Thirty-first Day: Conclusion.
In the war of the Rebellion a little drummer boy was injured in
the battle. He was carried into the hospital, and one of the
soldiers near by heard the doctors say the case was fatal. Immediately
he said, "Doctor, if this is true, I must send word to his
mother, for I promised to look after this boy."
The letter went away to the North, and as soon as possible the mother came. The doctors met her at the hospital to say that she could not see her boy. He had fallen into a stupor, and if aroused would die in a paroxysm of pain; for he was then beyond all hope.
But you cannot bind up a mother's love with physician's rules, and so she said, "Doctor, if you will permit me to go in, I will not speak to him; but I should like to sit beside him as he dies." Permission was given her, and she took her place by his side. She kept her word and said nothing to her child; but, when she saw by the expression of his face that he was suffering, she leaned over and put her hand upon his brow.
There is something peculiar about the touch of a mother's hand, and the dying soldier boy felt it. His eyes did not open, but she saw his lips moving; and, bending over, she heard him saying over and over, "I knew you'd come; I knew you'd come." And this I say of our good Shepherd. O thou Shepherd of the sheep, in every hour of trial and time of disappointment and night of misunderstanding "I know that thou wilt come."
And he will.
Suggestions for To-day.
Say over and over the whole psalm, emphasizing the personal and
possessive pronouns as here given:—
PSALM 23.
David's confidence in God.
A Psalm of David.
1. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside
the still waters.
3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths
of righteousness for his name's sake.
4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth
over.
6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD forever.
THE END.
From The Secret of a Happy Day: Quiet Hour Meditations by J. Wilbur Chapman. Boston: United Society of Christian Endeavor, ©1899.
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