The Parable of the Balky Horse
By G. B. Thompson
"FORTY-SECOND STREET in New York City is one of the busiest streets in the world. Street-cars, wagons, taxicabs, carriages, run east and west in almost continuous streams, two or three abreast each way. "The other day for a quarter of an hour traffic was blocked there at the most congested time. As far as I could see each way from Fifth Avenue, the street was filled with what seemed a hopeless tangle of vehicles. Drivers were calling to one another; impatient heads were leaning out of carriage doors; mail-wagons hurrying to the trains were held up; policemen were trying to keep the north and south avenue crossings open, but with poor success. A multitude4of interests was involved, and there is no guessing what harm was done. Yet it all came about very simply. "It happened that the street was being torn up for some repairs on the subway, and at one point the passage had been narrowed to the two car-tracks for a space of perhaps twenty feet. At just that point a horse had balked, and in his stubbornness had pulled the wagon and himself across both tracks. Then he would not budge. "He was a fine big fellow drawing a wagon so light that, when the men finally unhooked him, one of them easily pulled the wagon away, while others forced the horse out of the way, and traffic was resumed. There was no heavy load; there was no overworked horse. There was just a stubborn animal, which had decided not to pull his load out of the way, and so had blocked the way of scores of other horses and hundreds of people." A parable truly, from which a lesson can be drawn. There are not only balky horses, but balky people as well. The world is filled with balkers. Some of these find their way into the church and into the Sabbath-school. A person who balks is worse than a quitter. A quitter simply stops, gives up the job, gets out of the way, and allows some one else to do something. But one who balks, like the proverbial "dog in the manger," neither moves on nor allows any one else to do so. He is an obstructionist; the whole procession must stop until he can be unhitched, or coaxed to go on. There are churches where everything runs well for a time. Progress is seen in every line. Spirituality is deepening, the youth are giving their hearts to God, and the missionary work is inspiring. Visiting them again, we see a change in some. There is nothing being done. Stagnation is everywhere. Inquiring into the reason, we find that somebody who was pretending to lead balked. Something did not go to suit him. Some plans were suggested that did not please him; they were not the thing according to his notions; he saw no light in them. So he balked, and thus stopped the whole procession. He blocks the way, refusing to move or to allow others to move. His stubbornness he seeks to excuse by saying that he is one who does his own thinking. And the spiritual dry-rot continues. There are Sabbath-schools that once flourished like a tree planted by a river. Their fruit is abundant. There are many such schools, where the children and youth are giving their hearts to God. They are progressive in every good work. The best methods are adopted; new ideas are sought for and put into practise. Plans which are recommended after prayerful and mature deliberation by those of experience, are used in the school. Everything seems to be flourishing, and it is a spiritual refreshing to visit such a school. We go again, and there seems to be a change in some. We see a form, but little life. The routine is dry. Everything is mechanical. It seems as if the wheel of time had turned backward twenty years, or more, in its work. The methods are not up to date. There is nothing inspiring. The youth and children look as if they would be glad when the form is over. Others look bored. On searching out the cause of this decline, we find a new leader arose who saw no need of new methods and advanced ideas. The way they used to do was good enough for him. He saw no need of making strong efforts to train teachers who have to deal with human souls and render an account at the tribunal of God; or of teachers' meeting, or revival services in a Sabbath-school. The plans for awakening the missionary spirit among both old and young, and raising funds to advance the work, though successful in other schools, did not appeal to him. So he balked. Nobody can get past him, so the procession of burden-bearers must needs stop. There is friction and confusion, and things are in a tangle. It made no difference if all these plans had been tested, and were recommended by those of long and successful experience, and had the approval of the church as a body. He preferred to balk and stay where he was, and prevent the others from going on. Others when placed in a responsible position where some hard pulling is needed, do well for a time. But after a while the load gets heavy, the way is somewhat hedged up, and it is hard to keep from stalling in some rut. After tugging at the load for a while, they grow weary. To go on means to lift, sweat, and hang on. Being tired, they cease pulling and balk. So things must come to a standstill until they can be dispensed with, and some one else found who is willing to bear burdens for the Lord, and pull when something must be moved. And so we could go on ad infinitum. Moral: Don't balk, but pull. "When the cross seems hard to carry,
Lift! brother, lift!
O'er the burden never tarry,
Lift! brother, lift!"