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WITandWISDOM(tm) - September 2, 2004 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: We blame fate for other accidents, but we feel personally responsible when we make a hole in one. – Author Unknown ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: More than half a century ago (this was written in 1892) a faithful minister coming early to the church, met one of his deacons, whose face wore a very resolute but distressed expression. "I came early to meet you," he said. "I have something on my conscience to say to you. Pastor, there must be something radically wrong in your preaching and work; there has been only one person added to the church in a whole year, and he is only a boy." The old minister listened. His eyes moistened, and his thin hand trembled on his broad-headed cane. "I feel it all," he said, "I feel it, but God knows that I have tried to do my duty, and I can trust Him for the results. "Yes, yes," said the deacon, "but 'by their fruits ye shall know them,' and one new member, and he, too, only a boy, seems to me rather a slight evidence of true faith and zeal. I don't want to be hard, but I have this matter on my conscience, and I have done but my duty in speaking plainly." "True," said the old man; "but 'charity suffereth long and is kind; beareth all things, hopeth all things.' Aye, there you have it, 'hopeth all things.' I have great hopes of that one boy, Robert. Some seed that we sow bears fruit late, but that fruit is generally the most precious of all." The old minister went to the pulpit that day with a grieved and heavy heart. He closed his discourse with dim and tearful eyes. He wished that his work was done forever, and that he was at rest among the graves under the blooming trees in the old churchyard. He lingered in the dear old church after the rest were gone. He wished to be alone. The place was sacred and inexpressibly dear to him. It had been his spiritual home from his youth. Before this altar he had prayed over the dead forms of a bygone generation, and had welcomed the children of a new generation; and here, yes, here he had been told at last that his work was no longer owned and blessed. No one remained-only one? "Only a boy." The boy was Robert Moffat. He watched the trembling old man. His soul was filled with loving sympathy. He went to him, and laid his hand on his black gown. "Well, Robert?" said the minister. "Do you think if I were willing to work hard for an education I could ever become a preacher?" "A preacher?" "Perhaps a missionary." There was a long pause. Tears filled the eyes of the old minister. At length he said: "This heals the ache in my heart, Robert. I see the divine hand now. May God bless you, my boy. Yes, I think you will become a preacher." Some few years ago there returned to London from Africa an aged missionary. His name was spoken with reverence. When he went into an assembly, the people rose; when he spoke in public, there was a deep silence. Princes stood uncovered before him; nobles invited him to their homes. He had added a province to the church of Christ on earth, had brought under the gospel influence African chiefs, had given the translated Bible to strange tribes, had enriched with valuable knowledge the Royal Geographical Society, and had honored the humble place of his birth, the Scottish church, the United Kingdom, and the universal missionary cause. It is hard to trust when no evidence of fruit appears. But the harvest of right intentions is sure. The old minister sleeps beneath the trees in the humble place of his labors, but men remember his work because of what he was to that one boy and what that one boy was to the world. "Only a boy!" - Youth's Companion Source: Signs of the Times, Copyright (c) December 19, 1892, Pacific Press, http://www.signstimes.com ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the archangel, found him, resting on the seventh day. He inquired of God. "Where have you been?" God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction, and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made." Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said, "What is it?" "It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put Life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance." "Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused. God explained, pointing to different parts of earth. "For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe is going to be poor. Over there I've placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of black people. Balance in all things," God continued pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice." The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a land area and said, "What's that one?" "Ah," said God. "That's Washington State, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful mountains, rivers and streams, lakes, forests, hills, plains, and coulees. The people from Washington State are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, and humorous, and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats, and carriers of peace." Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there would be balance." God smiled, "There is another Washington..." Copyright © Dang Good Jokes http://danggoodjokes.com/balance/ Submitted by Bill Schnippert ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: A friend of mine was in the hospital awaiting the arrival of her first child. When I telephoned the hospital to see if the baby had arrived, the nurse said it had. I asked if it was a boy or girl and was told that it was against hospital policy to give this information over the phone. "Fine," I said. "I can understand that. But can you tell me what she didn't have?" "It wasn't a boy," came the reply. Source: Top Greetings ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Worse than Y2K? The world is getting perilously close to a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) crisis. Made up of a aeries of 17 numbers and letters, and displayed on the lower part of windshields of every vehicle, VINs are akin to a Social Security number for our cars. But because of an explosion in the production of automobiles worldwide, with the addition of 60 million new vehicles each year, we will be fresh out of VINs by the year 2010. The simplest solution — adding a couple of digits to the number — may be the only answer, but it will cost billions — even more, say some experts, than the Y2K conversion — to re-jigger the computers at insurance companies, state motor vehicle offices, police departments, etc. From: Akron (Ohio) Beacon-Journal Source: Peninsula Daily News, July 19, 2004, http://peninsuladailynews.com |