The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-04-24
Her Gift.

Her UlIIs
The minister's eyes swept with in
tense searching the apathetic faces
of his stylish, worldly congregation.
He had made an impassioned APP
peal for help in the support of lit
tie mission church among the noun
tains-a section where rough men
and women knew scarcely anything
of God and the religion of Christ.
He had hoped to inspire the people
with the spirit of giving, to make
them feel that it was a sweet, bless
ed privilege, and-he had failed. A
sense of deep desolation crept over
him.
GOD help me-" his lips murmured
mutely. He could not see the bent
figure of little crippled Maggie in
the rear of the church-a figure that
was trembling under the fire of his
appeal.
Lord Jesus" the little one was
saying, brokenly, II amt got moth
in ter give. want the people in
the mountains to hear bout my
Savior, o Lord amt got nothin'
ter"
What was it that made the child
catch her breath as though a cold
hand had taken hold of her heart?
Eyes, you have, Maggie, whispered
a voice from somewhere; you've
got your crutch, your beautiful
crutch that was give ter you, and is
worth lot of shinin' dollars. You
kin give up your best frien' what
helps you to git into the park where
the birds sing, and takes you to
preachin', and makes your life hap
py.n
80 no, Lord" sobbed the child,
choking and shivering. Eyes, yes,
[ will! He gave up more'n that for
me-"
Blindly she extended the polished
crutch, and placed it in the hands
Of the deacon who was taking up the
scanty collection. For a moment
the man was puzzled; then, compre-
bending her meaning, he carried her
crutch to the front of the church,
and laid it on the table in front OF
the old pulpit. The minister step
ped down from the rostrum, and
held up the crutch with shaking
hands. The sublimity of the renun-
citation unnerved him so that he
could not speak for a moment.
do you see it, my people, he
faltered at last; ''little crippled
Maggie's crutch-all that she has tt
make life comfortable? She ha:
given it to the Lord, and you"
There was a moment of silence
The people flushed and moved rest
lessly in their cushioned pews.
Does anyone want to contribute
to the Mission cause the amount o
money this crutch would bring, anC
give it back to the child who is 81
helpless without it?" the ministe
asked, gravely.
Fifty dollars" came in husk!
tones from the banker.
"Twenty-five."
zone hundred.
And so the subscribing went on
until papers equivalent to six hun
dred dollars were lightly piled owe
the crutch on the table.
"Ah! you have found your heart
thank God Let us receive tn
| D6n6ulCllDH, dlulOSG WulSpeISu vi
minister, as he suddenly eXtende,
his hands, which were trembling
with emotion. Little Maggie, alb
sorbed in the magnitude of her Offer
ing and the love that prompted il
comprehended nothing that ha
taken place. She had no though
for the future, of how she woul
reach her humble home, or of tn
days IN which she would sit help
less in her chair, as she had ono
done. Christ had demanded her al
and she had given it with the bin
faith of an Abraham. She under
stood no better when a woman
arm drew her into close embrace
and soft lips whispered in her cal
Maggie, dear, your crutch ha
/ made six hundred dollars for til
mission church among the mOur
tains, and has come back to sta
, with you again. Take it, little one.
Like a flash of light there cam
the consciousness that in some my'
: ferrous way her gift had bee
accepted of God and returned to he
= and with a cry of JOY the chill
} caught the beloved crutch to he
lonely heart; then, smiling throug
: her tears at the kind faces an
reverential eyes, she hobbled out {
the sanctuary.-Christian Observe