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B u s i n e s s
October 1928
healthy crop, too. He exclaimed, “What are these?” “ These,” said the other gardener, “ are what I sowed immediately after my loss.” The fretful gardener could scarcely believe his own eyes; how quickly they had grown! His neighbor said: “You see, while you were fretting over the loss of the first crop, I was working, and soon I shall be repaid by a better crop than even the first would have been.” The other was surprised, and said, “Don’t you fret when you have a loss?” “Yes,” was the reply; “but I always put it off until I have repaired the mischief, and often find out then that I had no need to fret at all.” How wise it would be if we copied the example of the industrious gardener, and sought to repair our failings and losses instead o f fretting over them.
If I Had Time! B y G eorge G. S tockard
O ctober 20, 1928 Text: John 16:8-11
I Often think that had I time, I’d let my soul take wings and climb;. I’d follow some compelling thought, With mighty hopes and visions fraught; I’d daré be true, I’d dare be pure, I’d make' some precious love secure, Some common task a work sublime. Oh, had I time and could I bear The world’s indifference and its scorn, Then with the outcast and forlorn, Who doubt if heaven answers prayer, I’d steal aside to soothe a cry, Or ease a hurt while passing by. And had; I tifrie, some monster wrong, Wrought out by cunning hands and strong, Engulfing with insidious arts The lives of men, their homes, their hearts— That would I seek and publish wide,' Though masters mocked and hirelings cried, Though disbelieved and spurned I died. Oh, somewhere in the times ere long, There would be right where once was wrong, If I had time. Yet, somehow in my heart I know, However fast the sands' may flow That mark upon the hourglass The little while ere I shall pass, ! That if my soul is in the deed, And if my Master’s work it speed, My hands shall have the time I need. Yea, everywhere and every day, I’ll find the time and He the way; And when my little day is spent, I’ll find His kingdom of content, If I jfist went the way He went, And took the time.
As an Indian evangelist was preaching, a flippant youth in terrupted him. “You tell about the burden of sin. I feel none. How heavy is it? Eighty pounds||j Ten pounds?” The preacher answered: “ Tell me, if ycm laid four hun dred pounds’ weight on a corpse, would it feel the load?” “ No, because it’s dead,” replied the youth. The preacher said: “That spirit too is dead which feels no load of sin .”—Indian Witness.
O ctober 21, 1928 Text: Acts 13:46-47
“How is it,” asked a man o f a minister, “ that your religion has been going for nearly two thousand years and has not_ influ enced more people than it has done?” For reply, the minister asked another question: “How is it that water has been flowing for more than twenty thousand years and many people are still dirty?” It is not the fault o f Christianity that people, go with out the remedy for human ill, but the loss is theirs all the same. Christianity is not' a failure; The Gospel is not a failure. Wherever it is preached in fidelity it wins. But there are some who “put it from them.”
O ctober 22, 1928 T ext: John 15:4-5
Gotthold once visited a man who was in deep trouble and who was continually complaining. When Gotthold reached the house, he was told by the family that he would find the man in the back yard. He was engaged in cleaning a vine of its super fluous leaves. “ Owing to.the rains,” he explained, “ this vine is overgrown with superfluous wood and leaves, so the sun can’t get to the grapes to ripen them. I have to prune them away that the vine may bring fruit to maturity.!’ “Does this vine resist and oppose you?” Gotthold asked. “No,” was the answer. : “Then why,” he was asked, “are you displeased with the gracious God that He should do to you what your vine must not be displeased that you do to it?”
sisted. Thinking to soothe her, he strove to control his voice as he answered, “Well, dearest, perhaps two or three hundred dollars a year. Why do you ask?” “ Because I thought maybe you would lay it out this year in Bibles for poor children to re member me by.” With heart swelling with emotion he kissed the cold brow. “ I will, my child.” And then after a pause he said, “I will do it every year, that you may draw others after you to heaven.” ;. ... . v - -jii. - I Q ctober 24, 1928 Text: Psa. 66:16-20 Ashley S. Johnson, a struggling attorney in Knoxville, Ten nessee, became convinced that he should give his life to the train ing o f poor boys for the Gospel ministry. He conceived the idea of turning his mountain farm into a place where these boys could earn their way, and his own home into a Bible College. He gave up his practice and started upon this venture in faith. Three or four boys came to him thé first year. Every day they prayed for greater things. When the first college building was
O ctober 23, 1928 Text: Rom. 10:15-17
A little child, the pet o f the family, lay sick unto death. Her father fell beside her couch, while, the tears flowed copiously down his cheeks. In vain he tried to pray, “Thy will be done.” His sobs disturbed the child, whom he had thought unconscious. She opened her eyes with a look o f distress. At length she said, “ Papa, dear papa!” “What, my dear?” answered the father. Then in faint, broken accents she continued, “ Papa, how much do I cost you every year?” Agitated with grief and with the fear that delirium was setting in, he tried to soothe' the little one. But, “ Please, how much do I cost?” she per-
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