PEN PICTURES by William P. Pearce

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 27, 1900

PEN PICTURES.

By William P. Pearce

WILLIAM P. PEARCE.

“ARE not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12: 6, 7. Last summer, while crossing the lawn that lies between the parsonage and the church of which I am pastor, my attention was attracted by a fluttering sparrow near the top of the church roof. One glance revealed the fact that the little bird was hanging by the neck. Some time before, a knot in the board had fallen out, and the sparrow, prospecting for a new home, or chasing some fly, had thrust its head into this hole, and was unable to draw it out again. My sympathies were quickly aroused. No ladder would reach; the roof was too steep to climb; and no assistance could be given. I called a gardener who was working near by, and we tied several poles together; but the length caused them to bend, and, in utter despair, we were forced to cease our efforts for the sparrow's salvation. My neighbor laughed. “‘Tis only a sparrow,” said he. “It would be a good thing if all of them could be hung.” Would it? Let such an experiment be tried, and how our trees would suffer!

Well, one hour passed, then two, then four, then five, and still at intervals the poor bird fluttered, bringing about it other sparrows who seemed bent on its rescue. At last, after six hours of struggling, with a circle of blood around that hole, it died. That afternoon I had to conduct a child's funeral. This incident was opportune. The lesson of God's attention and love comforted the bereaved; and will it not comfort us?

Think of Father's word, Father's care, Father's disapproval of those who slaughter the innocents—“our little brothers of the air.” Is it not a shame that, besides the slaughter of the common birds, twenty-five million of the beautiful kind are sacrificed to supply personal adornment? In God's name, I protest. For their Creator's sake let us all protest, thanking God for the lesson that, in spite of the sparrows' cheapness, and their awful destruction, not one escapeth the eye of His Majesty; and that we, who are worth many sparrows, are not forgotten nor neglected by him. Well can we sing, with Isaac Watts,—

“Within thy circling power I stand; On every side I find thy hand; Awake, asleep, at home, abroad, I am surrounded still with God.”