The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-13
THE CoBLER's VISION.

A quaint legend is current in Russia.
1t relates to a man known in his town
as "Martin the Cobbler." -
Martin was unlearned, but very
pious man. who thought and prayed
much as he sat at his bench day by
day mendiug his neighbors' shoes.
From the time that the story Of Jesus
entered his heart no other subject oc-
cupied his thoughts. He dwelt upon
it continually and forgot the hardship
Of his lot in anticipating the joy of see
ing His Lord in heaven. That be-
came his idea of heaven-a place where
he would see his Lord face to face. AS
lie thought of it the dark basement in
which he worked seemed less dismal.
Yet it was dismal place. The only
light that entered it came from slip
of glass in the wall close to the cell
ing which was but few inches above
the level of the pavement outside.
Every passer-by interrupted the light
though Martin from his bench could
not see more of them than the feet.
His spiritual life was very inward
one. He seldom spoke of religion to
the neighbors who came to bring him
work. They would not have under
stood him and probably would have
ridiculed MIN. Martin therefore was
self.contained, Living in his own
thoughts and doing nothing to dissem-'
mate the light he had. His reli-
gion consequently was not an active,
but meditative one.
One night his thoughts were dwell
ing as usual on that glorious hope up
TO the time of his throwing himself on
his poor bed for q nights rest. He
fell asleep and dreamed that an angel
stood beside his bed and told him that
his desire to see his Lord was to be
gratified. Jesus Himself would visit
his humble abode on the morrow. The
vision was so impressive that Martin
had no doubt OF its reality. He awoke
early full of the thought that Jesus
was to see him that day. He prepared
his breakfast and sat down to his meal.
AS he did so he noticed q pair of feet
passing the window which must, he
was sure, belong to some one who was
very tired. They were scarcely lifted,
but were dragged along wearily. Mar
ing, and he rose from his breakfast
determined to make one heart glad
beside his own, at any rate. The feet
he had seen belonged to poor, home
less woman who had wandered around
all night and was tired ard hungry.
Martin took her down into his base
ment, shared his breakfast with her
and let her rest awhile. He set to
work, wondering when the Lord
would come. The time must be get
ting near. AS he sat down to his mid
day meal he saw through his window
two shambling feet as weary of step as
the woman's had been and when he
went up he found an old man who
had tasted no food that day. Martin
led him down and fed him in the
sumed bis. work and labored till sunset.
The Lord had not come. He waited
nutil it was.quite dark and then went to
bed sad and disappointed.
In his sleep he saw again the face OF
the man and woman whom he had fed
that day. They stood one on each
side of his bed, their forms clad in the
poor ragged garments just as he had
seen them in the day time. AS he
looked from one to the other wonder
ingly, their faces seemed to light up,
their garments grew luminous and
they appeared even brighter than the
angel he had seen the night before.
Martini" they said, "didst thou
know me? I was hungry and thou
didst feed me. Inasmuch as thou
didst it unto the least of these, thou
didst it unto ome."-Selected. o.