Part 11 (1/2)
This coer a stronger man than Abe, and certainly he felt a little troubled at what he had heard, but he could put his trust in God
”I'ettin' owd and used up”
”And ill you do for a livelihood, Abe? I'et ee, ill you do?”
”Well, I don't knahat I mun do, but I' and now ahteous forsaken or his seed begging bread'” This beautiful triumph of simple faith in God was soon followed by its reward; his h, he saw once more his old servant was a man of God, his face broke out into a s with Abe: ”We have arranged to give you a weekly allowance sufficient to keep you and your wife as long as you live”
”Praise th' Lord!” exclaimed Abe, ”I knew my Father would not see me want” So from that time our old friend received his weekly allowance, and was kept from want The Lord takes care of His own children that trust in Hiency of some other individual, yet whoive to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward” (Matt x 42)
OUT OF HARNESS
When our old friend became so infirm as to be unable to work for his daily bread, we may naturally conclude that his labours as a local preacher also necessarily terreat trouble to hiainst it as long as he could, until indeed it was no longer safe for hio to his beloved work; so he was coreater regret than he did this, for he loved it with all his heart
Nor was he alone in his regrets Many shared in them when it was known up and down that Little Abe was ”out of harness,” and would coether in one of the country places of the Circuit were talking about the preachers they had heard in that place, so till God should call them home; reference was made to Abe Lockwood, or as he was often called in the latter days of his life, ”Old Abe!” ”Ah, there's dear 'Old Abe!' he'll never co to the conversation rose to his feet, with his eyes full of tears, and exclaimed, ”Why won't they let him come? If he only came and stood in the pulpit for us to see hireat favourite with children, and he was always fond of thee turns folks sour, crabby, and snarlish with children, but age onlyand loved
”WHERE'S 'T YOUNG PRAACHER?”
An a the time I was minister at Wellhouse in the Huddersfield Circuit I was in the front garden one windyto protect theht I heard so no one I resumed my task
In a ed it at last, hurrah!” and on looking up, I saw Little Abe struggling along the steep pathway in a field just in front of my house, his head bare, his hat in his hand, his white locks tossed in wild confusion by the gale, yet holding on by their roots, refusing to part from their place of nativity
”Well, I declare, here's Little Abe tipping about in the wind like a shuttlecock” Out I ran, and getting hold of his arht you here in such a gale of wind, Abe?”
”Hurrah! I'st see him naa,” was his only response
”See who?”
”Why, th' young praacher to be sure; ha'nt ye gotten a young praacher in your haase? I've co heartily at Abe's way of installing new members into the ministry, I opened the door and pushed him into the house My as as lad to see hi praacher? Let's see him Come, hold him up; there, naa, put him on my lap and letpraacher,” at that tiht or ten weeks, was placed in the oldhis eye at Abe while he told him how he had left home after breakfast and walked over the hills about five miles in a stor praacher” whose name was already on the Circuit plan And there he stayed for the day, talking, singing, and co, e sent him home by the train
Well, the time came when dear old Abe visited his friends nor stood in the fa and old, felt they had sustained a loss Yet this is the natural course of things all the world over; the scenes of life are continually changing, so are the most familiar and most beloved faces in those scenes; they coain, until we unconsciously acquire the habit of expecting theth they do not reappear as forrand and familiar faces have disappeared froan to reone years, what a nuone, never to return; while the truth is forced upon us, we are daily hurrying after the the faret our absence
CHAPTER XXIII
”Better is the End of a Thing that the Beginning”
It was known by Little Abe that his infirmities were preh he er for a while in the border land, he must soon receive command to march over the boundary, and enter the eternal world Just as a shock of corn re, so our old friend re for the heavenly garner
He had just sufficient strength to go quietly about aood things of his Father's kingdoet as far as the chapel, which was ever dear to him, and thewhen he should enter it nohis happy spirit would be called up to worshi+p in a grander te a multitude of those ”who had washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb;” and as he sat in old Salehts were oft carried away to the great te their joyous strings to the Redeemer's praise Often when the choir chanted the solemn words:--
”What shall I be, ht hand; And 'e bewilderment, O Lord, I stand?
What shall I be? these tears,--they diht,”
he was like one enraptured, as with tearful eyes, quivering lips, and clasped hands he listened to the soul-stirring hy for the end