December 1925
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
541
“If I May But Tou ch !1’ (A Parable) Rev. John G. Reid, Ph. D., Spokane, Washington
“F o r «he said -within h erself, If I m ay but to u ch his g a rm e n t, I sh all be w hole.” (M atth ew _9j21 ) ; (M ark 5 :2 6 ).
For some time both he and the motorman strove to- replace the trolley, but in vain. All that time we sat in darkness and cheerlessness, shivering, while the pitiless storm raged about the dead, inert, powerless car. When at last, however, they succeeded, the transformation was instantaneous, and magical. The lights blazed again as if there had been no interruption. Beauty and attractiveness were re stored. Warmth came again. The motorman resumed his station, and at the turn of his switch,— like a living thing, the inert car bounded over the rails with greater speed than ordinary to recover the lost time. What mat tered the cold, the storm, the drifting snow, the howling wind outside? In different to them all,— as if they were not,— on it sped, fulfilling its mission with ease and efficiency. Oh! a very little slip had broken the connection,— put out its light,—- destroyed its beauty,— chilled its warmth,— obliterated its power— an nulled its usefulness,! Only a touch had instantly restored them all! Only a touch: but a touch upon, contact re established with, the essential source of power! “If I may but touch,— the hem of his garment,—-I shall be whole!” Oh! how often a very little slip|§9| when off our guard,—may throw our “spiritual trolley” off,— interrupting the circuit of Divine power, without which we are powerless. “Separated from me, ye can do nothing!” (John 1 5 :5 ). And though our lives may have been all sunshine,— a joy to ourselves, and a light, a cheer, a comfort, an inspiration, a help to others; though we may have been on fire with a holy zeal, warm, and warming others,— though we may have exhibited some,— even a considerable— power in service or in victory,— in a moment— all are gone with the broken circuit! We sit in darkness, enshrouded in gloom. We become lukewarm, if not cold,— inert,, dead, powerless to battle with the forces of evil which assail, or resist us; powerless to discharge the service for which we were created, purchased, equipped, and by assignment to which we were honored by our Lord and Mas ter.
slip, when off our guard, may throw our ‘spiritual trolley’ off, in terrupting the circuit of Divine power without which we can do nothing. * * * We sit in dark ness, enshrouded in gloom. We become lukewarm, if not cold,— inert, dead, powerless to battle with the forces of evil which assail or resist us, powerless to discharge the service for which we were created, purchased, equipped, and by assignment to which we were honored by our Lord and Master. In vain we speculate and strive and agonize. In vain we get out and try by manual strength, force of resolution or will power, to push the car into motion again. In vain we call for help. The one thing that is wrong must be set right. The trolley must be re placed, the contact restored, the circuit re-established.” dred cars. The carrying capacity of the trolley wires was undiminished. The mighty current of 4400 volts was coursing within a few feet of the dead, dark, motionless, cheerless car. The car itself and' its own machin ery, designed and adapted for the ex hibition of that power, was still unim paired, and albeit powerless in itself, just as able to respond, and to per form the work for which it was de signed. But the indispensable connec tion between the machinery and the source of power was interrupted. This, and this alone, was the simple, but effectual cause of the darkness, the deadness, the coldness, the inefficiency, the powerlessness. Out into the howling, blinding, driv ing storm, in the darkness, the conduc tor went to replace the trolley; but so pitchy dark was it that he could not see, could only grope for the overhead wire. So fierce and strong was the blast that with greatest difficulty could he guide the trolley-arm by the rope which he held. He could not replace it. Now and then in the darkness the wheel would touch the wire. There would be a momentary flash,— a brief gleam of light through the car, giving promise of restoration; but only for a moment.
CAME on one dark stormy night in winter to the termi nus of an electric car-line, where the cars reversed for their return trips. As yet
there was no car there. Soon I saw one coming, with easy, gliding motion. A thing of life and beauty, instinct with power—brilliantly lighted, and glowing with many hued panes. I t stopped at the end of the line. The passengers alighted. In a moment thereafter, all the beauty was gone. The lights had gone out. The conductor was reversing the trolley, and had removed it from con tact with the overhead wire. Only for a moment, however. The slightest in terval of separation had brought in stant darkness; but the slightest touch of real contact restored the light and beauty. We took our places. The. car began its return trip. Obedient to the will of the motorman, whose hand upon the controller determined the amount of current needed, it glided on into the darkness, facing the driving snow, scorning the wintry wind which con tested its progress. All was well. One could easily indulge in reflections upon the genius of the inventor, and success of the manifold devices which thus produced light, warmth and power for the convenience and comfort of the in mates of the car. Admirable! Suddenly, however, all was in total darkness, and immediately after, the car came to a dead stop. All the light which had made it so radiant, and had given such cheer to the passengers, was gone. All the power and effortless progress in victorious defiance of obstacles, were gone. The radiators rapidly cooled under the biting blast. Shorn of beauty, of warmth, of cheer, and of a power by which only a moment ago it had glided so easily, so triumphantly, it stood a dead, dark, cheerless, powerless thing; to be for saken instead of to be sought after, if any better refuge could be found! What was the matter?
The trolley had skipped the wire at a junction, and the circuit had been broken. The dynamos in the power house had not paused an instant. They were still generating ample power to run, to light, to heat a hun“Oh! how often a very little In vain we speculate and strive and agonize! In vain we get out and try by manual strength, force of resolution
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