THE ORIGINATION OF SHOES It is interesting how customs and culture originate. For instance, the intriguing story of how shoes first started. A Mongolian chief, it seems, stepped on a thorn. Angrily he or dered his councilman to cover the whole earth with leather lest there be a repetiton of the injury. He him self withdrew to the safety of his tent awaiting the accomplishment of such an impossible order. According to legend, while his command was not fulfilled, he did accept the sug gestion of a practical-minded ser vant. It was suggested that he wrap a piece of leather around each foot. So the future danger was eliminated and shoes had their start. We have a modern counterpart in this Mon gol chief: the person who sits back to dream of the glorious day when peace and righteousness w ill cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Indeed that day shall come when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to establish His millennial reign upon the earth. But to sit back and to do nothing: to live a life only unto one’s self, is to seek to cover the earth with leather when our own feet have been shod with the “prep aration of the Gospel of peace!” Let us take unto ourselves • the whole armour of God that we may be able to withstand the wiles of the devil, and having done all to stand before Him who is our Lord and Master. * The person who stands the best is the one who kneels the most! * * * A SERMON FROM SPIDERS There is a little spider whose God- given habit is to make a nest in a branch of a small tree or bush, in the form of a yellow ball of silk. This downy enclosure is the place * *
from which the baby spiders are hatched. As she is out foraging for food, it is necessary for the mother to leave them alone much of the time. Should you touch the nest suddenly, baby spiders would all rush out in fright. Almost at once, however, the mother spider puts in her appearance. And how does she know that her babies are in danger? According to naturalists each one of the little spiders has a thread of silk attached to it, and these “ leashes” as it were, are all joined by long thread-like strands to the body of the mother. So when the babies move, they give their threads a sharp tug and it is instantly felt by the mother, who, though she may be some distance from the nest, yet immediately, sensing the danger, she rushes back to her brood. (Nowhere is there a suggestion of evolution.) As a spiritual application, the Lord Jesus, too, has given us a pic ture of what He does on our behalf. He says, “No man can come to me except the Father which has sent me, draw him.” This drawing is accomplished by the Holy Spirit w ith bands of unspeakable love; cords which cannot be broken. As the Lord has promised, “Before they call, I w ill answer, and while they are yet speaking I w ill hear.” * * * When you give advice,give it ■privately; when youpraise, let allthe world hear it. * * * MAN BITES MAN A newspaper carried the amusing story (I am sure it is just a story), about a cranky old woman who was bitten by a mad dog. She was ad vised by her lawyer to make out her w ill because there was a possibility she might have rabies, the result of which could be fatal. So she got a
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