p. 1 | An Unconscious Sermon

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Dec 11, 1879

An Unconscious Sermon.

Mr. Harvy was riding slowly along the dusty road, looking in all directions for a stream or even a house where he might refresh his tired, thirsty horse with a good draught of water.

While he was thinking and wondering he turned an abrupt bend in the road and saw before him a comfortable-looking farm-house, and at the same time a boy ten or twelve years old came out into the road with a small pail and stood directly before him.

"What do you wish, my boy?" said Mr. Harvy, stopping his horse.

"Would your horse like a drink, sir?" said the boy, respectfully.

"Indeed he would, and I was wondering where I could obtain it."

Mr. Harvy thought little of it, supposing of course that the boy earned a few pennies in this manner, and therefore, he offered him a bit of silver, and was astonished to see him refuse it.

"I would like you to take it," he said, looking earnestly at the child, and observing for the first time that he limped slightly.

"Indeed, sir, I don't want it. It is little enough I can do for myself or any one: I am lame, and my back is bad, sir, and mother says no matter how small a favor may seem, if it is all we are capable of, God loves it as much as he does a very large favor, and this is the most I can do for others. You see, sir, the distance from Painesville is eight miles from this spot, and I happen to know there is no stream crossing the road, and so, sir, almost every one passing here from that place is sure to have a thirsty horse."

Mr. Harvy jogged off, pondering deeply upon the quaint little sermon that had been delivered. — Young Folks' Magazine.