The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1910, Page 70

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40 The Lutheran Pioneer.

Blind Robert.

One day, writes a city missionary, I met a little
boy in the street who was going along very slowly,
feeling his way by the houses and the fences. I pitied
the poor blind boy. So I stopped to talk with him.
He told me that his name was Robert, that his
father was sick at home, and that his mother had
to take in washing and had to work very hard to
get a living. All the other children had some kind
of work to do; but as he could not see to work,
he was sent after clothes for his mother to wash.
I asked him if he did not feel bad because he was
blind. He looked very thoughtful and solemn for
a moment, then he smiled and said, “Sometimes I
think it hard to have to creep about so; sometimes
I want to look at the sun that warms me, at the
sweet birds that sing for me, at the flowers that feel
so soft when I touch them, and at the face of dear
father and mother that love me and care for me.
But God made me blind, and I know that it is
best for me; and I am glad that He gave me a
good mother, and a Christian school to go to, in-
stead of making me one of the heathen children
that pray to snakes and idols.”

“But, Robert, if you could see, you could help
your mother more,” I said, without thinking, and
was sorry as soon as I said it; for the little boy’s
smile went right away, and tears filled his blind
eyes, and ran down his pale cheeks.

“Yes,” he said, “I often tell mother so; but
she says that I help her a great deal now, and that
she wouldn’t spare me for the world; and father
says I’m the best nurse he ever had, if I am blind.”

“T am sure you are a good boy, Robert,” I an-
swered quickly.

“No, sir,” he said, “I am not good, but have a
very wicked heart from which come wicked thoughts ;
and if it wasn’t for the Savior, I don’t know what
I would do.”

“And how does the Savior help you?”

“Oh, sir, I trust in Him, and He gives me rest
and makes me strong and patient in all trouble.
It makes me glad to think that I shall see Him
in heaven. I daily pray to Him.”

“Well, Robert, that is right; and so you expect
to see in heaven?”

“OQ yes, sir. In heaven all blindness will be
gone. I heard father reading in the Bible the other
day, where it tells about heaven, and it said there
is ‘no night there.’ But here it is night to blind
people all the time. Oh, sir, when I feel bad be-

cause I cannot see, I think about heaven, and it
comforts me.”

I now saw that Robert began to be uneasy, and
wanted to go on. So I gave him some money, tell-
ing him to buy something for his sick father. Again
the tears filled his blind eyes.

“Oh, sir,” he said, “you are too good! 1 was
just wishing I could buy something for poor sick
papa. He has no appetite, and we have nothing in
the house but potatoes. He tries to eat them and
never complains; but if I could only get a chicken
for him, it would make him better —I know it
would; but I don’t want you to give me the money;
ean’t I work for you and earn it?”

I made him take the money, and then watched
him to see what he would do. He went as fast as
he could for the clothes; then he bought a chicken,
then a stale loaf of bread, and felt his way home,
trembling all over with delight. I followed him,
without his knowing it. He went to a little old-
looking house which seemed to have but one room.
When he came to his father’s bed, he showed him
the chicken and the bread, saying, “See, father, see
what God has sent you!” He then told about my
meeting him, and giving him the money, and added,
“T am sure, father, that God put it into the kind
man’s heart; for God sees your need and cares
for us.”

As I turned away from the blind boy’s home,
I thought how comforting it is to trust in God as
poor Robert did. Would you be so contented and
happy, if you were as poor as he was, and blind
too? Let us be thankful to God for all His mercies
and goodness; and let us not lose our trust in Him
in days of sorrow and afiliction.

The Devil’s Aim.

The devil’s aim is to keep men from believing
God’s Word and being saved. To this end he also
snatches away the seed of the Word from the hearts
of many hearers, as Christ says: “Those by the
wayside are they that hear; then cometh the devil
and taketh away the Word out of their hearts, lest
they should believe and be saved,” Luke 8,12. And
remember, the devil does not let the grass grow
under his feet; he comes as soon as the seed is
sown. We must therefore at all times be on our
guard and pray God to break and hinder the devil’s
evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow
God’s name nor let His kingdom come.

- ee, ET a PL