The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.Weylland, John Matthias
History
The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.
Weylland, John Matthias
City missions; London City Mission
Upon leaving the Place the visitors stopped to speak with a group of
four men who were standing at the entrance. One of them wore a fantail
cap, and held a shovel and dust-basket. Another was an unmistakable
scavenger, as he had a scoop-shovel, and was bespattered with mud. The
others were so dirty as to make the impression that they were close
friends, if not near relations of the former. "You have knocked off
early," observed the Missionary, looking with kindness into the face of
the dustman. "No we ain't, mister," replied that worthy: "we are a-goin'
to clean out all through. We split the luck (money given to dustmen)
last night, and I didn't wash the dust down, as we says, and I'm givin'
summut to these chaps what's going to help; and the carts are comin'."
"That's the right thing for you to do," was the encouraging remark. "An'
if we be in the muck," observed the scavenger, "we can be good, as you
speachified." "The dirt of your business is outside," was the reply,
"but it's the dirt inside that is bad; and this will be taken away, if
like a king we read about in the Bible, we pray, 'Create in me a clean
heart, O God.' I will call at your rooms very soon."
[Illustration: Man carrying bundle on his back]
"To influence such people to act for themselves in these matters is the
solution of the sanitary question," observed the official. "The putting
of pure thoughts into their minds," replied the visitor, "is the secret,
and this is a Bible work, for the saying of the wise man is true of us
all: 'As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.'"
The bearer of the message which was to gladden the widow's heart that
evening, retraced his steps and found her in her room. She had fixed her
spectacles, and was intent upon finding a suitable Scripture for the
poor distressed drunkard she had just left. Some minutes passed before
she could realize the good that had befallen her, and then she turned
rapidly to the hundred and third Psalm, and repeated rather than read
the words, "Bless the Lord, O, my soul; and all that is within me, bless
His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His
benefits." She then said calmly, "It's the Lord's doings. He knows how
feeble I am getting, and how hard it is for me to do the little bit of
work, so He is crowning my days with mercy, and blessed be His name."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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