February, 1944
47
SYNOPSIS The Talbot family lived in Syd ney, Australia, where, half a cen tury ago, the father was a sales manager for the largest brewery in the Southern Hemisphere. He never drank liquor mid he cau tioned his boys not to touch it. Though he did not declare himself a Christian during the years of the rearing of his family, it is in his honesty, fairness, and gener osity that his son, Louis, now rec- ognizes one of the major factors that molded the latter’s life. The mother, a godly young gen tlewoman of English birth, man aged the family of five boys and three girls with quiet understand ing. Her foresight, wit, and wis dom were a match f o r the unpre dictable pranks born of youthful minds. So great was her desire to see every member of her family yielded to Christ as Saviour that with daily prayer and extraordi nary tact she exerted all her ef forts to that end. Other influences also w e r e brought to bear upon the young lives. With some of these, the fol - . lowing chapter deals. >
There is one purpose, and one only, in the recording of these events; namely the magnifying of the grace of God in fulfilling the truth of Acts 16:31. God still longs to save persons and families. When God Saved the Brewer's Boy By LOU IS T. TALBOT as told to MILDRED M. COOfc S LENDER in a black suit, his thin beard neatly t r i m m e d , he greeted mg cordially outside our house. I was about fifteen. Chapter II In njore recent years, I have asked several persons who knew him: “How would you describe Fred Binns?”
usually found ways of making sure that 1 was not left alone with him. Our whole family, even my father, had great respect for this pastor, th# Rev. Fred Binns. But as a youngster, I had no appreciation of his talents. To my young mind that demanded constant and sensational action in any individual who was to be admired, this dignified, unspontaneous person had no qualifications at all for great ness. But he left upon my life an impression that has been indelible.
It has been surprising how often the answer has been, “Oh, he was a saint.” And he was. In church or Sunday- school, we Talbot Children often taxed his patience sorely—what with wads of gum, serving many purposes; beetles, cockroaches, and bees; eggs, not quite fresh, deposited,in near-by pockets. It was hard for him to con ceive that any human mind could be
“Oh, how do you do!” I was too af fable. “Won’t you go right in? Mother will be glad to see you. Sorrjl—but I’m on an errand for her right now.” I did not want to meet this man. He was an honored guest in our home, and I knew I dared not be rude to him without risking punishment. But I Copyright 19U. Mildred M. Cook.
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