I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
—Rev. 3:8
5640 Artist Who Became Bishop
Bishop Tucker of Uganda was an artist, but how did he become a bishop?
One day he was painting a picture of a poor woman thinly-clad and pressing a babe to her bosom, wandering homeless on a stormy night on the dark, deserted street.
As the picture grew, the artist suddenly threw down his brush, exclaiming, “Instead of merely painting the lost, I will go out and save them.” He went to Africa.
5641 Reformation’s Two Martins
At the beginning of the Reformation, Martin of Basle came to a knowledge of the truth, but, afraid to make a public confession, he wrote on a leaf of parchment: “O most merciful Christ, I know that I can be saved only by the merit of thy blood. Holy Jesus, I acknowledge thy sufferings for me. I love thee! I love thee!” Then he removed a stone from the wall of his chamber and hid it there. It was not discovered for more than a hundred years.
About the same time Martin Luther found the truth as it is in Christ. He said: “My Lord has confessed me before men; I will not shrink from confessing Him before kings.” The world knows what followed, and today it reveres the memory of Luther; but as for Martin of Basle, who cares for him?
—Sunday School Times
5642 Convention On “How To Reach Masses”
Years ago a convention met in Indianapolis to discuss “How to Reach the Masses.” One day during that convention a young man stood on a box on a corner and began to preach. A crowd gathered, mostly workingmen going home to their suppers. They were electrified by the sermon. They forgot that they were tired. They forgot that they were hungry.
The crowd became so dense that it had to move. The preacher announced that he would preach again at the Academy of Music. They followed him down the street, singing as they went, and they filled the main floor of the building, sitting with their dinner buckets, while he preached again with such power that they were moved to tears.
But he had only a few minutes to preach because the convention on “How to Reach the Masses” was gathering in the same auditorium. While the convention was discussing how to reach the masses, D. L. Moody was doing it! He was preaching the kingdom of God and every man was pressing violently into it!
—Vance Havner
5643 “Stand Still And Die”
In 1852, the troopship Birkenhead struck on a sunken rock off the African coast; she had on board drafts of the 12th Lancers and other regiments, with 124 women and children. These were got into the boats, while the men, drawn up by their officers as on parade, saw without a murmur the boats shove off, and went down with the sinking ship.
The word of command was given by Major Seton, “Stand still, and die like Englishmen”; and those four hundred and fifty-four men went down to their sea-grave that day in soldierly order, firm, steady, and satisfied, since there was only room in the boats for the women and little ones.
—Miss Robinson
5644 To Paint Him Better
A budding artist once painted a picture of the Last Supper. He took it to the writer Tolstoy for his opinion. Carefully and understandingly the Russian master of words studied the canvas. Then pointing to the central Figure, he declared: “You do not love Him.” “Why! that is the Lord Jesus Christ!” exclaimed the artist. “I know,” insisted Tolstoy, “but you do not love Him. If you loved Him more, you would paint Him better.”
5645 Ironside’s Shoes In Heaven
Dr. Ironside, when a boy, helped his widowed mother by working during vacations, Saturdays, and out-of-school for a Scottish shoeworker who was a Christian. He posted Bible verses all over the shop so that everywhere one looked, he would see the Word of God. No package went out to a customer without a tract or a word of testimony, and many came back for salvation.
Dr. Ironside’s job was to pound leather for shoe soles. A piece of cowhide was cut to size, soaked in water, and pounded until it was hard and dry. After endless poundings, he was weary. One day, he noticed that another godless cobbler was not pounding, but was nailing the soles while still wet. “So they come back quicker,” was the reply.” The Christian owner explained to Ironside: “I do not cobble just for 50¢ or 75¢ from customers. I do it for the glory of God. In heaven, I expect every shoe returned to me in a pile, and I do not want the Lord to say, “Dan, that was a poor job. You did not do your best.”
5646 Shackleton’s Advertisement
The following ad occurred in a London newspaper: “Men wanted for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.” The ad was signed by Sir Ernest Shackleton, Antarctic explorer. Thousands responded instantly to the call. They were ready to sacrifice all for the elation of adventure and uncertain honor. Should God’s children do less.
—Selected
5647 An Unpleasant Task Daily
William James, the psychologist and writer, believed that every person ought to do an unpleasant duty every day just to keep himself in moral trim. The moral “Muscles” grow with exercise and use. If we want them to be strong by using them to resist the ever-recurring small temptations.
It is like the youth of mythology who picked up the newborn calf in the field. Every day he went out and lifted it in his arms. Since the calf’s weight increased only a little each day, the youth did not notice the increase. By continuing to lift the calf day after day, his strength grew with the calf’s weight so that he could still lift it after it had grown into a full-sized bull.
5648 Wanted: A Man
A clipping from newspaper in the year 1796:
Wanted for a sober family, a man of light weight, who fears the Lord and can drive a pair of horses. He must occasionally wait at table, join in household prayer, look after horses and read a chapter in the Bible. He must, God willing, rise at 7 in the morning, and obey his master and mistress in all lawful commands; if he can dress hair, sing psalms and play cribbage, the more agreeable.
N.B. He must not be familiar with the maidservants, lest the flesh should rebel against the spirit and he should be induced to walk in the thorny paths of the wicked. Wages: 15 guineas a year (about $7 a month).
5649 Angels In Kitchen
In the Louvre, in Paris, there is a famous painting by Murillo. It is entitled “The Miracle of San Diego”. A door opens, and two noblemen and a priest enter a kitchen. They are amazed to find that all the kitchen-maids are angels. One is handling a water-pot, another a joint of meat, a third a basket of vegetables, a fourth is tending the fire. The message of the picture is that no labour is common unless we make it so. Jesus Christ Himself toiled in a workshop.
5650 Madonna Of The Napkin
It is related of Murillo that, residing once in a convent as a lay-brother, he used up all his canvas. As he was too poor to buy more, the cook jestingly threw him a napkin, saying, “Paint on this.” Murillo took it, and painted upon it the beautiful face of the Madonna which adorns the altar of the Capuchin Church, and is known as the “Madonna of the Napkin.”
5651 “Divine Service Here”
The Rev. Alan Redpath tells of a lady of his acquaintance who has a little motto over her kitchen sink that reads as follows: “Divine service is conducted here three times daily.” This is the type of industry Christ honors.
—Mrs. E. Levengood
5652 “God Bless My Kitchen”
God bless my little kitchen,
I love its every nook;
And bless me as I do my work—
Wash pots and pans, and cook
And may the meals that I prepare
Be seasoned from above
With Thy blessing and Thy grace,
But most of all, Thy love.
As we partake of earthly food
When the table for us is spread,
We’ll not forget to thank Thee, Lord,
Who gives us daily bread.
So bless my little kitchen, God,
And those who enter in;
May they find naught but joy and peace
And happiness therein.
—Selected
5653 Epigram On Service
• A Spartan mother giving her son his shield, when going to battle, would say, “Son, either this, or upon this.”
See also: Dedication ; Faithfulness ; Zeal.