“Mas’r Knows What’s de Bestest.”
When the great rain fell all over Virginia the first three days in October, 1870, in the unprecedented flood that followed, there was much distress in Richmond, and on all the river country. No such deluge had been known in the State for a hundred years. Scores of mills, and barns, and tenements, were swept away, a hundred lives were lost, and the property destroyed was estimated by millions. Men saw with anguish their homes invaded by the dark, rushing waters, and the lives of their families imperiled, but in a multitude of cases had no power to rescue or aid them. At Chesterfield below Richmond, lived Laundrum Nelson, a pious and well-to-do colored man. He had just erected a handsome dwelling, and furnished it in good style, for one of his race. The terrible flood robbed him of all his hard-earned comforts, and with unpitying fury surrounded and carried away his dwelling with all its contents. As it floated off he exclaimed in a tone of intense grief and resignation, “Well, dar! dat’s done gone! but de Lor’s will be done; Mas’r knows what’s de bestest.” As he stood gazing long and sorrowfully at the retreating building, the water began to creep up around him until himself and wife and children soon stood in the flood up to the knees. The piteous cries of his family brought him to realize the danger that threatened their persons, when snatching up three of the children, while his wife took the other two, they slowly and with difficulty waded to dry land. They had escaped the terror and danger, but were houseless and homeless. Life was left them—all else was gone. Yes, the Lord’s will be done. It is hard to say it, because we find our will so opposed to His own. Short-sighted and erring, we imagine this or that is for our good, and so we will to have it. He sees it is for our injury, and either withholds the coveted gift or plucks it from our grasp. Comforts, health, and homes disappear; we gaze wishfully upon the fading treasure, but One who knows best permits the earthly joy to forever depart. We seek Him and are saved at the loss of all things else. This perfect submission to the divine will is a hard task for mortals to learn. Nevertheless, Faith says, “God knows best.” And peace and calmness go with such resignation. The unfoldings of eternity will show how superior was the Master’s wisdom to that of his poor servants. Let us learn with Rutherford to build our nest on no earthly tree, lest the Lord cut it down.”—The Christian.