Part 17 (1/2)
”Put them in their mouths and swallow them.”
”Couldn't they take them at their ears?”
”No,” answered Willie, laughing.
”Why not?”
”Because their ears aren't meant for taking them.”
”Aren't their ears meant for taking anything, then?”
”Only words.”
”Well, if one were to try, mightn't words be mixed so as to be medicine?”
”I don't see how.”
”If you were to take a few strong words, a few persuasive words, and a few tender words, mightn't you mix them so--that is, so set them in order--as to make them a good medicine for a sore heart, for instance?”
”Ah! I see, I see! Yes, the medicine for the heart must go in at the ears.”
”Not necessarily. It might go in at the eyes. Jesus gave it at the eyes, for doubting hearts, when He said--Consider the lilies,--consider the ravens.”
”At the ears, too, though,” said Willie; ”just as papa sometimes gives a medicine to be taken and to be rubbed in both.”
”Only the ears could have done nothing with the words if the eyes hadn't taken in the things themselves first. But where does this medicine go to, Willie?”
”I suppose it must go to the heart, if that's the place wants healing.”
”Does it go to what a doctor would call the heart, then?”
”No, no; it must go to what--to what a clergyman--to what _you_ call the heart.”
”And which heart is nearer to the person himself?”
Willie thought for a moment, then answered, merrily--the doctor's heart, to be sure!”
”No, Willie; you're wrong there,” said Mr Shepherd, looking, as he felt, a little disappointed.
”Oh yes, please!” said Willie; ”I'm almost sure I'm right this time.”
”No, Willie; what the clergyman calls the heart is the nearest to the man himself.”
”No, no,” persisted Willie. ”The heart you've got to do with _is_ the man himself. So of course the doctor's heart is the nearer to the man.”
Mr Shepherd laughed a low, pleasant laugh.
”You're quite right, Willie. You've got the best of it. I'm very pleased. But then, Willie, doesn't it strike you that after all there might be a closer way of helping men than the doctor's way?”