HAD you, on a particular evening last winter, been standing near a certain part of one of the great thoroughfares in the East End of London, you might have seen a man drive his pony and cart close up to the curb-stone, jump quickly out, and run across to a shop on the other side of the way. A few minutes later you would have seen him running with a big bunch of carrots, and would have noticed the pleasant smile on his face, as he threw the carrots into the pony-cart, saying, at the same time, “There’s ten pounds for you”—ten pounds of nice fresh carrots for his well-cared-for little pony, of which he was apparently very proud.
Perhaps the words were partly addressed to a young Christian who had been quietly observing what had taken place. At any rate, this young man replied with a suggestion that seemed to rather startle the pony’s master: “Suppose that, when you feed your pony with the carrots, he were to kick you!”
“He wouldn’t kick me,” said the man, emphatically.
“Why wouldn’t he kick you?”
“Why? Because he knows me.”
“But suppose now,” repeated the young Christian, who had an object in pressing the point, “suppose now, that, as you feed him, he did kick you, would not that be very bad of the pony, after you had been so kind to him, and fed him, and cared for him?”
“Why, yes, it would,” the man could not but admit.
Our young friend then spoke a few words about the kindness of God to us all, in giving us food and clothing, and many good things from day to day; and especially of that wonderful proof of His love, the giving of His own beloved Son to die for us. “But, “said he, “men are worse than your pony, and instead of being thankful for the kindness of God, they despise and turn away from His grace, and refuse to obey Him.” Do you do this, dear reader?
The man did not seem to have ever before thought of it like that. He said no more, but presently drove away, and was soon out of sight. Let us hope that he has since sought to learn more about God’s love, and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save even the chief of sinners, and that he is now a believer in the Son of God.
“O groundless deeps! O love beyond degree!
The Offended died to set the offender free!”
ML 10/09/1904