Part 9 (1/2)

Little Abe was leading a lovefeast in Berry Brow Chapel; the place was crowded, people had coreat power; there was no lack of witnesses, two or three being often on their feet together waiting for an opportunity to speak

Little Abe, as he said, ”was fair swabbing o'er,” he wept for joy

A young th rose to relate his Christian experience He had but lately been converted to Jesus, and before that had been a very wicked, drunken, degraded character He proceeded to say what the Lord had done for him, how He had found him in his sins and misery, and taken hold of him when hardly any one else would look at hiht to his for a feeeks At the time of his conversion he was almost naked, and absolutely destitute; said he, ”I had popt” (pawned) ”my coat, and popton which I could raise money, and I was almost in hell”

This wasto his feet and exclaimed, ”It's a rare job th' devil didn't pop thee and all,ratitude in a fresh burst of tears, andran over as well

RELIGION ALL HUMBUG

Little Abe once got up in a lovefeast ”Friends,” said he, ”a ion for; he said, 'It's all huht for once,that iver I tasted I have been sucking it foris the Yorkshi+re naoodies) It was just in Abe's way to turn the tables on his assailant, and certainly in this case the Little Bishop had the best of the encounter, and the joy of the hu as well

PENITENT PHYSIC

The Bishop was leading a lovefeast in Shelley Chapel (where it is said that the Rev John Wesley once preached), and one of the speakers had been a backslider, but had deter his bitter sorrow, and how he had drunk of the ood and gall of repentance, and as he spoke tears ran chasing each other down his face ”Bless th' Lord,” said Little Abe, ”I seethe' some penitent physic, and it's made the'

'een” (eyes) ”run Ne'er moind, lad, He'll heal thee heart, and wipe'

away all tears from thee 'een'”

HONLEY FEAST MONDAY

The Honley feast is one of the reone tihout the parish as a holiday

It begins with Sunday, and extends over the greater part of the week, during which time the people enjoy themselves in ways suited to their varied tastes, tooheads and empty pockets What a pity it is that men, and even women, too, are so infatuated as to think that pleasure can only be found in drunkenness and public-house brawling! Thank God there are many who know the folly of this, and have other and better ways of finding pleasure Ever since Salem Chapel was first built it has been the custom to hold a lovefeast there on Honley Feast Monday, and this is perhaps thein the whole year, and is always looked to with great interest People come to this lovefeast from many miles around, and the chapel is invariably filled to overflowing

This was always a great occasion with Little Abe--a real red letter day I reo Abe was there, and he certainly ood share of es with clapping, stas, he pealed a clash altogether, with hand, foot, and voice ”Hey, lads!” he said, ”it's grand! it gets better and better, bless th' Lord!” His face was covered with smiles from his s during all that service,--for no sooner had his joyous countenance spent itself on one pleasant thing, and the light, dancing ripples begun to subside, than so else presented itself to his notice, and another smile passed across his face like a playful breeze over a clear pool, shaking up the waves again; and so on he went, through all that service, with a face as bright as a sunbea, and his hands clasped together; every eye was on hiled all over the chapel; the women wiped their eyes, and the men shouted, ”Glory, Abe! God bless the', lad” ”Friends,” he began, ”I am happy, I mun spaike naa, or I'st brust mysen” ”Go on, Abe,” cao on; I' to turn back naa; it's heaven I set aat for, and heaven I mean

I've been on th' road aboon fifty years, and I'st get t' th' end afore lang” And then he went on to say how glad he was to see them there once more, and to see the place full of earnest worshi+ppers ”You knaarn't always soa I can rereed to pray for a revival, and gie th' Lord no rest until we shouldon Sunday s at five o'clock to th' minute, and they that worn't there at time should be locked aat Well, yo' knoor' baan to be at that ht Iat half-past four Well, wod yo' believe it, I waked abaat five minutes to five I wor aat o' bed in a wink, and shoved s, and then on wi' my breeks, scratted up my booits”

(boots) ”i' at hoalf-way up th' Braa th' clock struck five, and I pushed one fooit inup th'

hill, and just as I caate I saw th' chapel door shut in my face, so I wor locked aat; but I wor noan baan to looiseready, I finished dressing ive aat a hymn, and I clapped my ear t'

th' key-hoil and listened for th' words, and then I putwith 'ean to pray

Then I listened, and shaated Ah th' hoil, and kept on while iver they prayed At last my owd friend Bradley stopped in th' middle of his prayer,--'Oppen that door,' he said, 'I canna pray with that chap shaating in at th' key-hoil that road;' so they oppened th' door, and I went in and had ean”

Our little friend will be remembered as a lovefeast rown to be associated with the Conference lovefeast of the Methodist New Connexion, and rand annual gatherings even to this day His voice is not now heard as it once was, along with that of Thomas Hannam, John Shaw, and rant in the affectionateour Conference lovefeast

”BREED 'EM YOURSENS”

Although Little Abe was no narrow-minded sectarian, he still loved to foster in the minds of his own children a preference for the people that had, under God, saved his soul, and made him what he was, and he tried to bind his fa a Sunday in the town of Dewsbury, in company with a devoted brother and local preacher who is now in heaven, they were led to converse about the Coed Abe said, ”I was born in th' New Connexion, never aat of it, and by God's help I'st die in it, and I hopeup an incident which his oords had called to mind, he said, ”My lad went by a cheap trip to Hull t'other day, and what dost ta think wor th' first thing he axed for when he gat there?” ”Don't know,” replied his friend ”Why, afore he gat aat at station yard, he goes up to a man and says, 'Can yo' tell me th' way t' th' New Connexion Chapel?' Naa,”

he added, looking across at his friend; ”if yo' want th' roight soort, yo'which, put into other words, simply means that if we are to have reliablein their own children, and let therow up in the fear of the Lord and love of His people, and the maxim is correct

CHAPTER XX

Patient in Tribulation