Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-10-31
THERE'S ROCK At THf BOTTOM.

When my Willie was ixteen he &C
cidentally dropped q vslusbIe watch in
to the we'll, His father was sbsen
from home: and without csnsulii,.g m.
he resolved 10 recover Ihs tressure.-
Providing himself with 9 losg handled
rake, he gave il in charfe Of his sister
Jennie. two years younger, and bidding
her lower it to him whSa he called he
stepped into the bucket and holding
fast BY the rope. commented his descent
The bucket descended more rapidly
than Willie expected. andls,ruck beayi.
ly against the side Of the tell;. the rope
broke, and he was throwH into the wa
ter.
"Mother. I shall be drpwued." was
his despairing cry; which Jennie re
echoed with wall Of anguish. But
knew the depth of the waler, and shout
ed to him as calmly as Icould. rstand
upon your feet. Willie; 6e water isn't
over iour feet deep" l"But l shall
sink in the mud" said Ehe poor bov,
still striving to keep hihself afloat BY
clinging desperately to Fthe slippery
stones. "No. Willie. hes's rock OF tie
bOttOn. Let 60 the stDaes and stand
up" sl - gs
The assurance of hir} foundation,
and The impossibility Of hoiding much
longer to the Shiny surfacs qf the stone
wall. gave him confidence He felt for
the rocky bottom. placed hisf-et firmly
upon it. and TO his great jsy, iound thst
The water scarcely reached his shoul-
ders. / sent Jennie to the house for a
new strong rope. and fastening one end
securely. / lowered The ofiier to him to
be tied into the bucket. and we drew
him safely up. "Oh. mother" said
the dear boy when he was rescued.
"those were precious words to me,
there's rock at the bottom : / shall never
forget them" ~
Two years after, in p commercial
panic, my husbands property was
swept away, and we were reduced 10
poverty. At first / bore hravely up.
| did not prize wealth and Injury for
my own sake, neither didI covet it for
nv children. j chiefly mouned for
my husbands disappointment OF his
hopes. and strove by unfagging cheer
fulness to chase away the egloom which
settled so heavily upon him. | endea-
vored to assist him. not only by the ut
most economy in household expenses.
but by devising plans for the iuture.-
Willie and Jennie were old enougllto
earn their own support, shd syen relsS.
sist in the education nks "a g ouNgef
childrsn.>sI-r r.,aeerried in iss.slA tkam
in the way to do this. / felt strong and
brave. and almost wondered at my hus-
bands despondency.
But new reverses came. The bank
in which Jennie had deposited her quar-
ter's salary, which might possibly meet
our necessities, suddenly failed. and her
money was lost. / could bear this too; 4;
she would soon be able to replace it.
Next, the school in which she taught
was disbanded, and Jennie had to take
much lower wages; but she still earned
a little; and ] said cheerfully--"We
will not murmur, half loaf is better
than no bread" Next. Willie's hand
was disabled by an accident, and he
lost his situation. My courage began
to give way; but rallying myself for one
more effort, / resolved TO brave the re-
proaches Of friends and the worlds
dread laugh, and seek remunerauve
employment for myself. 1t sorely tried
my womanly deIicacy, yet it brought
the needful aid. and battled with my
wonderful sensiIievness, and again
screwed up my failing courage. But
the last blow came; sickness suddenly
laid me PROSTATE. 81 shall give up
now. we must all sink together" was
the language Of my despairing soul.
Dear mother" said Willie. when he
heard my lamentation. edo you remem-
Der what you said to me when I was at
the bottom OF the well? / have often
thought of il OF late; l know we are in
deep waters, but God has promised that
they shall not OVERT, W us. And is his
word without foundation? Let us plant
our feet upon his promises, and stand
firmly. We cannot sink, for there's rock
at the 6ottona."
! heard, and took the lesson to my
heart. I saw that l had been cliFging
10 the slippery stones Of human stre' 9Th
and seli-dependence; and so. when the
providencS OF God bade me let go my
hold, was in despair But The bank
of Heaven had not failed; God was
able to redeem his promises; and
though / stood in deep water, it should
not overwhelm me, neither should |
sink, for "there's rock at the bottom"
So from the chamber where pain and
illness still holds me prisoner. l send to
each burdened and weary child OF God
who is tempted to feel that all is loss.
the keynote OF my new and grateful
psalm: whatever your sorrow or strait
may be, plant your feet on the Rock Of
Ages, and with me, "thank God and
take courage"
TpY-o1s ~ R,1uorr CouNry--The