In the wake of a disastrous prairie fire which destroyed several homesteads, a relief party set out to see what help they could give.
Riding on horseback through the smoldering remains of a barnyard one of the party observed a burnt hen still sitting upright on the ground. Curiosity led him to dismount and study the bird, which appeared to have been suddenly scorched to death where she sat.
Struck with the peculiar outstretched position of her blackened wings, he nudged the lifeless form with his foot, turning it over on its side. Instantly out ran several little chickens, unharmed and as active and lively as possible!
He at once saw that as the fire approached, the brave mother hen having called her little ones to the shelter of her wings, had secured them there from the burning heat while the flames devoured every other living thing.
Sitting firm as a rock in the face of the consuming blast she had saved the lives of her chicks, though losing her own.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."
Reader, as the Savior looks down upon you does He have to say: "I longed to welcome you to the shelter of My wounded side, and to freely give you the salvation which I gave my life to purchase for you, but you would not?"
Surely you cannot be content to let this be true, while there is offered to you such —
"A great salvation,
From a great destruction,
For a great sinner,
By a great God,
Through a great Savior,
At a great price,
For a great end."