HENRY Moorehouse, the English evangelist, who preached in the city of Chicago years ago, went home from a meeting one night feeling quite discouraged. There seemed to be no response from his listeners to his earnest gospel message. He only had half a dollar in his pocket — just enough for his train fare home.
Just as he was about to board the train he remembered Peggy, a little cripple girl, who lived in a basement nearby. She spent her days in bed and the sun never peeped into her cheerless room. On his way there Henry passed a store and saw a pretty little doll in the window. It was marked 50 cents. "Peggy would love to have that little doll," he thought, so he went in and bought it.
He knocked on the basement door and heard a child's voice say, "Come in!" So he entered.
"Oh, is it you, Mr. Moorehouse?" exclaimed the little cripple. "I'm so glad you came. Mother had to go out to work, and I haven't seen any one all day."
"I have brought you a little present," said Henry, and he gave her the doll.
Peggy's eyes opened wide with delight and her tears began to flow as lovingly she held the little doll in her arms. She had wanted a doll so badly and only that day she had made a rag doll of her own; now she had a real one.
Henry had to walk all the way home that night but there was joy in his heart. All his discouragement was gone; he thanked and praised the Lord as he walked along.
The Lord Jesus, though He was rich, came from heaven and walked the weary paths of earth making sorrowing hearts glad. No one was so poor as He, but He was never so poor as when He hung upon the Cross and died so that sinners such as we could have our sins forgiven and share His heavenly home! He gave all that He had — His life! He could not give more. 0 for hearts that will accept His great salvation and then go on through life thanking and praising Him for it!
I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!
He bled, He died to save me;
And not alone the gift of life,
But His own self He gave me.
Nought that I have my own I call,
I hold it for the Giver:
My heart, my strength, my life, my all,
Are His, and His forever!
Messages of the Love of God 11/2/1975