Part 3 (2/2)
”Naa I like to year thee say that,” said Abe, ”because I believe it was the Lord that put it intotill I were telling Him my troubles just naa, and then it came to me all in a oa”
And he did go, and he got ehbourhood, where he received so e as he could carry ho a lue, and soth Many a time poor Abe had to stop on the way home, lift the coal down from his head, where he usually carried it, and rub the sore place; and , had he to resort to, in order to coifts to soled along under his dark and heavy load, each day finding hiht--of coals
The neas hard and trying to hi for the time when his heavenly Father would open up another sphere for him; meanwhile there was this consolation, that his toils kept fire in the hearth, and bread in the cupboard at ho this he was happy He didn't envy any man his wealth, or his ease; he many a time on his way home, with the lump of coal on his head, was happier than the rich ee; he had no ahest object was to glorify God in a consistent Christian life, and try to lead others to do the same When his day's as ended, he could lift his burden on his head, and journey hoht he felt was upon his head; , certainly _under a difficulty_, but no er in the chapel choir, but in these hos one would almost fancy he would have to take another part, as the lump on his head would render it rather inconvenient for hiround-bass would bewith his circumstances, and probably he himself wasand trudged along hoht knoas happy as a king, aye, and happier than in to Break
Abe had not long laboured in the coal-pit before all about hiht froh they may not have followed his Godly example and Christian counsel, they all respected hi them
It so turned out that one day the foreht, in order to complete some important matter which they had in hand This was a terrible blow to Abe, for it was his class-night, and he had never yet race, nor would he, if he could by any possibility get there; but noas he to do? He felt it was his duty to obey his master, and take his share of the extra work if required; on the other hand, his heart yearned for the fellowshi+p of saints: how dear that little classroom seemed to him then All the day his mind dwelt upon the subject; he fancied his own accusto why he was not there; he prayed earnestly for deliverance fro ca thewith the rest, yet all the ti in spirit; half an hour passed ahen the foreman came in He was a hard, resolute man, that seemed to have neither fear of God nor devil before his eyes ”Abe Lockwood,” said he, ”isn't this thy class noight?” Abe looked up in an instant, and replied, ”It is”
”Drop thee wark thisto hell, I won't hinder another et to a better place,” and before Abe could find ti Abe was out of the place, and away over Almondbury common, like a fleet hound just slipt fro and was very happy there, but he did not forget in his own happiness to pray for the man who in this instance had bowed to the better spirit within him, and shown him such a mark of favour
There is a heart in every man, however hard he may be, and when once the Spirit of God assails that heart, He may break it, or at least reason it into submission We don't know all the power that God has, nor the many ways in which He can exert that power on the minds of men; we often hinder its operation by our want of faith O Lord, increase our faith! Then ”all things are possible to hi at the coal-pit Although he reatly disliked the e to the ti He told the Lord all his heart upon this subject, and often iain to the es Nor did he pray in vain, as the following incident will show:--One day a gentleot aanswered in the affirmative, he expressed a wish to see him Abe was at once communicated with, and fetched out of the place where he orking On seeing hientleman said, ”I'm sorry to see thee like this, Abe; I have been troubled about thee for some time”
”Have you, haa's that, maaster?”
”Why, I hardly know, but I have felt for ht to come and offer thee work in my place, and now I've come, and if thou wants to leave here, I will find thee sorateful heart was almost in his throat; his eyes swam in tears, his face beamed with smiles, and he shouted, ”Hallelujah! When ht,” said he, ”I can leave here ony ti; bless th' Lord! I knew my Father would foind ing with the usual luot into the house he threw it doith a crash that startled Sally, his wife ”There,” he said, playfully pretending to be vexed, ”I'll fetch thee na moor coils on my yead, so thaa needn't expect it”
”What'sat him
”I tell the' I'll fetch the' nahis scalp as if it hurt hioa aat first as last,” rejoined the good wife, a little ruffled
”Noa thaa shalln't I loike a gooid foire as weel as onybody; and if thaa gruean”
Sally looked hard at him for a moment or two, and in spite of the thick layer of coal-dust on his face, she could see there was a sh ”What dost taherself
”Mean!” exclai hold of her hand, ”Mean! Why, I otten oin' in th'
, bless th' Lord!”
Sally smiled, wiped her eyes, and said quietly, ”Well I niver; aye, but I aht there was sunshi+ne in Abe's cottage hours after the great orb of day had gone down and left the world in darkness
CHAPTER IX