Part 8 (2/2)
”Canaan is a happy place; I am bound for the land of Canaan”
We then returned to the dining-rooht me up in his arms and carried me around the room I was so taken by surprise, that it was as ht position, till he had acco on the ground for joy, said that he ”was as happy as he could live” When this performance was at an end, he rose up with a face that denoted the fact, for it was bea all over I invited him to take some breakfast with us, to which he assented with thanks He chose bread and milk, for he said, ”I aave hi all the ti over this very hill on which my church and house were built (it was a barren old place then), the Lord said to hiive thee all that dwell in this mountain” Immediately he fell down on his knees and thanked the Lord, and then ran to the nearest cottage There he talked and prayed with the people, and was enabled to bring theot the sa; and then to a third, where he was equally successful Then he told ”Father” that there were only three ”housen” in this ht be built That prayer remained with hihbours, who heard his prayer from time to time, wondered why he should ask for ”housen” to be built in such an ”ungain” place
At last, after sixteen years, he received a letter fro up the ”croft” to plant trees, and that they were going to build a church on the hill He was ”fine and glad,” and praised the Lord Again he did so, when his brother wrote to say there was a vicarage to be built on the same hill, and a schoolroom also He was almost beside himself with joy and thankfulness for all this
In the year 1848, when the church was coreatly surprised to see what a change had taken place There was a beautiful church, a parsonage, with a flourishi+ng garden, and also a schoolrooe plantation and fields round theht that the old hill could be rand as that! However, when he went to the service in the church, his joy was over; he came out ”checkfallen,” and quite disappointed He told ”Father” that that was nothing but an ”old Pusey” He had got there, and that he was no good While he was praying that afternoon, ”Father” gave him to understand that he had no business there yet, and that he had come too soon, and without permission So he went back to his place at once, near Bodmin, and continued to pray for the hill
After three years his brother Jaain; 'and this time it was to tell him that the parson and all his fareat revival at the church Now poor Billy was er to come and see this for hih he asked and looked for it every day for more than three ht in January, about half-past eleven o'clock, just as he was getting into bed, ”Father” told hio to Baldhu He was so overjoyed, that he did not wait till the ain, ”hitched in” the donkey, and set out in his slow-going little cart He ca all the way, nearly thirtyput up his donkey in my stable, he came into the house, and presented hi God
We were a long ti, for the happyof the Lord,” as he called it, assuring us again and again that he was ”fine and glad, and very happy”--indeed, he looked so He said there was one thing -house” (e should now call a o He had often prayed there for ”this old mountain,” and now he should dearly love to see me in the pulpit of that place, and said that he would let me have it for my work He went on to say that he had built it by prayer and faith, as ”Father” sent him help, and that he and another man had built it with their own hands One day he was short of money to buy timber to finish the roof; his mate said it would take two pounds' worth; so he asked the Lord for this sum, and wondered why the money did not come, for he felt sure that he was to have it A farht he had come with the , and then took his departure, without giving them help All that day they waited in expectation, and went ho done any work The next ain, and said, ”What do you want two pounds for?” ”Oh,” said Billy, ”you are come, are you? We want that money for the roof yonder” The farive two pounds for the preaching house, but as I was co said to ht I would give only half-a-sovereign; and then that I would give nothing Why should I? But the Lord laid it on ive you two pounds
There it is!”
”Thank the Lord!” said Billy, and proceeded iet the required timber In answer to prayer he also obtained ”reed” for thatching the roof, and by the same means timber for the forms and seats
It was all done in a hu any pulpit; but one day, as he was passing along the road, he saw that they were going to have a sale at the ”count-house” of an oldwhichoak cupboard, with a cornice around the top It struck hi enough: on examination, he found it all he could desire in this respect He thought if he could take off the top and make a ”plat” to stand upon, it would do ”first-rate” He ”told Father” so, and wondered how he could get it He asked a stranger as there, walking about, what he thought that old cupboard would go for? ”Oh, for about five or six shi+llings,” was the reply And while Billy was pondering how to ”rise” six shi+llings, the same man came up and said, ”What do you want that cupboard for, Billy?”
He did not care to tell hi about it
The s for you; buy it if you will”
Billy took thethe Lord and impatiently waited for the sale No sooner was the cupboard put up, than he called out, ”Here, maister, here's six shi+llin's for un,” and he put the s bid,” said the auctioneer--”six shi+llings--thank you; seven shi+llings; any oing--gone!” And it was knocked down to another man
Poor Billy was much disappointed and perplexed at this, and could not understand it at all He looked about for the s, but in vain--he was not there The auctioneer told him to take up his money out of the way He complied, but did not knohat to do with it He went over a hedge into a field by himself, and told ”Father” about it; but it was all clear--”Father” was not angry about anything He remained there an hour, and then went ho, much troubled in his mind as to this experience (for he still felt so sure he was to have that cupboard for a pulpit), he ca outside a public-house with the very cupboard upon it, and so it with a foot rule As he cao in at the door, or theeither” The publican who had bought it said, ”I wish I had not bid for the old thing at all; it is too good to 'scat' up for firewood” At that instant it caive you six shi+llings for un” ”Very well,” said the an to praise the Lord, and went on to say, ”'Father' as good as told me that I was to have that cupboard, and He knew I could not carry him home on my back, so He found a horse and cart forit back very soon, he led the horse down the hill, and put the old cupboard into the preaching-house ”There it is!” he exclaih! Now,” said Billy, ”I want to see thee in it
When will you come?” I could not fix for that day, or the next, trot ements to conduct a series of services the next week, and promised to have them in that place
Before he left us, he made a particular inquiry about the two other houses which had been built, who lived in them, and especially if all the ”dwellers were converted” Then he declared his intention to go and see the parties, and rejoice with them, and testify how fully the Lord had accoave hi to pro-house, or mission-hall It was the first time that I had preached anywhere outside my church and schoolrooive reat work followed, such as Billy had never seen in that place before Several tih, with penitents crying aloud for
As a rule, the Cornish ain the next day, and the day after, if needful, till he felt that he could cry foruntil he felt he could believe
At the conclusion of these services we returned to the schoolroos were continued
Our friend Billy remained with us at Baldhu, and was very useful He spoke in the schoolroom with much acceptance and power in the simplicity of his faith, and souls were added to the Lord continually
At this time he was very anxious for a cousin of his, a man somewhat older than himself, of the same name This Billy was as famous for his drunkenness and dissolute habits, as the other Billy was for his faith and joy The foro by the name of the ”lost soul” The very children in the lanes called after hihed at him I was then in the freshness and power ofthis pitiable object, and considering his case; for I could not iine why any ly, one wet , when I felt pretty sure that old Billy would not be out working in the field, I made my way down to his house
As I expected, he was at ho ulad I was to find him there, for I wanted to have a talk with hientleo about and talk; but we poor , he rose up from his ”settle” and went to the door
”But, Billy, it is raining quite hard; you cannot work in rain like that”
”Can't help it; we must do our work,” and so he slammed the door after hiies for hiular kind of man; he did not mean bad--he was 'that curious,' that he said and did curious things, and that I must not mind him”