The Dropping Well

The "Dropping Well" A few years ago, having to pass near Knaresborough, I went to see the celebrated "Dropping Well." [Here the lecturer held up what was to all appearance a solid piece of limestone.] This stone in the shape of a bird's nest illustrates what is going on every day at Knaresborough and other places. I asked the persons in attendance to put a bird's nest under the drip of the water at one of these places, and there it is, turned into solid stone. Drip, drip, drip; the water of the petrifying well fell upon it, and turned it to stone.

I was shown a great number and variety of petrified articles. Not only birds' nests, but birds, and shoes, and hats, and even stockings, have been turned to stone under the continual dropping of the water.

Even so have I known men get under the drip of the "dropping well" of the world, and they have become quite changed characters: they do no good; they are turned to stone. The only way of preventing the action of this terrible "dropping well," is to live near to God, and have much communion with Him.