The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-08-26
Unfinished Pict,,res

"SSoii uoWn TO rest ana
as l ciosed my eyes my mind wa,
oered back to the words had hsar au'
reading in the Bible few morno's ysa
before, about the great reaner
remembered also, the process ~
hning silver, how the metal woo "
sidered unfinished until IL reaoc.a, ceu
the refiner's image. A'''eo
Thus thinking. | fell asleen a.,
was led into "dreamlaud," wbsra SuJ
thought myself in a studio. 7 IonS.i
around, wondering, for 1t did NJ.
seem like anything had ever ,aDV uN
before. There were many esso,.
standing about, holding unRn,sSas
pictures; and pieces of canvas wi,s
simple outlines, were resting s.o,..a Nun
the wall on all sides of the room in,,
leaving corner, where an old man
with silvery hair and softened 70.
lures sat slowly painting. In tsr
moments / noticed that he stonnes
and put aside his brush and palet,s
when only the very last touch seemsd
wanting to complete his labor
l was puzzled with the scene hs.
fore me; and, eager to have II sy.
planned, / said: "Sir. will Won tsIl
me why there are so many picture,
diminished, and what all these ont.
lines are for?"
He replied, 81 am the artist Of tbs
King of kings, and He bids me main,
the pictures of His children. | can
only paint them as they grow llks
Him in their character, and, alas! h
is very slow work. Sometimes thers
are years In which l cannot touch
picture already begun, for the char.
acters do not grow, they are ever
asleep. Others grow quite raDidy
and suddenly stop, as If they wers
wearied, and so the pictures must re.
main as / left them. The outnn
that you see are those who bear our
Lords name, but have never shown
any likeness to Him, and | am watch.
ing each day, hoping to fill them in"
l thought to myself, is there a
picture here for me, or am one Of
those simple outlines? but | will ask
for | ought to know where | stand
So trembling, said;"Is there any
thing here for me?"
The artist moved to a corner had
not noticed, and drew from 1t pie
ture just commenced There was
something more than an outline, and
there were touches that looked quite
fresh, as IL they had been put on late.
ly. / looked at it with eyes scarce
able to distinguish, they were so full
of tears, as l saw how little was
painted; and yet. hardly expecting
anything, l was glad and grateful.
The old man seemed touched BY
my emotion and said to me, "YOl
have been growing more this last
year; you have been working i0
Others as our Lord commanded
Many times you have not pleased
and we are told in holy
Scripture that that was part of our
Saviour's life; for He pleased not
Take courage! and let me
paint diligently. When you become
like unto Him. the picture will be
done"
Then I understood why there
were so many unfinished PORTALS
in this quaint old studio. and WIZ
the dear, gray-haired artist stopped
just as his work seemed completed
1t was because our Lords disciple;
stopped In the way of their duty
And with these thoughts l awOEs
from my strange dream.
But | felt as IL l had looked BE-
yond the veil. The studio and 10
pictures and bare out
lines. were all plain before me; the
gentle face and touching tones OIL
the artist were with me, too, all were
stamped on my memory The par.
tial picture of myself | felt | could
never forget, and yet l was humbI
thankful that II was not simple
outline. 1t had begun to be some
thing.
Let us not be content rntil we are
full pictures of Him who paints our
lives" Let us not be wear
and pause in our duty. but. with HIS
grace, go steadily. lovingly on until
he last touch is added to the can.
vas, when it will leave the studio OIL
earth for the walls of Heaven
lions Watchman.