A man died in the Columbus penitentiary some years ago who had spent
over thirty years in his cell. He was one of the millionaires of Ohio.
Fifty years ago when they were trying to get a trunk road from Chicago
to New York, they wanted to lay the line through his farm near
Cleveland. He did not want his farm divided by the railroad, so the
case went into court, where commissioners were appointed to pay the
damages and to allow the road to be built.
One dark night, a train was thrown off the track, and several were
killed. This man was suspected, was tried and found guilty, and was
sent to the penitentiary for life. The farm was soon cut up into city
lots, and the man became a millionaire, but he got no benefit from it.
It may not have taken him more than an hour to lay the obstruction on
the railroad, but he was over thirty years reaping the result of that
one act!
"As a Little Child"
A little child is the most dependent thing on earth. All its resources
are in its parents' love; all it can do is to cry; and its necessities
explain the meaning to the mother's heart. If we interpret its
language, it means: "Mother, wash me; I cannot wash myself. Mother,
clothe me; I am naked, and cannot clothe myself. Mother, feed me; I
cannot feed myself. Mother, carry me; I cannot walk." It is written,
"A mother may forget her sucking child; yet will not I forget thee."
This it is to receive the Kingdom of God as a little child--to come to
Jesus in our helplessness, and say: "Lord Jesus, wash me!" "Clothe
me!" "Feed me!" "Carry me!" "Save me, Lord, or I perish."--Rainsford.