Part 9 (2/2)
Abe Lockwood had to encounterfrom a variety of causes but that which seee faes by his eed to keep above the drowning point Only the brave, honest, and Godly poor who have struggled through siood ainst in this way
Yet how often do we find poverty and piety yoked together in one house
What a mercy it is that piety will condescend to dith poverty; sit down at the same dry crust, or sit without it; wear the same patched and threadbare raiment, and not coer, cold, sickness, and suffering with un more than half the load of trouble on her own neck will sit the long night through, and ”sing of ht coain
”Godliness with contentain”
How round, cut, and polished on the wheel of poverty; polished, but not set, for poverty is neither the gold nor silver for the setting No , it is the diamonds He loves, ”and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels”
When, however, industry, econoe had done all, poor Abe was sometimes alether He had a firm faith in God, and used to say, ”My Father knows haa rain, and He wean't lay a straw too mony upon me, bless Him” In the midst of all the little Bishop maintained a happy heart and a cheerful countenance; he made as little of his poverty as soht have supposed he never had a sorrow, or felt a care
The fact is he did not hoard his troubles as soh for that They hung very loosely about him at any time, and he shook the the them until they rankled, festered, or turned sour, he loosened his bands, bared his bosohed the one
”WATTER GRUEL”
He was one day walking severalappoint to the saan to bleed, and they had to stop, though theAbe tried to stop it: he put a cold stone to the man's neck, held his ared remedies, but with very little effect ”What mun I do, Abe?” said the ive him his advice ”I'll tell the' what to do,” said he; ”thaa mun strike at th' rooit” (root) ”o' th' evil; thaa lives o'er high; thaa should try watter gruel for six weeks, and thaa'd cure that nose, that's haa I do” A burst of laughter froain with the journey There was in this quaint rehtest reference to the poor fare on which he hadjourney and a hard day's work in the cause of his Divine Master; often enough dear old Abe was like brave Gideon of old, ”faint, yet pursuing”
He used to say when he met people who carried their troubles in their faces, ”Yo' ha' no need to pull such lang otten on dark soid o' th' hedge? Yo' mun flit into th' sunshi+ne, there's plenty o' roo it would be if people who nurse their sorroould begin to count and cherish their joys instead; the world, and especially the Church, would be full of bright faces and happy hearts
THE HALLELUJAH COAT
There was a tiainst the cold, wet, inclement weather which he had to encounter in the work of the Lord, and cohts exposed hi was a thick woollen muffler around his neck, yet in this way he bore uncoht after the little Bishop had been preaching, afor home, and he went Supper over, Abe prepared to be off; it was a bitter night, cold and wet On seeing hi for you, Bishop” Abe looked round and saw hi, thick overcoat open, ready for him to put on Without a word of remark he thrust his arms into the coat, and his host proceeded to button it up fro all the time; this done, he stood back to look at hiether, and shouted ”Hallelujah! hallelujah!! I can say now't else--hallelujah! a top coit! a hallelujah coit!” And away he went out into the darkness and rain shouting, ”A Hallelujah top coit!” That garment was always known after as ”the hallelujah coit”
TEMPTED OF THE DEVIL
Every Christian knows sooes about to tease, annoy, and break the peace of the Lord's people Abe had th of faith and prayer he conquered hi the early years of Abe's Christian life the devil often endeavoured to raise doubts in his mind on fundamental truths; but Abe was not to be moved from the faith
What he could not understand nor explain, he yet believed with all his heart, so that in time the enemy yielded every point of dispute up to him, and Abe kept his heart in perfect peace, so far as these things were concerned If Satan ca which s
Abe would say ”Th' owd ene lion,'
and turned into a flee, running and hopping all o'erhis feelings, exciting his i his resentment to a pitch that sometimes made Abe almost asha
ACCUSED OF SWEARING
After preaching one Sunday at Wellhouse, a place about fourhis way hoot within a very short distance of Berry Brow
Following on the sa to overtake hi rather loudly, and giving expression to soe, acco-stick and sta of his foot, and the man was amazed as he heard Abe break out, ”Thaa 'rt a liar, thaa owd devil!” A fewwhich the littlelike a chaain, ”I tell the' thaa 'rt a liar, and I will n't believe a word on 't” Then followed another brief silence, and then another excited explosion, which brought Abe to a standstill ”Didn't I tell the' I don't believe the'? Aith the', thaa lying old devil!”
By this time the man ca abaat soa on a Sunday noight?”
”Swearing! , my lad”
”But I yeerd the' mysen”
”When?”
”Naa, thisowd devil, and sich loike”