28. Delay No Longer

Delay No Longer

BLACKSMITH’S DOG.—A blacksmith’s dog used to spend most of his time in the shop, and thus became used to the sparks from the anvil. Other dogs came in, too, but the moment the sparks began to fly they ran away in terror, but the smith’s dog would sleep in the midst of all, undisturbed. He would scarcely leave the shop, but used to stay in all night. One night the shop caught fire, and the dog perished.

DRUNKEN BOATMEN.—Two men under the influence of liquor, came one night to where their boat was tied, desiring to return home. So they entered it and began to row. They pulled away all night, wondering why they never reached the other side of the bay. When morning dawned, behold, they found that they had never loosened their boat from the shore.

I CAN LIVE WITHOUT HIM.—An old Scotch woman, after having the gospel of God’s grace faithfully presented to her, put down her pipe, and then seemed to weigh the matter slowly in her mind for a while. Then with face hard and unmoved, said: “No, Ihave lived without Christ seventy years and I can live without Him the rest of my days.” Not long after this she was found dead in bed, her arms thrown above her head as though there had been a struggle with some terrible foe.

NEVER MEET.—It is a solemn thing to say tomorrow when God says today, for man’s tomorrow and God’s today never meet. The word that comes from the eternal throne is now, and it is a man’s own choice that fixes his doom.

CAN’T FIND THE BRAKE.—Gordon, once a celebrated stage-driver on the Pacific Coast, was a fearfully profane man, and his end was dreadful. In the delirium of death he thrust out his feet and clutched at the bedclothes. When asked the cause of his anguish, he exclaimed: “Oh, I am going down a fearful grade, and can’t find the brake.”

CONTRACTING WALLS.—There is an old story of a prisoner in a cell with contractile walls. Day by day his space lessens; he saw the whole of that window yesterday, he sees only half of it today. Nearer and nearer the walls are drawn together, till at last they meet and crush him. THE DIVIDE.—There is a place on the Rocky mountains called “the Divide.” Here the rain that falls separates, one part flowing down the east side of the mountain, the other running down the west side. That falling on the east side enters the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi, thence into the Gulf of Mexico, and finally mingles with the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean. Those raindrops which fall on the west side of the mountain divide course their way into the Columbia River, and then on into the mighty Pacific Ocean. Thus the water which at first turning point was separated toy a small fraction of an inch, soon became five thousand miles apart, and in directly opposite directions.

WESLEY AND THE BIRD.—One summer day, as Charles Wesley was sitting by an open window, a little bird attracted his attention. Just then a hawk came swooping toward the bird. The frightened little thing darted here and there trying to find a place of safety from the fierce grasp of the hawk. Seeing the open window, and a man sitting by, the bird flew toward it, and with beating heart and quivering wings, found shelter in Wesley’s bosom.