"Three Cheers."
Once, when a great fire broke out at midnight and people thought that
all the inmates had been taken out, way up there in the fifth story, was
seen a little child, crying for help. Up, went a ladder, and soon a
fireman was seen ascending to the spot. As he neared the second story
the flames burst in fury from the windows, and the multitude almost
despaired of the rescue of the child. The brave man faltered, and a
comrade at the bottom cried out, "Cheer him!" and cheer upon cheer arose
from the crowd. Up the ladder he went and saved the child, because they
cheered him. If you cannot go into the heat of the battle yourself, if
you cannot go into the harvest field and work day after day, you can
cheer those that are working for the Master. I see many old people in
their old days, get crusty and sour, and they discourage everyone they
meet by their fault finding. That is not what we want. If we make a
mistake, come and tell us of it, and we will thank you. You don't know
how much you may do by just speaking kindly to those that are willing to
work.
Always Happy.
There was a man converted here some years ago, and he was just full of
praise. He was living in the light all the time. We might be in the
darkness, but he was always in the light. He used to preface everything
he said in the meeting with "praise God." One night he came to the
meeting with his finger all bound up. He had cut it, and cut it pretty
bad, too. Well, I wondered how he would praise God for this; but he got
up and said, "I have cut my finger, but, praise God, I didn't cut it
off." And so, if things go against you, just think they might be a good
deal worse.
[Illustration: Ruth and Boaz. GUSTAVE DORE. Ruth, ii.]
Ten Years in a Sick Bed, yet Praising God.
I have found people who were poor in this world's goods, in bad health,
and yet continually praising God. I can take you to a poor, burdened one
who has not been off her bed for ten years, and yet she praising Him
more than hundreds of thousands of Christians. Her chamber seems to be
just the ante-room of heaven. It seems as if that woman had just all the
secrets of heaven. Her soul is full of the love of God, full of
gladness, and she is poor. Like Elijah at the brook of Cherith, she is
just fed by the Almighty; God provides for all her wants. Any man that
knows God can trust Him and praise Him. He knows that the word of God is
true, and he knows that He will care for him. He who cares for the
lilies of the field, He, without whose knowledge not a sparrow can fall
to the ground, He who knows every hair of our heads, any man that knows
this, cannot he rejoice? Is there anyone here, who, although he is poor,
can find no reason to praise God? Some of those Christians who are so
poor, but who have the love of God, would not give up their place for
that of princes.