.”
DYING DRUMMER BOY.—A drummer-boy lay dying. Psalms 23:4 was read to him. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.” He desired it repeated again and again. Blindness was upon him; and he desired to have his hand placed so that he could feel the words which he could not see. Then he wished to have the promise laid on his breast, so that he could press it to his heart. Thus clinging with both arms to the promise, he went down into the valley, and passed to rest.
I’LL PAY FOR HIM.—Some children had a beautiful white pet lamb, which was stolen from them, and sold to the butcher. The children discovered the lamb first as it was being led to the slaughter. They tried to get possession of it, but the butcher would not give it to them. A gentleman, seeing the grief of the children, said, “Give them the lamb; I’ll pay for him.” The price was paid, the lamb was saved. This is what Christ has done for us. The lamb was helpless; the children could not redeem it, but a generous man did.