The Lincoln County herald., 1870-10-13
THE MINISTER AT THE PUMP.

THE MINISTER AT THE PUMP.
Many years ago, u certain minister was
going, one Sunday morning, to his school'
room. He walked through number OF
strccts and as he turned corner he saw
assembled around the pump a party OF
little boys playing marbles. On seeing
him approach, they began to pick up
their marbles aud run away as fast as
,hey could. One little fellow, 10. having
sccn him as soon as the rest, before he
could succeed in gathering up his mar
HES. the minister had come to him and
pl,ced his hvnd on his shoulder. They
we're face to face, the minister OF God
and the poor lit,Ie ragged boy, who had
been caush, in the act Of playing marbles
on Sunday morning, And how did the
minister deal with the boy? That is
wha, want you to notice.
He mirht have said to him, "Wlat ale
you doing there? You are breaking the
Sabbath. Don't you deserve to be pun
ished?
.Bu, he did nothing of the kind. He
simply said, "lIave you found all your
marbles y
"No," said the boy, II haven't
"Then," said the minister, I'll help
you" Whereupon he stopped down.
and began to look for the marbles; aud
,s h, did so he remarked, II liked to play
marbles when was little boy very much,
and | Thick l can beat you, but he,
added, 81 never played marbles on Sum
day."
The little boys attention was now ar.
rested. He liked his friends face, and
began to wonder who he was. The min.
lister said :
"I'm going to a place where l think
YOU would like to be; will you come with
me?"
Said the boy, "Where do you live p
"In such a place" was the answer.
"Nhy, that's the minister's house ]!
exclaimed the boy, as if he did not sup
pose that kind man and minister o.
the Gospel could be the same person.
"Yes," SAID the man. 81 am the min
lister myself; and if you'll come with mi
think l can do you some good"
Said the boy, My hands are dirty,
can't go"
But" said the minister, "here's
pump-why not wssh theuy
Said the boy, I'm 60 little that
can't wash and pump at the same time
"well," said the minister, IF ycu'
wash, III pump"
He at once &c, to work, and pumpe
spd pumred; the boy washed his hand
and face till they we're quite clean.
Said the boy, "My hands are wringin
vet. and don't know how to dry 'em.
The minister pulled out clean hand
kerchicf, aud offered it to the boy.
Said the boy, "But it is clean p
"Yes," was the reply, "But it wa
made to be dirtied."
The boy dried his hands and face wit
the handkerchief, and then accompanie
the minister to the door of the Suuda
school.
Twenty years after. the minister We
walking in street "f large city, whe
. tall man tapped him on the shoulde
and, looking into his face, said, "Yo
don't remember me?
"No," said the minister, II don't"
"po you remember, twenty years az
finding a little boy playing marble
round q pump? Do you remember th'
boys being too dirty to 60 to school, an
pumping for him, aud speaking kindly
him, and taking him to school? ?"
"Oh p said tho minister, l do remeu
Ser." q.
"Sir," said the gentleman, II was tn
boy. rose in business and became
leading man. have attained . positi'
in society, and on seeing you to-day
the street l felt bound to como to 20
and soy that it Ia TO your kindness o.
wisdom and Christian discretion
your having dealt With me persuasively
that I owe, under God, all that have
tanned and what am at the present day
3. 8. Workman.
Q-.>A..:.. o.n,a nnf3oo Il ranasallu 4