Gather the Crumbs by H. F. Phelps

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 25, 1873

“Gather the Crumbs.”

By H. F. Phelps

A WORD TO FAULT-FINDERS.

“WHEN a man thinks that nobody cares for him, that he is alone in a cold and selfish world, he would do well to ask himself what he has done to make anybody care for and love him. Generally those who complain most, are those who do the least.” Now if I were a fault-finder—of course the writer and the reader are honorable exceptions to this title, we claim no share in any reproof or advice that may be given to this class of people—if I did find fault, I say, I think I would stop for a moment, and see if I could not get into better business; for as long as I find fault, I am saying to others, I can find nothing else to do.

T. De Witt Talmage, says in the description of such a man, “He was always like a hedgehog with his quills always on end. If such persons should get into Heaven, they would fall out with St. Peter, would find fault with the music, and get mad because the walls were not plumb.” Such people should educate themselves “to look on the bright side. It depends very much how we look at things, as to whether they look bright or black.”

So now, Mr. Fault-finder—not myself—please find something else to do, that should you happen to make your exit from this world, it may not be all rejoicing, but that some one may be able to say, He did one good deed.

THISTLES IN A NEIGHBOR’S FIELD.

A farmer, discovering a thistle in his neighbor’s field, jumped over the fence, and cut it close to the ground. Being asked if that were his field, he replied, “Oh, no! Bad weeds do not care for fences; if I should leave that thistle to blossom in my neighbor’s field, I should soon have plenty in my own.”

Although selfishness is to be condemned, yet we may perhaps learn a lesson from the farmer, who looked at his own benefit rather than that of his neighbor. We should pluck up the weeds of sin wherever we find them, and sow the good seed of truth. And if we are only careful to pluck up the weeds, in the right spirit, and drop a good seed in its place, some, yes, many, of these seeds may spring up and bear fruit unto eternal life, and oh! how rich may be our harvest in the end.

A WORD TO PREACHERS.

A writer in the Methodist says, “Many preachers are not converted. In fact, they deny the old-fashioned gospel work of conversion, such as Paul felt, and Bunyan, and John Wesley, and Geo. Whitefield. Their hearts are not in the work. They hanker after the world. Their dress, their daily food, their novel-reading, their trifling conversation, all betray this. How can such preachers give life to a congregation? They have no holy fire themselves.”

Of course, I do not quote these words as applicable to any of our older preachers; but may I not say to those who with me are just entering upon this work, Let us be careful that none of the above remarks ever become applicable to us. Let us seek a fresh conversion. Let us have our heart in the work. Cease hungering for the world. Let worldly things come in as a thing of little importance. And as to novel-reading—I need hardly name it—and trifling conversation, let them be forever abandoned. Get the fire of truth into our very beings, and let it burn all the dross. “Be ye holy that bear the vessels of the Lord.”

Let us throw our whole effort into the work of saving souls. Let us make a success of this work, or die in the attempt, not cling to our business, till we find whether we can make a success of that or not; for if I am not mistaken, this will be a hindrance. But first being sure that God has a work for us, then give all, and as Baxter said,

“I’ll preach as though I ne’er should preach again, And as a dying man to dying men.”

If we throw our whole souls into the work, will God fail to bless? I think not. May the Lord give me more grace, wisdom, humility, and love for perishing souls, and save some if possible, through so weak an instrument.

H. F. PHELPS.