Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-06-19
The Preacher at the Pump.

at e. We
MANY years ago certain minister was
going one Sunday morning to his school
room. He walked through number of
streets, and as he turned corner he saw
assembled around pump party of little
boys playing marbles. On seeing him APP
proach they began to pick up their mar
bles and run away as fast as they could
One little fellow not having seen him as
soon as the rest, before he could succeed
in gathering up his marbles the minister
had come to him and placed his hand
upon his shoulder. They were face to
little ragged boy who had been caught
And how did the minister deal with the
boy? That is what 1 wanted you to mo-
tice.
He might have said to him, ''What are
you doing there? You are breaking the
Sabbath. Don't you deserve to be pun
ished?"
But he did nothing of the kind. He
simply said, Have you found all your
marblesg"
"No," said the boy, 81 haven't"
"Then," said the minister, "Ill help
you" Whereupon he stopped down and
began to look for the marbles; and as he
did so he remarked, II liked to play mar.
bles when was little boy very much,
and think l can beat you; but" he
added, 81 never play marbles on Sunday"
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 place where l think you
would like to be; will you come with me? ?"
Said the boy, "Where do you live?"
ain such place." was the answer.
"Why, that's the minister's housed" ex-
| claimed the boy, as if he did not suppose
| that kind man and minister of the
| Gospel could be the same person.
"Yes," said the man, 81 am the minis.
ter myself; and if you'll come with me
think can do you some good"
Said the boy, "My hands are dirty,
can't 60"
But" said the minister, there's a
| pump; why not wash them?"
Said the boy, I'm SO little l can't wash
and pump at the same time"
"Well," said the minister eff you'll
wash, I'll pump"
He at once set to work and pumped and
pumped; and the boy washed his hands
and face till they were quite clean.
Said the boy, "My hands are wringing
wet and don't know how to dry 'em."
| The minister pulled out clean hand.
kerchief and offered it to the boy.
Said the boy, "But it is clean"
Eyes" was the reply, "but it was made
to be dirtied"
The boy dried his hands and face with
the handkerchief, and then accompanied
the minister to the door Of the Sunday.
| school
Twenty years after, the minister was
| walking in the street of a large city when
a tall man tapped him on the shoulder
and looking into his face, said, "You
don't remember me?" #
| No" said the minister, II DON'T
"Do you remember, twenty years ago
finding a little boy playing marbles near
a pump? DO you remember that boys
being too dirty to go to school, and pump
ing for him, and speaking kindly to him
and taking him to SCHOOL,"
| "Oh!' said the minister, II do remem
Der"
| "Sir," said the gentleman, al was tina
boy / rose in business and became 1
leading man. l have obtained a position
in society, and on seeing you to-day in thu
street felt bound to come to you, and say
that it is to your kindness and wisdom
and Christian discretion-to your having
dealt with me persuasively-tha owe
under God, all that have attained ant
| what am at the present day.-Sunddy
School Worker.