The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-10-25

der the kindly service that brougnt
the bestowment of the rich gift, and
the other selfishly withhold and thus
lose the favor of the visitor from
fairyland. With bated breath we
have paused in our reading at the
critical testing point and exclaimed:
"Oh, II they only knew that 1t was
rich and good fairy standing there
instead of that poor, helpless, needy
old mani" How we have just ached
to step into the story and tell the
secret before it was too late and the
opportunity of winning the fairy's
gift had been lost.
The fairy stories are not true, but
there are Bible stories which are
true and can equal any fairy story
in the charm of its plot and In the
unexpected and miraculous reward
of goodness. Take for instance the
story of Elijah, the prophet, and the
widow of Zarephath. In the time OF
sore famine the man of God visited
her and asked her to give to him
the last handful of meal in the bar
rel and the last drop of oil which she
had in the house. Day by day she
and her little son had watched the
scanty provisions grow less and less.
| The mothers heart was torn with
anguish as she saw her darling slow
ly starving to death. Each day the
cake she baked was smaller in size,
that the meal and oil might last the
longer. At last, with but enough left
for one more meal, she feels herself
! face to face with death, for she
knows not how more meal and more
oil can be obtained. But there is
enough meal and oil for the day and,
because of this, death is one day far
ther off. And while she is gathering
fuel with which to cook the last
meal, along comes this stranger from
another city, and asks for her all
And, inspired by the spirit of Cody
fear and unselfshness, she feeds
Elijah, when 10! the barrel of meal
continues to yield its daily supply
and the cruise of oil fails not during
all the long days of that terrible
famine.
Take the case Of Abraham, who be
sought the three strangers to rest
themselves in his tent after the jour
ney over the hot sands, while he pre-
pared for them bountiful repast
and discovered ere they had depart
ed that they were angelic visitors
with the message from God of sol
to be given in his old age. Take tn
story of Lot, who sat in his Off
cial capacity at the gate of Sodon
and saw the two strangers approach
ing in the eventide. Little did h,
:. think as he gave them shelter tina
night and became their protector
against the violence and iniquity o
that city that they would be reveale'
as angels in the morning. leading hin
to safety from the liquid fire tina
consumed the city.
Take Luke's account of that wal
to Emmaus. The two sorrow-strick
en- disciples plodding along the road
side communing together over shat
tered hopes. A stranger appears an
breaks into their conversation.
have often thought that if that inc
dent had occurred in this day of dt
nominational prejudice and religion
self-pride the stranger would hav
. been dismissed long before Emmau
! was reached, and the two unsuspect
! ing disciples would never have see
the Saviour's face. Perhaps the tw
, disciples were at first disappointe
r because the privacy Of their grief wa
violated, but with kindly patienc
, and forbearance they do not rebu
4 the stranger and are soon lost in til
!. soul-stirring conversation. Even afte
I the city was reached they might ha,
. lost the greatest blessing IL the no
. pitality Of their hearts had not gor
!. out to the stranger and they had NJ
: invited him in to dine. good man
!, excuses might have been given IL
: not extending such hospitality. The
q had been away from home and notl
;, ing was prepared for a meal, or prit
:, might have shut the door of hospita
:, ity so that the scantiness of the far
= ily larder might not become know
or a fretful housewife might ha'
;. exerted such an influence over tn,
= home as to make it risky busine
| LOT tile nuSUduu w uhN
! pectedly the guest to meal.
h There is nothing in Luke's stol
O to indicate that there was the lea
!: selfish motive on the part of the tv
4 disciples in inviting the stranger !
e They wanted to give him shelter al
food because he needed them. "AI
u they constrained him." And inasmu,
NJ as they did it unto this strange
Ia who was in need, behold! ere Il
< meal is concluded they discover tn
n the service has been rendered un
" Christ Himself. How it exalted the
e service! They will be among Il
10 number that will hear Christ, 81
n King, say in that last great da
v. "Inasmuch as We did it unto one
n the least of these, My brethren,
ID have done it unto Me-" Every sci
N ice rendered by the disciples of Chri
,e may be dignifed and exalted by t
lie thought that it is done to Chri
&c Himself, and the well where t
TO thirsty one is given to drink, the tab
10 where the stranger Is fed. the roc
I'd where the wanderer is sheltered, t
d, sick chamber and the prison cell m
10 be flooded by the light of the Chri