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Her
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"When
My father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." A year
ago, when I was in |
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There was,
in his church, a very pious and wealthy lady. Her husband was an infidel.
They lived in a large mansion with everything at their command that wealth could
give. They had an only daughter, a beautiful little girl. This mother had a
Bible that she used to always carry to meetings with her. Soon she took sick
and died. Before she died she called her little daughter to her bed and said:
"My child, I am going to leave you. "You will be alone now, with
only Jesus to help you, and I want to give you this Bible with my dying
blessing. It has been such a comfort and blessing to me all through my
life." |
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Some time
after, she carried her Bible to meeting. The Spirit of God arrested her
attention, and she was brought to the light and the happiness of the Gospel.
Her father heard her singing at home. His ire was aroused. He, in his heart,
hated God, and ministers, and Jesus, and the Bible, and religion. That night he
said; " My daughter, I heard you singing, perhaps you think you have
become a Christian." "Yes, papa; I am so happy; I think I have been
converted." I don't suppose he would have spoken an unkind word to that
child for anything but religion. "My child, " said he, "I hate
God, and I hate the Bible, and I will provide your needs, and money to give
you as good a home as your heart can wish; but, if you are going to have
religion you must leave your home. You can take your choice. Let me know tomorrow
morning whether you will give up religion or your home; one or the other you
must do." |
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She went
up into her chamber and knelt down and opened her Bible, and her eye rested
on the passage: "When your father and my mother forsake me, then the
Lord will take me up." In a moment, it seemed as if God helped her to a
decision. She said, "I will go with my Lord." She came down in the
morning. "Well, my daughter, what is the decision?" "Papa, I
love you, and I love my home, but I love Jesus more, and I have concluded to
go." He opened the door angrily. "There is the way." The
darling child dropped her head and went out, not knowing whither she was
going. |
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She walked
down the street some distance, and by and by inadvertently, turned in toward
the bushes. In a little space she found a log, and there she bowed in prayer
to God for that hardhearted infidel father. By and by seeing what he had
done, his heart began to relent. I have no doubt God was in it, for in His
Word He says, "...a little child shall lead them;" and He has a
great many ways for little children to lead them. He soon followed her. As he
passed down by the wood he heard the sweet voice of his daughter. He followed
it,. and found her praying. He stepped over the log, got down by her side put
his arm around her neck and kissed her in the midst of her prayer. That was
her |
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From:
2700-PLUS SERMON ILLUSTRATIONS By Duane V. Maxey |