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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/19990-h.zip b/19990-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fd2e024 --- /dev/null +++ b/19990-h.zip diff --git a/19990-h/19990-h.htm b/19990-h/19990-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b70bd2c --- /dev/null +++ b/19990-h/19990-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6128 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Little Abe, or, The Bishop of Berry Brow, by F. Jewell +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: medium; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {font-size: small ; + margin-left: 15% ; + margin-right: 15% } + +P.footnote {font-size: small ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +P.index {font-size: small ; + text-indent: -5% ; + margin-left: 5% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +P.intro {font-size: medium ; + text-indent: -5% ; + margin-left: 5% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.dedication {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 15%; + text-align: justify } + +P.published {font-size: small ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 15% } + +p.quote {font-size: small ; + text-indent: 4% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.report {font-size: small ; + text-indent: 4% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.report2 {font-size: small ; + text-indent: 4% ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.finis { text-align: center } + + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Abe, by F. Jewell + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Little Abe + Or, The Bishop of Berry Brow + +Author: F. Jewell + +Release Date: December 2, 2006 [EBook #19990] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE ABE *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + +</pre> + + +<A NAME="img-front"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-front.jpg" ALT="Abraham Lockwood." BORDER="2" WIDTH="379" HEIGHT="527"> +<H3> +[Frontispiece: Abraham Lockwood.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +LITTLE ABE; +</H1> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +OR, +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +<I>THE BISHOP OF BERRY BROW</I>. +</H2> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +BEING THE LIFE OF +</H4> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ABRAHAM LOCKWOOD, +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +<I>A Quaint and Popular Yorkshire Local Preacher<BR> +in the Methodist New Connexion.</I><BR> +</H4> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +BY +</H4> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +F. JEWELL. +</H3> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +TWENTY-SECOND THOUSAND. +</H4> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +London: +<BR> +PUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETOR, +<BR> +ROBERT CULLEY, +<BR> +25-35 CITY ROAD, AND 26 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Abraham Pilling, Esq., +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +ASTLEY BRIDGE, +<BR> +BOLTON, +<BR> +I DEDICATE TO YOU THIS RECORD OF THE +<BR> +LIFE AND LABOURS OF ONE WHOSE WORTH YOU KNEW +<BR> +AND APPRECIATED, AS A +<BR> +MARK OF ESTEEM FOR YOUR ZEALOUS EXERTIONS +<BR> +TO +<BR> +ADVANCE THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +PREFACE. +</H3> + +<P> +I desire to express my thanks to all those friends who have kindly +assisted me in collecting materials for these pages; and I am +especially indebted to my friends the Rev. T. D. Crothers and the Rev. +W. J. Townsend for the cheerful services they have rendered me in +preparing the little work for printing. +</P> + +<P> +Whilst trying to give a faithful account of the life and character of +Abraham Lockwood, I have done my best to make the narrative both +readable and profitable; but I am sensible that there are many faults +in the volume. Such as it is, however, I humbly offer it to the +public, with the earnest prayer that it may prove a blessing to many. +<BR><BR> +F. JEWELL. +<BR><BR> +BETHEL VILLA, +<BR> +HULL, 1880. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS. +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER I. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap01"> +BIRTH AND PARENTAGE +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER II. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap02"> +EARLY INCIDENTS +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER III. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap03"> +HIS CONVERSION +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IV. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap04"> +ABE A NEW CHARACTER IN THE VILLAGE +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER V. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap05"> +IN MEMBERSHIP WITH THE CHURCH +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VI. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap06"> +"FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE" +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VII. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap07"> +WIND AND TIDE AGAINST +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VIII. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap08"> +THE CLOUDS BEGIN TO BREAK +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IX. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap09"> +SALEM CHAPEL +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER X. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap10"> +ABE BECOMES A LOCAL PREACHER +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XI. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap11"> +IN PRACTICE +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XII. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap12"> +"BUTTERFLY PREACHERS" +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIII. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap13"> +VARIOUS WAYS OUT OF DIFFICULTIES +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIV. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap14"> +ABE'S TITLES AND TROUBLES +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XV. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap15"> +A BASKET OF FRAGMENTS +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVI. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap16"> +"I AM A WONDER UNTO MANY" +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVII. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap17"> +ABE AS A CLASS LEADER +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVIII. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap18"> +"WORKING OVERTIME" +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIX +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap19"> +METHODIST LOVEFEAST +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XX. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap20"> +PATIENT IN TRIBULATION +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXI. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap21"> +"THE LIBERAL DEVISETH LIBERAL THINGS" +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXII. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap22"> +USED UP +</A> +</H4> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXIII. +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#chap23"> +"BETTER IS THE END OF A THING THAN THE BEGINNING" +</A> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER I. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Birth and Parentage. +</H3> + + +<P> +Abraham Lockwood was born on the 3rd November, 1792. His birthplace, +also called Lockwood, is situated about a mile and half out of +Huddersfield. +</P> + +<P> +It makes no pretensions to importance in any way. The only public +building which it boasts, is the Mechanics' Institute, a structure of +moderate size, yet substantially built. Its one main street is lined +with some very excellent shops, some of whose owners, report says, have +made a nice little competency there. It still boasts a toll-bar of its +own, which is guarded on either side by two white wooden posts, that +take the liberty of preventing all cattle, horses, and asses from +evading the gate, and of unceremoniously squeezing into the narrowest +limits every person who prefers pavement to the highroad. Lockwood is +also important enough to receive the attention of two or three 'buses +which ply to and fro between there and Huddersfield, as well as to have +the honour of a railway station on the L. and Y. line. Of course years +ago, when Abraham Lockwood was brought into the world, this locality +was not so attractive as it now is; only a few cottages straggled along +the level or up the hill towards Berry Brow, mostly inhabited by +weavers and others employed in the cloth manufacture of the +neighbourhood. Among these humble cottages there stood, on what is +known as the Scarr, one even more unpretentious than the rest: it +boasted only one story and two or three rooms in all; it was what Abe +used to call a "one-decker." +</P> + +<P> +In this little hut dwelt the parents of Abe Lockwood; the fact of their +residing in such a humble home, shows sufficiently that they were poor, +perhaps poorer than their neighbours. However, in that same +single-storied cot in Lockwood, Abe Lockwood was born, a Lockwoodite by +double right, and though age has seriously told upon its appearance, it +stands to this day. We sometimes see little old men living on, and +year by year growing less and less, until we begin to speculate about +the probable time it will require at their rate of diminution for +nothing to remain of them; and the same may be said of the little old +house in which Abe Lockwood was born; it was always little, but as +years have slowly added to its age, it has gradually begun to look +less, and now, as other houses of larger size and more improved style +have sprung up all around the neighbourhood, it has shrunk into the +most diminutive little hut that can well be imagined as a dwelling +house, and it only requires time enough for it to be gone altogether.[1] +</P> + +<P> +Abe's parents were a poor but honest pair, and laboured hard to make +ends meet. William Lockwood, his father, was a cloth-dresser, and +worked on Almondbury common, about a mile from his home, earning but a +scanty living for the family. In those days, when machinery was almost +unknown in the manufacture and finish of cloth, the men had to work +harder and longer and earned much less than now. Those were the times +when hard-working men thought that the introduction of machinery into +cloth mills would take all the work out of their hands, and all the +bread out of their mouths; and this was the very locality where the +greatest hostility was shown by the people to such innovations. Many a +threatened outbreak was heard of about that time, and in two or three +instances the smouldering fire in the men's minds actually burst forth +into riot and rising, when they found that the great masters were +determined to have their own way and introduce machinery into their +mills. Abe himself was led, some years after, to take part in one of +these risings, and narrowly escaped the hands of the law, while several +others were lodged for some time in York jail in recognition of the +part they had taken in the riots. +</P> + +<P> +Abe's father was a quiet, moral-living man, whose chief aim for many +years seemed to be to provide for his own household; but in after times +his thoughts were drawn to things higher as well, and he became a +God-fearing man; yet during Abe's early life, the most that can be said +for his father is that he was an honest, hard-working, and +well-disposed man. +</P> + +<P> +His mother was a good Christian woman, and was for a long time a member +with the Methodists in Huddersfield, and attended the old chapel which +formerly stood on Chapel Hill. There is no doubt that the early +teaching of his kind and pious mother had a great deal to do with the +formation of Abe's Christian character in after years. Certainly a +long time elapsed before there was any sign of spiritual life in her +son; indeed, she was called away to her eternal rest before there was +any indication of good in his heart; what matters that? the good seed +was there; it would bide its time and then grow all the stronger. +Sometimes people conclude that because there is not immediate growth +there is no life; this does not follow; the grain may slumber for +years, then wake up and grow rapidly. I on one occasion saved some +orange pippins, dried and planted them with the hope that they might +grow; as time went on, I watered and watched them, but there was no +indication of growth; months went by: I lost heart, gave over watering, +threw the plant-pot in which they were sown out of doors; a year was +gone by and more, when one day my eye fell on this same pot all covered +with green growth. "Hey! what's this?" why, positively, they are young +orange plants, standing up hardy and healthy, protesting against my +want of faith and patience. It is often the same with the growth of +other seed in the human breast; when parents have waited long in vain, +their faith grows gradually less and less, until it dies out in +despair; but the good seed may not die, it is sleeping, it lives its +winter life, and then under the tender and genial touch of some +spring-like influences it begins to grow. "Be not afraid, only +believe," said the Master of the vineyard. +</P> + +<P> +Why the young baby that had come to reside in that little cot should +have the honourable name of Abraham may be a subject of question by +some. It evidently was not to perpetuate his father's name, though +from the beginning of generations this has been a sufficient argument +for calling son after father; on that ground John Baptist had a narrow +escape from being called Zacharias. That however could not influence +the decision in Abraham Lockwood's case, because his father's name was +William. Perhaps it was that the child indicated a patriarchal spirit, +and conducted himself like a <I>stranger in a strange land</I>, in which +case there might be a suggestion of that name. Perhaps it was a piece +of parental forethought, for knowing well that they could never confer +riches upon him, or place him in a position to make them himself, they +determined to do that for him, which everyone must say is far better, +they would see to it that he had a <I>good name</I> among men, and so they +called him Abraham. This ancient and venerable name, however, soon +underwent a transformation, and appeared in the undignified form of +"Abe." The alteration at least exhibited a mark of economy, even if it +involved the sacrifice of good taste; there certainly was a saving of +time in saying "Abe" instead of "Abraham," which is very important when +things have to be done in a hurry; and then it may be that to some ears +it would sound more musical and familiar than the full-length +designation. Howbeit, there always seemed a strange contrariness +between Abe and his name. When he was a baby they called him by the +antiquated name of "Abraham." As he grew older and bigger, they +shortened his name to "Abe," and when he was a full-grown man, and +father of a family, he was commonly known as "Little Abe." The name +and the bearer seemed to have started to run a circle in contrary +directions, till they met exactly at the opposite point in old age, +when for the first time there was seen the fitness between the man and +his name, and he was respectfully called "Abraham Lockwood." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[1] Since the above was written, this little cottage has been removed +to afford room for a larger building. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER II. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Early Incidents. +</H3> + + +<P> +Nothing particular is reported of his early life in that little home; +there are no accounts of any hair-breadth escapes from being run over +by cart-wheels, or of his being nearly burnt to death while playing +with the kitchen fire, or of his straying away from home and taking to +the adjacent woods, and the whole neighbourhood being out in quest of +him, or that he even, during this interesting period of his history, +either fell headlong into a coal-pit, or wandered out of his depth in +the canal near by; there is, however, every probability, considering +his lively disposition, that his mother had her time pretty well +occupied in keeping him within bounds. +</P> + +<P> +On reaching the notable age of six years, a very important change came +over the even course of his young life. His parents sent him to work +in a coal-pit; people in these days will scarcely credit such a thing, +but it is nevertheless true; nor was this an extraordinary case, for +children of poor parents were commonly sent to work in the pits at that +early age, when Abe was a child. The work which they did was not +difficult; perhaps it might be the opening or shutting of a door in one +of the drifts; but whatever it was our hearts revolt at the idea of +sending a child of such tender years into a coal mine, and thanks to +the advance of civilization, and an improved legislation on these +things, such an enormity would not now be permitted. +</P> + +<P> +In some dark corner of that deep mine poor little Abe was found day by +day doing the work assigned to him, and earning a trifle of wages which +helped to keep bread in the little home at Lockwood Scarr. He went out +early in the morning, and came home late at night, with the men who +wrought in the same pit, his little hands and feet often benumbed with +cold and wet, and he so tired with his toils that many a time his poor +mother has had to lift him out of bed of a morning, and put his little +grimy suit of clothes on him, and send him off with the rest almost +before the child was awake. Many a time he was so weary on coming out +of the pit that he has not been able to drag himself along home, and +some kind collier seeing his tears has lifted him on his shoulder and +carried him, while he has slept there as soundly as if on a bed of down. +</P> + +<P> +Some few years passed on, during which time Abe continued to work in +the coal pit with but little change, except that as he grew older and +stronger he was put to other work, and earned a better wage. His +parents, however, were not satisfied that their son should live and die +a collier, they thought him capable of something else; besides that, +there were always the dangers associated with that calling in which so +many were maimed or killed. They therefore determined that their son +should be a mechanic, and learn to earn his bread above ground. After +a while they found a master who was willing to take him into his employ +and teach him his handicraft. It was customary in those days for a +master to take the apprentice to live with him in his house, and find +him in food and clothes. So Abe was given over to his new master, with +the hope that he would do well for him, and the boy would turn out a +good servant. +</P> + +<P> +Now it is quite possible all this was done by the kind parents without +consulting Abe's mind on the subject, which certainly had a good deal +to do with the realization of their hopes, more perhaps than they +thought; however they soon discovered it, for in a day or two Abe +returned home with the information that he didn't like it, and should +not be bound to any man. It was a sad disappointment to the honest +pair, who had begun to indulge in expectations that some time "aar Abe +may be mester hissen;" they however saw that it was of no use pressing +him to go back, and so they compromised the matter by setting about to +find him another master. Abe was again despatched from home with many +a kind word of advice, and the hope that he would mind his work, learn +the trade, and turn out to be a good man. But what was their surprise +and pain at the end of about a week to see Abe walk into the house +again with a bundle in his hand. "Oh, Abe, my lad, what's brought thee +here so sooin? what's ta gotton in th' bundle?" exclaimed his mother. +"Why, gotton my things to be sure; I couldn't leave them behind when +I'm going back no maar;" and sure enough he had come home with the +information as before, he didn't like being bound to any man. +</P> + +<P> +The probability is that there was something in the kind of treatment +Abe met with in both those cases that helped to set his mind so much +against the life of an apprentice away from home. All masters in those +days were not particularly kind in their manners towards apprentices: +some honourable exceptions could easily be found no doubt, but as a +rule, boys in such positions were not very kindly used; hard work from +early morning to late at night, hard fare at meal times, hard cuffs +between meals, and a hard bed with scanty covering at nights,—it was +no very enviable position for a youth to occupy, and certainly not one +to which a spirited lad would quietly submit. It may be that Abe, +during the short probations he had served at these two places, had +learnt too much of the ways of the establishments for so young a +hireling, and found they would not suit his peculiar tastes, and +therefore he decided twice over to return home, bringing his bundle of +clothes without giving any explanations or notice to any one. +</P> + +<P> +Be that as it may, here he was at home again a second time, much to the +annoyance of his father, who was bent upon the lad learning some +handicraft. Abe remained at home a short time, when one day his father +told him he had got another place for him, with an excellent man, who +would take him a little while on trial, and if they liked each other he +might then be indentured. His father had been at some trouble to find +a master farther away from home, in the hope that when once Abe was a +good way off he might be induced to stay; in this he was acting on the +principle that the power of attraction is weakened by a wider radius, +which may be correct when applied to some things, but not to all. This +new master lived in Lancashire, and thither young Abraham was sent in +due course. A month or so passed away, and all seemed to promise a +satisfactory arrangement, until one morning Abe heard a conversation in +the family, from which he gathered that his master was going to +Marsden, where he expected to meet Mr. Lockwood at a certain inn, and +make final arrangements for Abe's apprenticeship. This opened the old +sore; Abe couldn't rest: "he wouldn't stay, that he wouldn't, he would +be off home;" but how was he to get there? he didn't know the way, and +thirty miles or more was a long journey in those days. He determined +therefore to keep his eye on his master until he saw him off for +Marsden, which was more than half the distance to his home, and then he +set away after him on the same road, never losing sight of him for one +minute. On they went mile after mile along the roads until they +reached Marsden, where he saw his master enter the inn. Now Abe had to +pass in front of this very house, but he didn't want to be discovered, +so he adroitly turned up his coat collar over the side of his face, and +pulled down his cap, and set off running as fast as he could, and just +as he was passing the inn he took one hurried look from under his mask, +and there, in the open window, he saw two men side by side, his master +and his father. Of course he concluded they must have seen him, and +would be out immediately to fetch him back; this idea only lent speed +to his weary feet, so that he ran faster than ever on through the +solitary street of the old village, away out on the road, never turning +to look behind, lest he might see all Marsden coming in pursuit of him. +Exhausted nature however at length compelled him to slacken his pace, +and on turning to look back he found he had only been pursued by his +own fears. The two men sat still in the inn, talking over and settling +the terms of the apprenticeship, fixing the time when the indenture +should be signed and the boy bound to his new master. Each of them +took his journey homeward; neither of them was prepared for what +awaited him. One of them found on arriving home that Abe had gone, and +the other discovered the very opposite, that he had come, and both were +alike vexed. +</P> + +<P> +It is likely that poor Abe would have had to trot back again the next +day if his mother had not taken his part. Dear woman, she had been a +whole month without seeing her boy, and many an anxious thought had she +about him during that period; many a time when her fond heart yearned +for him, she had well nigh said she wished they had never sent him +away; many a time when some foot had been heard at the door her heart +stopped at the thought, that it might be him; and now that he had come, +really come, had run so far to be near her, had come so weary, +footsore, and hungry, had laid his weary head on the end of the table +and wept tears of trouble and pleasure, had fallen asleep there as he +sat, she put her kind arms around him, kissed his hot forehead and +said, "Dear lad, they shall not take him away from his mother any more +for all the masters and trades in the land." So it was of no use that +Mr. Lockwood should argue for his going back; he had to yield +inevitably, for what man can think to contend long against his <I>better</I> +half? From that time all attempt to bring Abraham up as an artificer +ended, and he found employment with his father as a cloth-finisher, at +which he worked most of his lifetime afterwards. +</P> + +<P> +Soon after these stirring little events had gone by, another happened +in that household which brought far more pain and anxiety than anything +that had preceded it. The youth who would not be parted from his +mother, could not prevent his mother from leaving him, and the +separation took place; death stept in, and without regard to the fond +feelings which bound that little household together, bore away the wife +and mother to the spirit land, while her body was laid among the dust +of others in the yard of the old brick chapel in Chapel Hill, +Huddersfield. +</P> + +<P> +What a gap it made in that house! in the hearts of its inmates it left +an open wound which only long months of patient endurance could heal. +When a mother's dust is carried out and laid in the grave, it is the +light of the domestic hearth gone out; it is the sweetest string gone +from the family harp; that bereavement is like the breath of winter +among tender flowers; the live tree around which entwined tender +creepers is torn up, and they lie entangled on the ground, disconsolate +and helpless, until the Great Father of us all shall give them strength +to stand alone. +</P> + +<P> +Abraham Lockwood's mother was dead, and a kind restraining hand, which +many a time kept his wild and wayward spirit in subjection, was thereby +withdrawn, and the ill effects in time began to show themselves in his +conduct. As he grew older, and the trouble consequent on the loss of +his mother wore off, Abe gradually associated with evil companions, +fell into their habits, until he became a wild and wicked young man. +He never sank into those low habits of which some are guilty, who +neglect the appearance and cleanliness of their own person, and go +about on Sundays and weekdays unwashed and in their working attire. +Abe had more respect for himself, and was always looked upon among his +friends as a dandy. I have heard old people say he was a proud young +man, and withal of a very sprightly appearance. +</P> + +<P> +Abe took great pride in his personal appearance, and when not in his +working clothes he usually wore a blue coat in the old dress style, +such as "Father Taylor" would call "a gaf-topsail jacket." There were +the usual and attractive brass buttons to the coat, drab knee-breeches, +blue stockings, low tied shoes with buckles; and really everyone who +knew Abe thought he was a proud young man. Perhaps he was, but it is +not always an indication of pride when young people bestow more care +upon their appearance than do their fellows; it may arise from a desire +to appear respectable and be respected. No one will think I am trying +to extenuate the foolish and extravagant love of dress which some +people show, who adorn themselves in silks or broadcloth, for which +they have to go into debt without the means of paying. Some are most +unsparing in the way they lavish money on their own persons, but only +ask them to bestow something on a charitable institution, or on the +cause of God, and how poor they are; how careful not to be guilty of +the sin of <I>extravagance</I>; how anxious not to be <I>generous before being +just</I>. +</P> + +<P> +There is a propriety which ought to be observed with regard to dress as +well as other things, and it will commend itself to the judgment as +well as to the eye. Some young people are the very opposite to Abe; +they bestow scanty attentions on their appearance,—how can they think +that any one else will pay them any regard? Their appearance is like +the index to a book; you see in a minute what the work contains, and so +you may generally form a correct idea of the character of an individual +by his habitual personal appearance. "Character shows through," is a +good saying, and would make a profitable study for most of us; it shows +through the skin, the dress, the manners, the speech, through +everything; people ought to remember this, and it would have a good +influence on their conduct. +</P> + +<P> +A few years after his mother's death his father married again, and +removed about a mile further up the hill, to a place called Berry Brow. +This village is situated about two miles out of Huddersfield, and is +the notable place where "little Abe" spent the greater part of his +days. It stands on the brow of a hill which bounds one side of the +wealthy and picturesque valley that winds along from Huddersfield to +Penistone. It boasts one main street, which sidles along down the +hill-side with here and there a clever curve, just enough to prevent +you from taking a full-length view of the street; on and down it goes, +the houses on the one side looking down on those opposite, and +evidently having the advantages of being higher up in the world than +their neighbours, until it terminates in the highroad leading out of +the village towards Honley and Penistone. +</P> + +<P> +Run your eye down over the breast of the hill, and you have a +delightful landscape picture, comprising almost everything which an +artist would deem desirable for an effective painting, and a <I>little to +spare</I>. There, nearly at the bottom of the gradient, stands the +handsome old village church, with its tower and pinnacles, reaching up +among the tall trees; and around it, a consecrated enclosure, guarding +the monuments of the dead, which are mingled with melancholy shrubs, +planted there by hands of mourners whose memories of the departed are +fitly symbolized by those perpetual evergreens. On this side and +beyond the sleeping graveyard, on either arm, are scattered, in pretty +confusion, the houses of those who have retired from the main street +for the sake of a little garden plot or other convenience. Now there +is some pretence at a terrace, numbering two or three dwellings; then +an abrupt break, and houses stand independent and alone as if quietly +contemplating the lovely scenery of valley, hill, and forest, which are +visible from that spot. Down there in the bottom of the valley, stand +those mighty many-windowed cloth mills, whose great flat, unspeakable +faces, seem to be covered all over with spectacles, out of which they +can look for ever without winking; there the men, women, and children, +born and bred in the hills, find honest toil with which to win bread +and comforts; while with a twisting course there runs along the wealthy +dale a little river, from which these giant mills suck up their daily +drink. Across the narrow valley and you are into a dense woody growth, +which climbs the hills to their very crown, and sweeps away, mingling +with the sky. +</P> + +<P> +To this village the Lockwood family removed; and coming more directly +under religious influences, the father very soon became converted, and +united with the Methodist Church, along with his wife. This had a +great influence on Abe for good; he began to attend the Sunday-school, +which was conducted in a room, in what was called the Steps Mill, on +the road between Berry Brow and Honley. This was Abe's college; here +he began, and here he finished his education; no other school did he +ever attend; and for what little knowledge he had, he was indebted to +the kindness of those who taught in that school; yet all he learnt here +was to <I>read</I>. <I>Writing</I> was a branch of study which Abe thought +altogether beyond his power; many times he endeavoured to learn the +mysterious art, but after struggling on as far as the stage of pothooks +and crooks, he gave up in disgust, and never tried again. He used to +say he firmly believed the Lord never meant him to be a writer, or he +would have given him a talent for it. Now in this Abe was certainly +labouring under a false impression, and underrating his own ability; he +was as well able to learn the art of writing as many others in similar +circumstances. How many persons have we known who have grown up to +manhood and womanhood, before they knew one letter from another, and +yet they have commenced to learn, and persevered in the work, until +they have attained at least a moderate proficiency, and some even more +than that. What Abe lacked more than talent, was a determination to +learn; for if he had been resolved, he could have become a good penman +as well as others; in this he was to blame, whether he thought so or +not. Education can only be had by those who will work for it, and +considering its immense value to every person, all who neglect it are +blameworthy, and must pay the penalties, as Abe did all through his +life. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER III. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +His Conversion. +</H3> + + +<P> +People talk of great changes in life, and point to periods and events +which seem to have turned their whole course into a different channel; +but there is nothing that can happen to any individual which will make +such an alteration in his life <I>as conversion</I>. Thousands of persons +who had been almost useless in the world, after that event have become +valuable members of society; others who have neglected and abused their +talents and opportunities, have become thoughtful and diligent; others +who have lived in riot and sin, wasting the energies of body and mind, +have learnt to live at peace with all men, and walk in the fear of God +and hope of heaven. Having become new creatures, they have shown it in +every line of their conduct. "Old things have passed away, and behold, +all things have become new." +</P> + +<P> +It was never more strikingly illustrated than in the case of Abraham +Lockwood. For a length of time after he had begun to attend +Sunday-school, there was a manifest difference in Abe's manner. Not +that he was really living a better life, for he was just as sinful as +before, only he was <I>not now thoughtless</I>; he might go to the ale-house +with his associates, but he went home to think about it after; he might +swear and laugh like the rest of them when they were together, but he +was no sooner alone than he felt the stings of a remorseful conscience; +he was gradually getting into that state when a man dreads to be alone +with himself; there was always something speaking to him from within, +and the voice was getting stronger and stronger every week, till +sometimes it fairly startled him, and made him afraid; often he would +try to run away from it, but it was of no use; the moment he stopped, +panting from the exertion, it was there again; many a time he tried to +deaden the voice in the deafening noise of the mill, but the more he +endeavoured to destroy it, by some mysterious contradiction, the more +intently he found himself listening for it; it spoilt all the pleasures +of sin by its presence; it was with him night and day; it followed him +in his sleep, and was waiting for him when he awoke; it made him +miserable. Poor Abe was <I>under conviction of sin</I>; he was tasting the +wormwood of a guilty conscience, than which nothing is more dreadful, +and nothing is more hopeful, because it is the bitter that oft worketh +itself sweet; it was so with Abe. While he was in this state of mind, +the Rev. David Stoner came to preach in the Wesleyan Chapel at +Almondbury. His fame drew many to hear him, and among the rest Abraham +Lockwood. He went partly out of curiosity, and partly in the hope of +getting relief to his mind; however, he only came away worse than +before; he was miserable, and it now began to show itself to his +companions. "Pain will out," like murder. "What's the matter, Abe?" +they would say to him. "Oh, nothing particular," he would reply. And +then among themselves they said, "Abe looks very queer, he's ill;" then +they tried to enliven him. "Come, cheer up, old boy, we'll have a +yarn." One would tell some droll tale, and another would say something +comical in order to make him laugh; and laugh he did, he must laugh; it +would never do to let those fellows know what was passing in his mind; +so he laughed loud as any of them, but what a laugh!—how empty and +hollow, how joyless and unreal, how unlike his former bursts of +feeling!—a got-up laugh, which shewed plainer than ever <I>something was +wrong</I>. Abe knew it, and he felt it was of no use trying any longer to +keep up a sham happiness, and all the time be in torments from a guilty +conscience; he therefore resolved to give up sin and lead a new life. +He probably was hastened to that decision by a remark which fell from +his father's lips; the old man had noticed for some time that Abe was +not in his usual spirits. He would come home of an evening and sit +looking into the fire for an hour without speaking or moving; he had +given over singing in the house, and he seemed as if he hadn't spirit +enough left to whistle to the little bird in the cage; his meals lay +almost untasted, and his tea would go cold before he had taken any. +</P> + +<P> +"Come, my lad, thaa mun get thee tea thaa knows," said the old father +one evening. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Abe, as he pretended to push something into his mouth. +</P> + +<P> +"What's matter with th'?" the father inquired; "thaa's not like +theesen, nor hasn't been for mony a week." +</P> + +<P> +Abe's eyes grew moist, and his chin trembled, but he called himself to +order, no babyism now. +</P> + +<P> +The old man, still looking at him, and keen enough to notice the +struggle he had to master his feelings, went on to say, "Thaa's poorly, +my lad, thaa mun goa to th' doctor, and see if he canna gie thee +some'at." +</P> + +<P> +"No earthly doctor can do onything for me," answered Abe; "it's th' +Physician of souls that I want. Oh, father, I am unhappy; my sins are +troubling me noight and day; I don't know what will become of me: <I>I +feel like lost</I>." +</P> + +<P> +"My poor lad, the Lord have mercy on thee," replied the old man, as Abe +put on his cap and walked hurriedly out of the house. He went out +scarcely knowing why; perhaps to hide his trouble from his dear old +father; perhaps to smother his emotions, which were rapidly gaining the +mastery over him, or maybe he knew not why,—an impulse was upon him, +and it carried him forth into the cool evening air; away he went at a +brisk walk from the village in the direction of Almondbury common. +Faster and faster he went, faster and faster as if to keep up with the +rapid current of his thoughts; the distance was uncounted, the +direction unheeded, the time forgotten; one thought only occupied his +tempest-torn mind, what must he do to be saved! There are some who +would think him very foolish to give himself so much concern on a +matter of that sort; but the fact is, Abe was just beginning to act the +part of a wise man in renouncing his old habits and declaring for +Christ. No human eye followed him on that lonely walk to the common, +and no human friend accompanied him; he was alone, the thought pleased +him; he looked around all over the face of the common, but no person +was visible. <I>Abe was alone with God</I>, and he determined to speak to +Him, and tell Him all his burden of sorrow. Near to where he stood, +there was a large tree growing, whose lofty branches were uplifted to +heaven; it stood just at the bottom of a little grassy slope of four or +five yards deep, and close to the side of a small clear stream of +water, which ran gurgling and rippling along, moistening the great +roots of this tree; it was here, under its spreading boughs and gnarled +trunk, <I>Abe found a place for prayer</I>. Down on his knees he cast +himself, and his first utterance consecrated that spot as a closet, +"God be merciful to me a sinner!" He only needed to utter the first +cry, others followed in rapid and earnest succession, till all the +restraints upon his soul were broken asunder, and in an agony he +wrestled for salvation. Hour after hour fled by; twilight gave place +to darkness; lights shone from the cottage windows away on the +hill-sides; distant watch-dogs answered each other's unwearying bark; +neighbours in the village yonder, stood chatting by their open doors in +the quiet night, and in many a cottage home hard by, children and +grown-up men sat quietly eating their last meal before retiring to bed: +but none of them knew that out on Almondbury common, at the foot of a +great rude tree, a man, one of their neighbours, a sinner like +themselves, <I>was praying</I>. No, no, they didn't know: there is many a +thing goes on of vital interest to us, which even our nearest friends +know nothing about; but there are other eyes, invisible, which look +down upon us from their starry heights seeing all our ways. So they +looked, while Abe wrestled for liberty. His chief snare at this time +was, that he was <I>too bad for Christ to save</I>; it was a terrible +thought to him, and had so much of seeming truth in it, that he at +times almost despaired; then again he remembered that he could not be +too bad for Christ to save; no, HE could save to the very uttermost all +that came unto Him; Abe tried to believe that with all his heart, and +as he struggled against his doubts and fears, faith grew stronger and +bolder, then in a moment the snare broke, the dark cloud over his soul +burst, and out from the cleft there came a voice, which thrilled his +whole being. "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of +the Lord is risen upon thee." "Glory! Glory!! Glory!!!" burst from +his enraptured lips; his "light was come,"—what a light! a soul full, +<I>full</I> of the light of Divine smiles. No wonder Abe forgot everything +else, in the joys of that ecstatic moment. He leaped, laughed, wept +shouted the praises of God till his voice might have been heard far +away over the waste, as he turned his steps towards home that night. +"Why, he's made a bron new man o' me. I hardly know mysen. +Hallelujah!" +</P> + +<P> +He was not long in reaching home, nor long in letting them know, when +he got there, what a change had come over him. In he went, with a face +shining in all the brightness of his new-found joy. "He's made a bron +new man o' me! He's made a bron new man o' me. Hallelujah! +Hallelujah!" +</P> + +<P> +The change in his whole manner and appearance was so great, that his +poor old father was at first alarmed lest he had gone wrong in his +mind; but Abe assured him he had just got right, and by God's help he +meant to keep so. +</P> + +<P> +Oh, if Abe had just got right by the wonderful change which God had +wrought in him, (and who can doubt it?) how many there are in the world +<I>who are all wrong</I>, living the wrong life, striving for the wrong +things, going the wrong way, and running towards the wrong goal! Oh, +how many are spending this short life in the pursuit of things which +are worthless and worse; sacrificing their souls' best interests for +the brief indulgence of sinful tastes, or spending the rapidly +accumulating years of their life in dark indifference to eternal things! +</P> + +<P> +The escape of one such sinner as Abe from the captivity in which the +ungodly are all held, may for a brief hour excite remark, perhaps a +desire for liberty, too, in the minds of some others; but these good +desires are often only of short duration, they die where they were +born, and almost as soon, and the soul returns to its former state; the +sleeper slumbers on; the drunkard drinks harder; the swearer blasphemes +more fiercely; the libertine indulges in greater excesses; and all +these hordes of ungodly men push on again down the broad and easy +incline to the pit of Hell. Do people know that the end of a sinful +life is Hell? Do people believe? Why, then, do they press their way +down to such a place? +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IV. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Abe a New Character in the Village. +</H3> + + +<P> +"Hast ta yeard th' news?" said one neighbour to another, on the morning +following the happy event narrated in the preceding chapter. +</P> + +<P> +"What news dost ta mean?" +</P> + +<P> +"Aye well, thaa has'n't yeard what happened last noight; doan't look so +scared, mon; th' mill worn't burnt daan; nor th' river droid up; nor +Amebury (Almondbury) common transported; but some'at stranger nor that." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, whatever dost ta mean?" +</P> + +<P> +"I mean that Abe Lockwood's been and gotton converted last noight, and +he's up and off to his wark this morning, shaating and singing like a +madman." +</P> + +<P> +"Abe Lockwood converted!" replied the other in astonishment, and +pausing between each word, as if to realize his own sayings. +"Nay,—I'll niver believe that." +</P> + +<P> +"It's as true as thaa and me is here; his father telled me he wor aat +hoalf at noight on Amebury common, crying and praying by a big tree +roit, and he gat converted there all alone; and when he came into th' +haase, his face was shining like th' moonloight." +</P> + +<P> +Here was news for the people of Berry Brow, and how it flew from mouth +to mouth, and from house to house, till, before many hours, almost +every person in the village knew of the wonderful change which had come +over Abe. Some doubted the report,—"It canna be soa," said one; +another "would sooiner think of ony one than him; he's making game +on't, I'll lay onything." Others thought, "If he's turned religious, +it's no matter; he'll be as wild as iver by th' week-end." It was out +of all character for Abe Lockwood to be anything else than he had been, +a rollicksome, laughing, drinking, ungodly young man. +</P> + +<P> +How often people talk in this way, when they hear of some giving their +hearts to God; "They won't stand long; give them a month, and it will +be all over," and such like injudicious things are said even by some +who ought to have more discretion. People talk without thinking, or +make such statements to cover their own shortcomings and faults. Why +shall they not stand? are they in the keeping of a feeble or fickle +Saviour? isn't His grace as strong as sin? is not Jesus always mightier +than the devil? and have not millions of the greatest sinners who have +found the Lord, stood firm against the snares of the world, and all the +devices of the wicked one? "He won't stand," is an old lie, which +every young believer must set at defiance. "Stand fast, therefore, in +the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled +again with the yoke of bondage." +</P> + +<P> +"Weant I stand," said Abe, "then I'll fall, but it shall be at the feet +of Jesus." Ah, that is the best way to stand; fall at the feet of +Jesus. It may seem a paradox in terms, but it is not in truth; it is +on the Apostolic principle, "When I'm weak, then am I strong." So poor +Abe laid himself down in order that he might not fall, and this is a +plan which others might try in times of spiritual peril, and so escape +the danger of backsliding. +</P> + +<P> +Among others who canvassed the subject of his conversion were his old +companions. One had gone out from among them that they were sorry to +lose; he was such a merry fellow; his face was always sunny; his +comical sayings had filled the public-house with roars of laughter many +a time; he could sing a song better than any of them, and he was always +ready; he was open-handed with his money whenever he had any; and +indeed, he possessed most of the qualities which make a man a favourite +among boon companions. His going out left a blank which was more felt +than seen; a vacant seat in a public-house is soon filled; so if Abe +was not there to occupy his own place someone else was; but no matter +who of his old associates were present, everyone felt Abe was absent, +and couldn't help showing it in some way. +</P> + +<P> +They had all observed that he had not been exactly himself lately; "a +little down in the mouth," and very quiet at times; but never divining +the reason, they had put it down to the wrong cause, or thought very +little about it; and then Abe had so often roused himself out of these +moods of mental abstraction by taking "another glass," and having +another song, that he had kept his companions completely ignorant of +the work which was going on in his mind. So now it burst upon them +like a gun-shot; they were amazed; but the devil seldom deserts his +victims at a time like that; it would not be safe, he might lose some +more of them; he comes to their help and counsels them as to their +conduct. "Well," says one of them as they gathered in their usual +place of resort one night, "I s'pose Abe Lockwood will be gone to +prayer-meeting to sing Psalms with the old women," at which the whole +company burst into a loud laugh at Abe's expense, and yet it cost him +nothing, which was more than any of them could say of the drink they +consumed that night. +</P> + +<P> +Abe Lockwood had left them,—he was a changed man; he had been +converted on Amebury common; he had turned off into an entirely +different course from theirs; he was a better man than any of them: +many such thoughts as these would obtrude themselves on the minds of +his former friends, and linger there in spite of all their efforts to +keep clear of them. +</P> + +<P> +Some time elapsed before any of these old associates were brought into +immediate contact with Abe; whether they purposely kept out of his way, +or he out of theirs, is not easy to say; perhaps both would be correct. +He no doubt felt safest and happiest away from his old companions and +everything which reminded him of them; they, too, had a misgiving that +whenever they did meet Abe, he would say something that might make them +uncomfortable; for they knew he would not beat about the bush, he would +tell them his mind about their ways: so on the whole it was best to +keep out of his way as long as they could. +</P> + +<P> +Meanwhile, Abe was gathering strength day by day, for he was living in +the constant spirit of prayer, which is the way to be strong. Night +after night, a lone man might be seen kneeling at the root of a great +tree on Almondbury common, pouring out his soul in prayer to God, until +that spot became to the new convert the very gate of heaven; and for +long years after, when Abe was established in the faith, he still +frequently found his way there to pray; during the whole of his +subsequent life, he never passed that spot without turning aside to +hear what the Lord would say to him. Many of the most delightful times +he ever had were experienced at the foot of that tree; and a visit +there, where he breathed the native air of his spiritual life, +invariably brought the glow of religious health to his soul. +</P> + +<P> +As weeks and months went by, the people of Berry Brow became used to +the fact of Abe Lockwood's conversion, and it ceased to excite any +particular remark, except such as might pass between neighbours on +seeing him go by. +</P> + +<P> +"Aye, mun, what a change is in yon lad," one would say. +</P> + +<P> +"You are roight naa," would be the response. +</P> + +<P> +"He wor as big a rake as ony i' th' parish a few months sin'; I'd never +ha' thowt o' Abe Lockwood turning religious." +</P> + +<P> +"No, nor me noather, but we niver know what 'll come to us." +</P> + +<P> +"No,—gooid-noight." +</P> + +<P> +One day Abe and a former companion of his met full in front; there was +no sliding away on either side,—they must speak. Both of them +experienced a slight nervousness at first, but Abe plucked up courage +and came boldly on. +</P> + +<P> +"Naa, lad, haa art ta?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, why, middling like, haa's yersen?" +</P> + +<P> +"Aye, mun," said Abe, "it gets better and better, religion is th' best +thing i' th' world; it's made me th' happiest chap i' Berry Braa." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, thaa looks merry," said his companion. +</P> + +<P> +"I is merry, and only wish thaa wor like me," and then Abe went on in +his own simple, earnest, and homely manner to preach Jesus to his +friend; and before they parted, the man had proof enough that Abe had +found a better way of living than his former one. +</P> + +<P> +Many a time, as weeks and months rolled by, he was thrown for a short +time into company with one or another of his old yoke-fellows in sin; +and often did they endeavour to lead him back again into the ways and +haunts he had forsaken; but no, no, he was not to be moved out of the +new path which he had taken for time and for eternity. +</P> + +<P> +Abe was a very plain-spoken man, and sometimes used phrases which were +anything but refined, but this was compensated for by their good sense. +Sometimes, when Satan was tempting him to give up his religion, and +return again into the ways of sin, he would exclaim, "What! give up my +blessed religion and return to thy swill-tub agean; I should be a great +fooil to do that,—does th' want to mak' me like an owd saa (sow), +that's been weshed, and then runs back into t' muck agean; nay, thaa's +rolled me i' sin lang enough; I'm thankful to be aat o' thy mud-hoil, +and by the help of God, thaa'll get me there no maar." Then perhaps, +when in conversation with some unconverted neighbour on the +all-absorbing theme of religion, he would break out, "Aye, mun, yoa +doan't know haa grand it feels being weshed, weshed i' th' blood of th' +Lamb. I wor that mucky, all th' waiter i' Holmfirth dam couldn't mak' +me daacent, but a drop of His blood did it in a moment. Glory to God!" +</P> + +<P> +Ah! the precious blood of Jesus can make the foulest clean; no matter +how long or how deep sin has reigned in his heart, Jesus is able to +remove it entirely, and bring in His grace and peace. He is a +wonderful Physician, there is none like Him; He has never been baffled +yet, though for nearly two thousand years He has been called to +exercise His power on the outcasts and incurables of our race. He +knows the disease with which every poor sinner is afflicted, and He +also understands the cure; sinners who have long been given up by +themselves, and others as well—poor, abandoned things, who have been +kicked out of all orderly society, and left to rot in the moral filth +of the streets, or die in the sewers of iniquity, have been found by +Him, lifted out of the mire, washed in the streams of His grace, +clothed in His righteousness, and made fit to sit among princes. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">My beauty are, my glorious dress;</SPAN><BR> +'Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">With joy shall I lift up my head."</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER V. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +In Membership with the Church. +</H3> + + +<P> +As soon as Abe Lockwood found the Lord, he felt it was his duty and +privilege to unite himself with the people of God, and he therefore +lost no time in seeking membership. +</P> + +<P> +THE METHODIST NEW CONNEXION at that time had no chapel in Berry Brow, +but conducted prayer-meetings, and held a weekly class in a cottage +somewhere in the village. Abe knew these humble, earnest people, and +felt drawn towards them by strong sympathy; he was sure he could feel +at home among them, and they would be of very great assistance to him +in building up his Christian character. What made him all the more +willing to throw in his lot among them, was the fact that some of them +had frequently shown an interest in his spiritual welfare before he +became converted, and had endeavoured to induce him to attend their +meetings; and now when they all knew the change that had taken place in +him, they were the first to go after him and offer him the right hand +of fellowship,—so he at once united himself heart and hand to their +little band. +</P> + +<P> +It would be well if that zeal and watching for souls, which +characterized the early Methodists, were more frequently displayed +among their successors; how many who are now merely hovering outside +the Christian Church, afraid to run after the pleasures of sin, ashamed +to avow themselves in quest of salvation, would be brought to decision, +and enabled to lead a happy and useful life. +</P> + +<P> +There are many thus hanging on the skirts of almost every Church, +waiting to be gathered up, and shame on the members who quietly and +indifferently permit this! It must not be; men's souls are too +precious to be trifled with; they have <I>cost too much</I> for us to allow +them to starve and die on our doorstep; open the door, put forth your +hand, draw them kindly, but firmly, into the family of the Lord; few of +them will have heart to resist such efforts to save them; but if they +do, then go out to them, stay with them, persuade and entreat them, +pray for them, pray on and on, and in the end you will prevail. We +want more of this watching and waiting for souls in Churches; may God +lay these souls on our hearts! +</P> + +<P> +Abe became a member of the Methodist New Connexion in Berry Brow when +it could scarcely be considered a Church, inasmuch as neither Christian +sacrament nor preaching services were established there: it was merely +a class belonging to the society in Huddersfield. That class, however, +was the living germ out of which was in due time developed a strong and +flourishing Church, having now a commodious chapel, and also an +excellent Sunday School, in which are growing up hundreds of +interesting children, who will some day be a blessing to the +neighbourhood, and an honour to the Church of Christ. +</P> + +<P> +To this little band of disciples our friend Abe was a most valuable +addition; not that either then or afterwards he brought them wealth, +for he was always poor, but because he contributed a zealous, praying +spirit, and encouraged the little flock to fresh exertions. +</P> + +<P> +He was no sooner admitted among them, than he began to exercise his +talents in prayer-meetings, and although he sometimes got confused in +his utterances, he didn't care much, for he used to say, "Th' Lord +knows what I mean, and He can soort th' words, and put 'em in their +roight places; bless Him, He can read upsoide daan, or insoide aat." +But time and constant exercise made a wonderful improvement in this +respect, and as Abe felt less difficulty in uttering what he meant, he +also experienced less restraint of spirits, and began to show himself +in his own peculiar style. +</P> + +<P> +He had a way of responding to almost everything that was prayed for, +and interlacing remarks, and sometimes explanations, when he thought +them necessary. Possibly these comments were more to himself than for +any one else, and were often made quite unconsciously—a kind of +thinking aloud. A rather amusing instance is given where Abe's notes +of explanation were called forth. It appears that one night the weekly +prayer-meeting was conducted as usual in the cottage of one of the +members. Abe was there among a number of others, and they were having +a very lively time together. As one after another engaged in earnest +intercession at the throne of grace, the feelings of all present became +very elevated, and they shouted for joy. At length, while one brother +was praying, another got so happy that he could remain on his knees no +longer. Springing to his feet, therefore, he began to jump, and in one +of his upward movements he brought his head into sudden and violent +contact with a basket of apples, which hung by a nail to the ceiling; +the basket oscillated a time or two, then slipped over the head of the +nail, and spilt its contents on the head of the man that was praying. +This singular event was deemed by him a sufficient reason for +suspending his exercises, and opening his eyes to ascertain the cause. +As soon as Abe observed the suspension of prayer, he exclaimed, "Pray +on, lad! it's nobbut th' owd woman's apple-cart upset," on receiving +which timely exposition of the state of things, the good man resumed +his intercessions, and the meeting returned to its former happy flow of +feeling. The time came when Abe was looked upon as the life and soul +of these little meetings: his quaint sayings, his earnest prayers, his +happy experience, always animated and strengthened those who were +present, and made the meetings real means of grace. Then Abe was +always there; he could be relied upon whoever might fail, so that they +all began to depend upon him, look to him, and follow him, till, almost +without knowing it, he had become greatly responsible for the spiritual +life of the little flock in Berry Brow, and mainly instrumental in +laying the foundations of the cause there, which has now grown to very +interesting and influential proportions. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VI. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"For Better, for Worse" +</H3> + + +<P> +Marriage is a most important step in the life of any person; happiness +or misery in this world depend on it far more than many young people +think. Nothing demands more careful thought, discrimination, and +prayer, than the choice of a life partner. Especially professors of +religion should consider this, lest they be tempted to break the +apostolic injunction, and become "unequally yoked together with +unbelievers." +</P> + +<P> +It is painful to see how little regard is paid to this subject by some +who profess to be disciples of Jesus, and yet allow their affections to +be centred upon someone of the world. Pleased by an attractive +appearance, winning manners, or something else of this kind, they are +beguiled away beyond the line of demarcation which divides the church +from the world, until, by-and-bye, they consummate a union of the +flesh, where there cannot be a union of spirit, and light and darkness +make a poor attempt to dwell together. +</P> + +<P> +Self-deception is a very easy thing in matters of this sort; it is +seldom difficult to find arguments in favour of that which the heart is +set upon. The one that knows the Lord, will pray until the other is +brought to him; neither will be guilty of casting the slightest +hindrance in the way of the other, etc., etc., but how often have these +pretty delusive devices been cast to the winds, or broken to atoms like +glass toys in after life, and their framers made to pay the bitter +penalties of disappointment, regret, and even backsliding for their +early transgressions? The selection of a husband or wife is not a +question of mere sentiment or feeling, but one which involves an +important principle. In making it, we should take God into our +counsel, and abide by His decisions. A young man who was a member in +one of our churches once opened his mind to me on this subject; he very +much admired a young person whom he mentioned; he said he had been +praying about marriage with her for some time, and had left it entirely +with the Lord, but said he, "I must have her, come what may." Prayer +with submission like that is only a solemn mockery, and is sure to meet +with its deserved reward. If we ask God to guide us, we must permit +Him to lead; and whether the outcome suit our feelings or not, we may +rest assured it will be for our ultimate welfare. +</P> + +<P> +In the choice of his wife Abe Lockwood was wisely led, as a long and +happy life together afterwards proved. It appears that soon after his +conversion, Abe, who was always fond of singing, joined the choir of +the Huddersfield Chapel. That was the age before organs were thought +of in Methodist places of worship; other musical instruments obtained +in those good old times: fiddles and bass viols, clarionets, flutes, +hautboys, cornets, trombones, bassoons and serpents, delighted the ears +and stirred the souls of our forefathers with their sacred harmony. +Grand old times those were too; there was some scope for the musical +genius and taste of men in those days, when if a man could not +manipulate the keys and evoke the religious tones of a clarionet, he +might vent his zeal in the trombone, or make melody on a triangle; +then, the orchestra was a kind of safety valve, where zealous men might +exert their powers until they were bathed in perspiration and +exhausted. In those days the musicians were men of considerable +influence in the public services; they could any time keep the +congregation waiting while they tuned up to harmony, or while the first +fiddle mended his string, or rosined his stick. True, a little +accident would occasionally happen in the midst of the service, such as +the falling of a bridge, but nobody was hurt, it was only a +fiddle-bridge; a nervous preacher might be just a little startled by +the thwack behind him, and a few of the light sleepers might be +suddenly aroused from their deep meditations to venture an +inappropriate response; and other little matters might occasionally +happen, as when some conspicuous instrument became excited, and played +somewhat sharper than the others in the band, thereby giving a twinge +of neuralgia to a few sensitive persons in the congregation; but then +they shouldn't be so sensitive,—others were not, not even the +musicians, and why should they? Besides, all these things, and a great +many more, too numerous to mention, helped to throw some variety and +feeling into the proceedings, and frequently afforded matter for lively +conversation when the people came out of chapel. Can any one wonder, +therefore, that the musical taste of the past should steadfastly resist +every effort to bring about a change in the composition and conduct of +our chapel orchestras? +</P> + +<P> +Abe lived and flourished as a singer in those good old days, and it was +one of his greatest enjoyments to take his place among the singers in +the old High Street Chapel, and raise his alto voice in honour of Him +"whose praise can ne'er be told." +</P> + +<P> +But there was another little pleasure which Abe very much enjoyed after +the services, and that was to walk home in company with a young woman, +one of the singers, too, named Sarah Bradley. She lived at Berry Brow, +and was a member in the same class as himself; she was about his own +age, and while she made no pretensions to beauty, she was what the +neighbours called "a real bonny lass." Abe thought her the nicest and +handsomest young woman he ever gazed upon. She was the very light of +his eyes, and her conversation was real music to him; he was so charmed +with her, that he would run a mile any time to look at her bonny face; +his affections were entirely won by her,—which was, by the way, no +little pleasure to herself, inasmuch as she regarded him with very +similar feelings. +</P> + +<P> +There seemed quite a propriety in the mutual affection of these two +young people; it was, to say the least of it, quite patriarchal that +Abraham should love Sarah; but whether Abe ever thought of Scripture +precedent for indulging such sentiment or not, one thing is certain, he +followed the example set by one of old, and took Sarah to be his wife. +</P> + +<P> +The wedding took place on the 10th May, 1818. There was no extravagant +or improvident display on the occasion. Abe did, however, put on his +best clothes, and stay from work for that day; and Sally, as he now +began to call her, appeared in a stuff dress, that served as her Sunday +frock for a long time afterwards. A few friends attended the ceremony +by invitation, and a few more of the gentler sex just dropped in as +they were, to see that the affair was properly done, as well as to +indulge a pardonable liking for that kind of religious service. Some +of them probably never attended a place of worship except on such +interesting occasions, or in connection with a christening. Here, +then, was an opportunity for these people to indulge their select +tastes, and they failed not to embrace it. +</P> + +<P> +The ceremony over, the happy pair came forth to be pelted, according to +custom, with rice and old shoes, symbolizing the wishes of the +bystanders, that all through life they might enjoy plenty, prosperity, +and good luck. Then came the walk home through the village arm-in-arm; +Abe nervous, and Sally blushing under the kind yet familiar +congratulations of their friends. +</P> + +<P> +The day was spent in a quiet, happy manner among the members of the +wedding party, and nothing particular occurred until a little before +seven o'clock in the evening, when all at once Abe got up, reached down +his hat, and prepared for going out. +</P> + +<P> +"Where's ta going?" someone asked. Sally was looking at him rather +curiously, as if she could not understand his movements. +</P> + +<P> +"Why," said he, "doant yoa know it's my class noight?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, what by that? they'll niver expect thee t'-noight." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, but I mun goa." +</P> + +<P> +All present laughed right heartily at his remark, and one of them said, +"Nay, lad, thaa mu'nt goa t'-noight and leave th' wife and all th' +friends; foak 'll laugh at thee." +</P> + +<P> +"Let 'em laugh; th' devil 'll laugh if I doant goa, and foak 'll laugh +if I do. I'm sure to be laughed at, ony way; I'll goa." He looked at +Sally for a moment, and saw, at any rate, that she understood him, +although she did smile; so opening the door he shot out, saying, "I +shalln't be long, lass." He went to his meeting just the same as +usual, and no matter to Abe if his leader and class-mates were all +surprised to see him, he was quite as comfortable as if a wedding were +an every-day event with him. Abe's maxim was to allow no hindrance to +stand in the way of his duty to God. Christ came first with him, his +wife stood next; and as he began, so he continued through all his +marriage life. +</P> + +<P> +This worthy couple began housekeeping in a very humble way,—it was +really "love in a cot,"—and with very limited means; but they were +happy in each other and happy in God. Sally made a good wife, and +contributed greatly not only to her husband's happiness, but also to +his usefulness in the Church. Too much can hardly be said in honour of +that humble and devoted woman, whose great study, during all their life +together, was to make home most attractive to her husband, and his +path, as a Christian, easy. When the charge of a large family came +upon them, she cheerfully and studiously undertook the multitudinous +little offices and cares that always come, under the circumstances, and +threw as little as possible upon her partner in the house; for she used +to say, "Dear man, he has enough to do to find us in bread, without +troubling to put it into our mouths." Ah, and when there was scarcely +even bread for them, which often happened in those hard times, she +would scorn to murmur at her husband, or utter a word that seemed like +a reflection upon him; no, she was united to him "for better, for +worse," and she bore whatever came with a noble and patient fortitude. +Many a time, however, had she, poor thing, to go to her heavenly Father +with her cares, and vent her anguish in a shower of tears, which Abe +never saw, and perhaps never heard about; and when he came home from +his day's toil, she always tried to have a cheerful face and a smile +for the dear man. +</P> + +<P> +Besides attending to the duties of her household like an exemplary +wife, she was often engaged in her own house <I>burling</I> cloth for the +manufacturers, by which means she earned a scanty addition to their +income. Frequently when Abe retired to rest, she would pretend she was +scarcely ready, and then, after he had fallen soundly asleep, she might +be seen by the dim light of a candle, hour after hour, till far away +into the morning, picking at the cloth in order to get it finished; +then, tired in body and spirit, she would throw herself down to sleep, +and recruit for the struggles of another day. Whenever the children +had any new clothes, which was too seldom, they were made by her hands. +Necessity had taught that thrifty little woman many a thing, until in +time she learnt not only to earn and make their clothes, but even to +mend their shoes herself. Many a homely patch did she put upon their +clogs, and many a sole, too. She had fingers for anything, and never +stood fast whatever came in her way. While many others in her position +would have sat wondering and despairing, she arose, stuck to her task, +got it done, and if she had any time, she did the wondering afterwards. +</P> + +<P> +Go when you would to Sally Lockwood's house, it was always tidy, and +there was a clean chair for you to sit upon. Although their clothes +were coarse, and patched with more pieces, if not more colours than +Joseph's coat, the children were always clean, though many a time they +hadn't a change of garment to put on. What that means in a large +family, the thrifty wives of hard-working men will understand. The +frequent late washings on Saturday nights, when the little ones were +gone to bed, were something wonderful, and what was even more +remarkable still was, that Sunday morning found their things all clean +and dried, ready for them to go to school like other children. +</P> + +<P> +Ah, Sunday morning, beginning of the day of rest,—how welcome to poor +Sally after her hard week's toils and anxieties! When the family were +gone to school, and her honest man was somewhere at work in the +Master's vineyard, she could slip on her bonnet and shawl and just run +into the preaching service close by, and gather strength and +encouragement from the earnest prayers and humble exhortations of those +men whom God had found in the quarry, at the loom, in the mine, or at +the lapstone, and sent forth Sunday by Sunday into the villages to +preach a homely gospel to the poor, and comfort to His flock. +</P> + +<P> +And thus she struggled on from week to week and year to year, bearing +with uncomplaining fortitude her own burdens, and lightening, when she +could, those of her husband; setting an example of patience, industry, +and piety before her family, thus by example, as well as precept, +training them up in the fear of the Lord. +</P> + +<P> +No wonder that one of Abe's greatest boasts was his wife. Next to his +Lord and Master, whose praise was ever on his lips, Sally came in for +honours. "Aar Sally," which was the usual homely and affectionate way +in which he spoke of her, was, humanly speaking, his sheet anchor; her +word was more to him than counsel's opinion, and considerably cheaper; +what "aar Sally" said was Act of Parliament in that little house. She +had gained a power there which was due to her, and which she exercised +for the benefit of the whole. +</P> + +<P> +"Aar Sally" often figured in Abe's sermons, and always in a favourable +light, which shows the estimation he cherished for the worthy partner +of his joys and sorrows. Although, as years went on, time, labour, and +anxiety made their unmistakable impressions upon her, she was always +bonny to Abe; and up to the last, when he was a feeble old man, and she +was stricken in years, he used to say, "Aar Sally is th' handsomest +woman i' th' world." It is possible that this assertion may have been +the occasion of some tender disputes in some quarters, but nothing was +ever heard to that effect, and no one ever openly ventured to enter +into competition with Sally for the honour which was ascribed to her, +so that she was, <I>without dispute</I>, the handsomest woman in the world. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"Handsome is he, that handsome doth,<BR> +And handsome, indeed, that's handsome enough."<BR> +</P> + +<P> +Beauty is only skin deep, but goodness goes right through. Sally was a +good wife, a good mother, a good Christian, and now her soul rests in +the presence of Him "who is fairest among ten thousand, and altogether +lovely." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VII. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Wind and Tide Against. +</H3> + + +<P> +When Sally gave her hand to Abe, we have said it was "for better, for +worse," but she soon found there was a good deal of "worse" in it. +What a sad thing it seems that nearly all the pretty castles which +young people build for themselves in the air, should so soon fall to +pieces! What a wonderful contribution it would be to the science of +architecture if the ideas of these erections could only be realized in +substance! Ah, but such is the nature of things, that castles without +foundations can only be built in the air, and commonplace men are +unable to do that. It has been a great disappointment to the +constructors of these buildings, that they have never been permitted to +spend a single hour in them; so very attractive as they looked, too, +covered all over with gilt and flowers, and furnished in a style that +out-rivalled the pictures of the "Arabian Nights." +</P> + +<P> +A real prince might be happy if he could only get in. Some of them +have taken years to bring to such a state of perfection; now, a little +addition is made here, and then a slight alteration there, until it is +finished, and the happy pair set off to take possession of the fairy +palace. But they never enter it: the more eager they are to get in, +the more confused they become as to the position of the doorway; one +thinks it is at the front, the other fancies it must be at the side, +and every time they go around the house seeking the entrance, by some +mysterious means the house seems further from them, and another effort +is necessary to reach it. How tiresome! but they must be in, for +storms begin to gather, and they are not prepared for them; the wind +blows and whistles as if calling up other evil forces for mischief; +night, like a dismal monster in a black cloak, and barefooted, is +coming on; the pretty castle is fading out of view among the darkening +objects around,—quick! quick! we must be in, for the hour is wild. On +they hurry, and in their haste, they find an open door and enter; there +is shelter and rest for them, but when daylight comes they open their +eyes, and lo, the lovely castle is gone, and the home is a weaver's +cottage! +</P> + +<P> +There is no doubt that Abe and his young wife played their part at +castle-building, like most others in their position, and like others +they found it a great deal easier to erect than inhabit. However, +there is this to be said for them, which cannot be said for all, they +had fortitude to endure their lot without complaint; and though their +castle was but a very little cot, it was commodious enough to hold +them, and left room for a variety of joys and sorrows as well. +</P> + +<P> +At the time when they were married, Abe was working as a cloth-finisher +in a mill near Almondbury common, but not long afterwards, the work at +this place failed, and he, with a number of others, was thrown out of +employment. This was a sore reverse, for which they were ill-prepared. +If trade had been good in the neighbourhood, he could easily have +obtained work under some other master, but alas! the reasons which +induced his employer to discharge his men, operated with others in the +same way, and consequently left no opening for Abe. +</P> + +<P> +What was to be done? Ah! that was the inquiry which often passed +between Abe and Sally in their little home. The bread-winner was +stopped, then the bread must soon stop, and then would come a dark +<I>period</I>, that is, a full stop. +</P> + +<P> +In their day of trouble they carried their case to the Lord, and asked +His fatherly aid; many a time did they go together to vent their burden +of trouble in His ear, and obtain strength to endure their trial. One +day, after Abe had been in this way asking help and counsel of the +Lord, he came and sat in a chair at one end of the table, while his +wife sat near him, quietly stitching away at an old garment she was +mending. For a few minutes neither of them spoke; by-and-by Sally +looked up from her work to thread her needle, and their eyes met. She +had a very sad look upon her face, for her heart was full of trouble, +and she was just ready for what she called "a good cry;" but the moment +she saw his face, which was covered all over with a comical smile, she +caught the infection, and burst into a laugh,—a kind of hysterical +laugh that had more sorrow than mirth in it. She laughed and he +laughed, one at the other, till tears came from the eyes of both, and +their poor sorrow-sick hearts seemed as if they would rise into their +throats and choke them. +</P> + +<P> +"Naa, lass, what's matter with the'?" at length exclaimed Abe. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, it's thee made me laugh soa." +</P> + +<P> +"Me, what did I do?" +</P> + +<P> +"Ay, thaa may weel ask," said Sally, wiping her eyes with her apron. +"Why, thaa looked a'most queer enough to mak' a besom-shank laugh; +thaa's made my soides ache." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, it 'll do thee gooid; thaa wants a bit of a change, for thaa's +had heartache lang enough," responded her husband. +</P> + +<P> +Sally resumed her work, but said nothing; her only response was a +deep-drawn sigh. A few moments of silence again ensued, which Abe +broke by saying, "Sally, haa would the' loike to see me wi' a black +face?" +</P> + +<P> +"What's 'ta say?" +</P> + +<P> +"Haa w'd th' loike to see me wi' a black face?" repeated Abe. +</P> + +<P> +"What art ta going to blacken thee face forr doesn't th' like thee own +colour? what does ta mean?" inquired Sally looking at him. +</P> + +<P> +"I mean," replied Abe with great earnestness, "that I'm gooin to turn +collier." +</P> + +<P> +"Nay, niver, lad!" cried his wife in dismay. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, it's only for a bit till things brighten up in aar loine, and +then thaa knows I can get wark at th' mill agean." +</P> + +<P> +Poor Sally wept in earnest now; it was a shock to her feelings that she +was not prepared for. At length she said, "I niver thought of thee +goin daan a coil-pit, thaa isn't used to it, and thaa 'll happen break +thee neck." +</P> + +<P> +"Nay, not soa; I've warked mony a day in a coil-pit," said Abe. "Bless +thee, my lass, when I were nowt but a bairn I used to wark i' th' pits; +niver fear, I'm an owd hand, I can do a bit o' hewing wi' ony on um." +And then when Abe saw the first burst of feeling on his wife's part was +giving way, he went on to make good his position: "Thaa knows I mun do +some'at, and there is nowt else I can see to turn to, and it 'll keep +us going till I can get back to my own wark; we mu'nt be praad in these +times, thaa knows. I'll promise to wesh th' black dust off my face +every day," said he, laughing, and trying to get her to do the same. +"Cheer up, my lass, we mun look th' rock i' th' face." +</P> + +<P> +"Ah, th' Lord help us," responded Sally. +</P> + +<P> +"Naa I like to year thee say that," said Abe, "because I believe it was +the Lord that put it into my yead, for I niver thowt abaat such a thing +till I were telling Him my troubles just naa, and then it came to me +all in a moment, like as if someone spake to me, and I says, I'll goa." +</P> + +<P> +And he did go, and he got employment in one of the coal-pits in the +neighbourhood, where he received so much per week as wages, and a lump +of coal every day as large as he could carry home, as a perquisite. Of +course he took as big a lump as he could manage, and sometimes he was +tempted to overtax his strength. Many a time poor Abe had to stop on +the way home, lift the coal down from his head, where he usually +carried it, and rub the sore place; and many an expedient, in the way +of padding, had he to resort to, in order to compensate for the soft +place which nature, so prodigal in her gifts to some, had denied him. +However, day after day he struggled along under his dark and heavy +load, each day finding himself oppressed by another weight—of coals. +</P> + +<P> +The new work was hard and trying to him, but he kept toiling on, and +patiently waiting for the time when his heavenly Father would open up +another sphere for him; meanwhile there was this consolation, that his +toils kept fire in the hearth, and bread in the cupboard at home, and +knowing this he was happy. He didn't envy any man his wealth, or his +ease; he many a time on his way home, with the lump of coal on his +head, was happier than the rich employer who passed him in his +carriage; he had no ambitious schemes with which to harass his mind, +his highest object was to glorify God in a consistent Christian life, +and try to lead others to do the same. When his day's work was ended, +he could lift his burden on his head, and journey homeward with a light +heart; the only weight he felt was upon his head; many a day he came +over the ground singing, certainly <I>under a difficulty</I>, but no matter, +he did sing. Abe was an alto singer in the chapel choir, but in these +homeward songs one would almost fancy he would have to take another +part, as the lump on his head would render it rather inconvenient for +him to reach the higher notes; ground-bass would be more in keeping +with his circumstances, and probably he himself was more inclined to +sink than soar; be that as it may, he sang and trudged along home, and +any one that met him, might know he was happy as a king, aye, and +happier than many. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VIII. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +The Clouds begin to Break. +</H3> + + +<P> +Abe had not long laboured in the coal-pit before all about him began to +feel he was a good man. He did not hide his light from anyone, masters +or men, and though they may not have followed his godly example and +Christian counsel, they all respected him for his pious and consistent +life among them. +</P> + +<P> +It so turned out that one day the foreman ordered all the men to stay +and work overtime at night, in order to complete some important matter +which they had in hand. This was a terrible blow to Abe, for it was +his class-night, and he had never yet missed that means of grace, nor +would he, if he could by any possibility get there; but now, what was +he to do? He felt it was his duty to obey his master, and take his +share of the extra work if required; on the other hand, his heart +yearned for the fellowship of saints: how dear that little classroom +seemed to him then. All the day his mind dwelt upon the subject; he +fancied his own accustomed seat empty, and his leader and classmates +wondering why he was not there; he prayed earnestly for deliverance +from this snare, and yet saw no way of escape. Evening came, and the +usual hour for leaving work, but no bell rang the men out; on they all +went at their task, and Abe along with the rest, yet all the time he +was groaning in spirit; half an hour passed away, when the foreman came +in. He was a hard, resolute man, that seemed to have neither fear of +God nor devil before his eyes. "Abe Lockwood," said he, "isn't this +thy class noight?" Abe looked up in an instant, and replied, "It is." +"Drop thee wark this minute and go then; if I'm going to hell, I won't +hinder another man from trying to get to a better place," and before +Abe could find time to thank him, he was gone again. In a twinkling +Abe was out of the place, and away over Almondbury common, like a fleet +hound just slipt from the leash. He went to his class-meeting and was +very happy there, but he did not forget in his own happiness to pray +for the man who in this instance had bowed to the better spirit within +him, and shown him such a mark of favour. +</P> + +<P> +There is a heart in every man, however hard he may be, and when once +the Spirit of God assails that heart, He may break it, or at least +reason it into submission. We don't know all the power that God has, +nor the many ways in which He can exert that power on the minds of men; +we often hinder its operation by our want of faith. O Lord, increase +our faith! Then "all things are possible to him that believeth." +</P> + +<P> +For some time Abe continued working at the coal-pit. Although he made +no complaints, he greatly disliked the employment, and looked forward +with intense longing to the time when he could again return to his own +calling. He told the Lord all his heart upon this subject, and often +implored Him to lift him out of the pit and bring him again to the +employment that was more congenial to his feelings. Nor did he pray in +vain, as the following incident will show:—One day a gentleman came to +the pit, and said, "Have you got a man here called Abe Lockwood?" On +being answered in the affirmative, he expressed a wish to see him. Abe +was at once communicated with, and fetched out of the place where he +was working. On seeing him all begrimed with coal-dust, the gentleman +said, "I'm sorry to see thee like this, Abe; I have been troubled about +thee for some time." +</P> + +<P> +"Have you, haa's that, maaster?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, I hardly know, but I have felt for many a day that I ought to +come and offer thee work in my place, and now I've come, and if thou +wants to leave here, I will find thee something to do in my mill." +</P> + +<P> +Abe's grateful heart was almost in his throat; his eyes swam in tears, +his face beamed with smiles, and he shouted, "Hallelujah! When mun I +come?" +</P> + +<P> +"Come at once if you can." +</P> + +<P> +"All roight," said he, "I can leave here ony time. I'll come i' th' +morning; bless th' Lord! I knew my Father would foind me another job +somewhere." +</P> + +<P> +That night he went home singing with the usual lump of coal on his +head. When he got into the house he threw it down with a crash that +startled Sally, his wife. "There," he said, playfully pretending to be +vexed, "I'll fetch thee na moor coils on my yead, so thaa needn't +expect it." +</P> + +<P> +"What's matter wi' the' naa?" she said, looking at him. +</P> + +<P> +"I tell the' I'll fetch the' na maar coils," he responded, rubbing his +scalp as if it hurt him. +</P> + +<P> +"Well then, we may as weel let t' fire goa aat first as last," rejoined +the good wife, a little ruffled. +</P> + +<P> +"Noa thaa shalln't. I loike a gooid foire as weel as onybody; and if +thaa grumbles ony maar, I weant go to th' pit agean." +</P> + +<P> +Sally looked hard at him for a moment or two, and in spite of the thick +layer of coal-dust on his face, she could see there was a smile just +underneath struggling to burst through. "What dost ta mean?" she said, +half laughing herself. +</P> + +<P> +"Mean!" exclaimed Abe, jumping from his seat, and seizing hold of her +hand, "Mean! Why, I mean that I've done with coil-pit; the Lord has +gotten me a job in Huddersfield at my own wark, and I'm goin' in th' +morning, bless th' Lord!" +</P> + +<P> +Sally smiled, wiped her eyes, and said quietly, "Well I niver; aye, but +I am glad; come and get thee teaa, my old collier." And that night +there was sunshine in Abe's cottage hours after the great orb of day +had gone down and left the world in darkness. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IX. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Salem Chapel. +</H3> + + +<P> +Close to the entrance of the village, at the top of the main street, +and within five minutes' walk of the railway station, stands the +Methodist New Connexion Chapel of Berry Brow. It is situated on the +right-hand side of the street coming from Huddersfield; being on lower +ground than the road, it has from this point a stunted appearance. +Pursuing the decline and curve of the street a little further brings +you to the vertex of a triangle of level ground, on the base of which +the chapel stands. It is fronted by a graveyard, whose two sides +gradually converge towards a little iron gateway at the entrance. +</P> + +<P> +Seen from here the chapel presents a more pleasing appearance, though +even now an observer could not fail to be struck with the dwarfish look +of the building; there is a want of height to give it proper +proportion. It shows a plain stone front, which suggests that the good +people who built it had no money to spend in costly ornamentation. +SALEM, the honoured name of the chapel, is inscribed on the front. The +Sunday-school, which is of more recent date, stands adjoining it on the +left; the foreground treasures up the dust of many pious pilgrims who, +in the days gone by, came to this house of peace. The chapel has two +doors in the front; inside, the appearance is exceedingly plain; the +pulpit is stationed with its back against the front wall, and is +enclosed by a pew that was formerly occupied by the choir, but now +mostly by the speakers at the public meetings, for, being somewhat +elevated, it serves as a permanent platform. The plan of the sittings +is a simple rising gallery, springing from the floor half-way to the +ceiling, and traversed by two aisles leading direct from either +doorway; in a recess abutting through the right-hand wall, the organ is +fixed. The chapel is capable of accommodating about three hundred +persons, though there have been times when, somewhere or other, it has +afforded room to much larger numbers of people that have crushed within +its limited space. Altogether, it is a plain, unpretentious structure, +by no means equal to the growing requirements of the prosperous Church +that worships there in these days. +</P> + +<P> +Salem Chapel, like many other places of worship, has its story, full of +sacred incident and interest. It has been the religious birthplace of +hundreds of precious souls, many of whom are now in glory, while others +are journeying thitherward. Many of the ablest ministers the Methodist +New Connexion has ever had, have counted it a joy to preach in that old +sanctuary. +</P> + +<P> +Several revivals of the work of God have broken out within those walls, +and spread with such rapidity and power through the neighbourhood, that +Satan's strongholds have trembled before them; and in the great day of +the Lord it will be said of Salem, "This and that man were born there." +</P> + +<P> +But before it was built the people used to attend the High Street +Chapel, Huddersfield, which involved a walk of over two miles each way, +and this in unfavourable weather was no light task. The time came, +however, when they began seriously to entertain the idea of having a +place of worship in their own village. +</P> + +<P> +Abe Lockwood was among the chief advocates of this scheme, and it was +mainly owing to his activity in the matter that the undertaking was at +length commenced and completed. In the month of July 1823, Abe, full +of the new Chapel enterprize, entered a harvest field belonging to Mr. +S—— of Armitage Fold, where several members of the Society were at +work, and took upon himself to announce that there would be a meeting +in a certain house that night, for the purpose of considering whether +they were to have a Chapel in Berry Brow. The meeting was held, and +the decision taken in favour of the movement. They would arise and +build, so in God's name they began the work. +</P> + +<P> +It was a serious undertaking for them, as most of the members were poor +working people, but they were in earnest, and at once opened a +subscription list, each of them promising something to the fund before +they went outside to solicit help from any one else. They then +obtained further promises from others, and arranged to gather the money +by weekly instalments, some being as little as a penny. Then, in order +to save cost as much as possible, the men themselves went and delved in +the quarry for stones, and borrowed horses and carts of the farmers to +remove the material to the chapel site, and when it sometimes happened +that they could not obtain the use of horses, they got the loan of +carts, and the men, old and young, took the horse-work themselves, and +drew the stones to the building place. +</P> + +<P> +In all this Abe was a foremost worker, toiling early and late, and +asking any one and every one to come to their help, by which means they +got many of the wild young men of the village to assist in the work. +This did not, however, meet with universal approval; there were some +few very good people, who mostly employed themselves in looking on, +giving directions, and finding fault, who said it was not right to +bring a lot of ungodly young men into a work so sacred; they +expostulated with Abe on the subject, he being the chief cause of their +enlistment, but he replied, "Not roight for them to help in building +th' Lord's haase! It must be roight; if they soil th' stones with +their fingers, God will put them roight again when He gets into it. I +wouldn't care if th' devil hissen were to come and drag stones for th' +place, if only Jesus is preached in it afterwards;" so the croakers +didn't gain anything by their complaints, except rejoinders from Abe, +which taught them a little good sense, and they went on with the +building. +</P> + +<P> +The foundation stone was laid on Shrove Tuesday 1824, and the chapel +was opened for religious services on Good Friday 1825. The Rev. Thomas +Allin preached on that occasion with his usual extraordinary ability. +From that time until now the cause has never looked back, but has +maintained a steady onward course. Seasons of trial and depression +have occasionally gathered over it like dark clouds, but the earnest +band of Christian people it has drawn together, have been conducted +under the clouds in safety, and have lived to come out again into the +sunshine of prosperity. +</P> + +<P> +There is not a trouble or a joy, not a throb of sorrow or a thrill of +delight that ever came to that church during those years, which Abe +Lockwood did not feel. He was so mixed and wrapt up in its history and +workings that he counted its very pulsations as distinctly as he felt +his own. In later years, when other labourers were brought into the +church, and his services as a local preacher came into greater demand, +many of the duties involved in conducting the cause fell into other +hands; but Abe's love for Salem never did and never could diminish; to +him it was the most beautiful sanctuary in the Circuit or out of it; +and there it stands as a monument of the zeal and devotion of those +earnest men who more than fifty years ago laid its foundations, and +reared its sacred walls in the name of the Lord. +</P> + +<P> +They are nearly all gone to their reward, Abe among them, but in no +sense more than this is the Scripture fulfilled, "He being dead yet +speaketh." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER X. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Abe becomes a Local Preacher. +</H3> + + +<P> +Several years had passed away from the date of Abe's marriage, and a +family of young children had sprung up around him, filling his cottage +with life, and keeping him and his active wife constantly employed to +supply their daily necessities. Hard times they had during those +years, but they held on their honest way, content with what they got, +and envying no one that was in better circumstances than themselves. +</P> + +<P> +During all these years Abe continued a devoted follower of Christ; he +was always at the means of grace, and his chief aim was to be a true +disciple of the cross. At the same time he was slowly acquiring +ability to speak in the meetings with more propriety and effect. +</P> + +<P> +Methodist prayer-meetings and class-meetings are excellent training +schools for public speakers. Most of the best ministers in Methodism +first learnt to talk in these little meetings, where they have had, +week by week, opportunities of expressing their thoughts and feelings +upon their religious life and experience; and although there are some +who have profited but very little by the benefits afforded in this way, +there are many others who have made their way from that humble +beginning up to the highest ranks of the Christian ministry. +</P> + +<P> +In this training institution Abe slowly and steadily improved his +powers, till some of his friends began to think he ought to have his +name placed on the Circuit plan as an exhorter. It was accordingly +mentioned to him, but for some time met with no very favourable +response from Abe. "Come on t' plan," exclaimed he; "nay, not soa, +unless you want to mak' a clerk o' me; but I can say Amen, without +being planned." +</P> + +<P> +However, circumstances sometimes happen which have more force of +argument in them than anything that men can say. It occasionally +transpired, that some local preacher who was planned to preach in Salem +Chapel did not come to his appointment, and some person in the +congregation had to take the vacant place, and conduct the service as +well as he might be able without any previous preparation. Now it +appears that Abe found himself placed just in this very unenviable +position. The congregation were all in the chapel; the hour of service +had come, and passed, yet no preacher arrived; the people were +whispering and looking at the clock; one brother went to the door to +see if there were any sign of the preacher's coming; two or three of +the leading brethren were whispering together, and then one of them +came over to Abe and said, "I'm afraid there's going to be no preacher, +thou'll be like to try and talk a bit this morning." +</P> + +<P> +"Me, noa, I canna praach, mun," said Abe, evidently agitated. +</P> + +<P> +"Aye, but thou can; thou'll have to try, and we'll pray for thee." +</P> + +<P> +Abe turned pale, looked up at the little pulpit, then down on the +ground, and then said, "I've now't to talk abaat, noa, I canna tak' +it." Then another brother came and united his persuasion to that of +the man already with him, and at length Abe arose and went into the +singing pew in front of the pulpit, pale and trembling, and announced a +hymn. The service began, and grew into a kind of compromise between a +prayer meeting and preaching. The preacher took a text, and in his own +style did his best to speak from the words,—the probability is he <I>did +speak from them</I>, further from them than critical hearers would judge +proper, but what of that? He did his best, and there were none in the +congregation but knew him and knew his consistent life; and although +what he said was very unpreaching-like, it did not matter; the people +were well pleased, and Abe was very glad when it was over. +</P> + +<P> +After the first time this occurred again and again in Salem, until Abe +began to be looked upon as the general stop-gap, as they called him. +But he was not to occupy that post always; it was only the +stepping-stone to something else, for by-and-bye some of the local +preachers would take him out with them to their appointments, and let +him talk to the people as well as he was able. Wherever he went they +said he must be sure and come again; he was so quaint, droll, plain, +yet withal so fervent, that everyone enjoyed his remarks, and wished to +hear him again. +</P> + +<P> +About the year 1833, and during the ministry of the Revs. J. Curtis and +G. Bradshaw in the Huddersfield Circuit, an incident took place which +will give an idea of the style of Abe's early preaching efforts. It +was on one Shrove Tuesday afternoon that he had to preach at +Paddock;—the service was at that time conducted in a cottage;—a good +deal of talk had been indulged in by the people in anticipation of +Abe's visit, and a great amount of curiosity and interest was excited. +The place was full. Abe arrived, rubbing his hands, and blessing the +Lord, and immediately took his place, and commenced the service. His +prayer was like himself, rough and earnest; Divine power came down upon +the little company, and tears of joy ran from all eyes. He selected a +lesson with which he was familiar, and managed the reading very +creditably. Abe then took his text, the subject being Abraham offering +up his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. Just at that moment the Rev. J. +Curtis came into the service. Now the unexpected appearance of the +Superintendent Minister, under circumstances like those, would have +unnerved most young preachers, but it had no such effect on Abe; he no +sooner set his eyes on him, than he said, "Naa thaa sees I'm at it, +we're just baan off to Mount Moriah, and thaa mun goa too," and off he +went in a style peculiarly his own. +</P> + +<P> +He drew some very amusing pictures of the patriarch, his son, and the +young men preparing for the journey; he had Abraham ordering the +servant men to do this, fetch that, undo something else; he had a deal +of trouble in saddling the asses, those animals exhibiting the +obstinate tendencies for which their descendants are even yet so +renowned; all was at length ready, Abraham and his attendants were +mounted and setting off, when the door was again opened, and in walked +the Rev. G. Bradshaw, the young minister. At sight of him Abe shouted, +"Aye, lad, thaa art baan to be too late, we've gotten th' mules saddled +and had a'most gone withaat thee, but niver moind, thaa mun catch a +mule for theesen, and come on behind." So away they went, Abe taking +the lead, and the people mentally following. +</P> + +<P> +He preached them such a sermon as they had never heard in their +lives—nor anybody else. Now they laughed at his odd sayings and +grotesque pictures, and then with melting feelings they praised God as +they listened to some of the simple yet truly beautiful sayings which +fell from his lips. As a sermon, there was enough to find fault with, +for he knew nothing about the art of sermonizing, and cared as little; +but it was so full of homely truth and spiritual feeling, that every +one, ministers not excepted, forgave the faults, and said it was a +means of grace. +</P> + +<P> +In this way Abe continued for some time, occasionally preaching without +being officially recognized, but at length his name was placed on the +plan as a local preacher on trial. When the term of his probation was +almost expired, Abe was required to preach one week-night in High +Street Chapel, Huddersfield. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +HIS TRIAL SERMON. +</H3> + +<P> +It was a terrible trial for him, which appears strange, considering how +easy he felt when the Circuit ministers heard him in the little room at +Paddock, yet so it was; and as the time came on, Abe thought he never +could show his face in High Street. Had it been anywhere else he would +not have cared, but he had a dread of the Circuit Chapel. He had gone +to several of the country places during the year, and sometimes did +very well; but then, he felt at home among the plain village people; +they could understand his broad vernacular, and make allowance for his +blunders, which he knew were not a few, but in High Street everything +was different. He thought they could not exercise the same forbearance +towards him, and so he shrank from the task. +</P> + +<P> +But then he remembered it was not a place of his own seeking; that it +was a trial which other plain men had undergone before him, and would +do again, and he could not expect more favour than his brethren; so he +must go and do his best, trusting in the Lord for help. And that +evening Sally brushed him up, and had his clogs polished, and away he +went to Huddersfield. There was a good congregation to hear him, and +among others several local preachers. Abe was very nervous, and +everything around conspired to make him so. He was in High Street +Chapel, awful; he had to preach, worse; to preach a trial sermon, worse +than ever; before all these grand folks, and in the presence of the +Superintendent, it was blinding, sickening, confounding. He started at +the sound of his own voice, and when he tried to speak, he somehow said +just what he didn't intend, and made more mistakes than he had either +time or sense to rectify; then, whenever he moved his feet, his clogs +clamped on the floor in such a way as he had never heard them anywhere +else; he was in a fever of excitement and fear. However, he had to +preach; so having announced his text, he commenced his sermon, but it +was evidently hard for him to say anything; he tried and tried, rolled +his eyes up and all around, clasped his hands, uttered a few sentences, +scratched his head, and exclaimed, "Friends, I'm plogged" (meaning he +could not go on), "she weant goa; if this is preaching trial sermon, +I'll niver try another; we'll be like to swap texts" (try another +text). Now while he was finding another text, the congregation sang a +hymn, and by the time this was done, Abe was ready with his text, which +he announced and again started to speak, but with no greater success, +for it seemed as if all his ideas were gone wool-gathering. He +coughed, stammered, and sweat at every pore, but brought forth nothing +else; an encouraging word or two from one of the brethren was very +welcome at that moment, for looking towards him, Abe said, "She weant +goa, but we'll try another." +</P> + +<P> +Twice breaking down in one service would have satisfied any ordinary +man in his circumstances, and so daunted many as that they would never +have been heard of again; but Abe was no ordinary man, and was not soon +killed; he had come there to try to preach, and it was evident to +everyone that he was trying; he knew that if he made another attempt he +could not do worse than he had done, and he might do better, and if he +did break down there would not be anything very unusual in it, seeing +it would make the third time, so he found another text and announced +it. Everybody was wide awake and ready for another stop, but Abe +smiled, brightened up, and went on; "She's baan to goa this time, I do +believe," said he, and so it proved, for when he got into his subject +he spoke very fluently, sensibly, and naturally, and all present felt +that Abe could preach when he got started, and how could he or any one +else preach without starting? +</P> + +<P> +A short time after this eventful service Abe had to pass through +another trying ordeal. His case had to come before the Circuit +quarterly meeting, the tribunal which has made many an innocent man +tremble. There he had to be examined as to his acquaintance with and +belief in the Methodist doctrines, rules, etc. What may have been the +merits of this examination we are unable to state; probably there was a +good deal of leniency shown by the meeting towards Abe. If he was +deficient on some points, he compensated in others; if he could not +define and defend all the articles of our faith, he could believe them +as fully as any one else; be that as it may, there was no serious +objection taken to him on the ground of his examination, but the affair +of the trial sermon was not so soon got over, and a good deal of +special pleading had to be done for him by his friends, which is no +unusual thing when the merits of a candidate are under discussion. +That "swapping of texts" no less than three times was a very +extraordinary feature in the case, and called forth some severe +censures. A man that did so could not be fit to come on the Circuit +plan as an accredited local preacher, so some in the meeting felt and +said; but others thought differently; they could not but admit that +under the circumstances he had done a good thing even in changing texts +the third time, and why impeach the man for doing a good thing? The +man who changes horses in crossing a stream may incur great risks; but +if the horse he is riding be sinking under him, he must change seats or +sink too, and this is just what Abe did, and the outcome showed that he +did the best thing, for the third horse carried him over. He at least +possessed an amount of perseverance which few men in similar +circumstances would have exhibited; then he must not be estimated +solely by what he was when under trial in High Street chapel. How had +he done in other places? Here the tide began to tell in his favour, as +first one and then another spoke in commendation of his labour in other +places, and at length Brother Haigh rose and said, "Abe Lockwood was +with me on Sunday night at Mills Bridge; I heard him preach, and he did +my soul good. After the sermon an old man seventy years of age came +out, sought the Lord, and found Him; that old man was impressed under +Abe's sermon, which shows that God can do with his preaching. What +matter if he does sometimes break down in his sermons? he knows how to +break sinners down too, and after all, that is the best sort of +preaching." He was at once cordially received into the ranks of the +local preachers, and appeared as such in January 1837; and from that +time to the end of his life was as earnest, devoted, and popular as any +man among that band, as worthy a band of men as ever worked a Methodist +circuit. +</P> + +<P> +So Abe became a local preacher, and while he always felt and said that +the office honoured him, he, on the other hand, did his utmost to +honour the position which the Church had called him to occupy. +Methodism owes very much to those brave, earnest, and godly men who +have, during all her history, through all her struggles, laboured +cheerfully on, year after year, often at immense personal sacrifice and +suffering, carrying the tidings of salvation to outstanding districts, +which would seldom have heard the Gospel but for their disinterested +services. Their toils cannot have been for worldly honours, where +could they win them? They cannot have been for pecuniary gain, because +their labours have ever been gratuitous, and often expensive to +themselves;—pelted with hailstones, dripping with rain, torn by +storms, blistered with sun-heat, in all parts of the land, over miles +of barren hills and wild moor, through dirty lanes and new-ploughed +fields, giving ungrudgingly of their strength; Sunday after Sunday +leaving the home enjoyments of their family and the sanctuary to carry +the Gospel of Christ to those afar off. What will the Master do to +those brave labourers of His in the day of award? He will make them +great in the Kingdom of Heaven. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +In Practice. +</H3> + + +<P> +We may now consider that Abe had really commenced practice as a local +preacher, and before long the numerous demands made upon him +professionally showed the estimation in which he was held among the +people. But there was one thing which gave him considerable trouble, +and that was his preparation for the pulpit. This was a great toil to +him, but he counted himself abundantly rewarded when he found that God +made his simple, earnest sayings a blessing to the people to whom he +preached. Abe had no quiet room in his house into which he could +retire for the purpose of meditation. His home was full of children, +and each of the little rooms resounded with their merry or troubled +outcries from morning till night. His study was elsewhere. There was +one spot more sacred to him than any other in the world, and that was +at the old tree-root on Almondbury Common, where, years before, he +found the blessing of Divine pardon. To that Bethel he often turned +his steps, and there would he run through his sermons with no audience +but the old tree and the little brook; and although his earnest +addresses produced no manifest change either on the stoical old elm, or +the unstable stream, the practice of speaking did him good, and helped +to make him more effective when he came to address a more appreciative +assembly. +</P> + +<P> +His frequent visits to this sacred and secret spot began, by-and-by, to +be known among his acquaintances, and some of them determined to go and +watch him, and make fun of it. They accordingly went and hid +themselves where they could both see and hear all that passed. Abe +came and began the service, prayed and preached with great liberty, +considering the irresponsive audience before him; but while he was +preaching and pointing out the folly and danger of sin, and exhorting +to repentance, his words were reaching unknown ears, and searching +their way into more hearts than he was aware of. These spies were +caught in their own net; they felt the truth of the simple preaching. +They knew those words applied more to themselves than anything else. +They listened in fear and silence, and when they would gladly have got +beyond the sound of his voice, they dared not move lest he should +discover them, and make his discourse even more personal. When the +preacher had prayed earnestly, and had retired from his rural +sanctuary, the hidden and moveable part of his congregation were glad +to get away. Some of the callous ones endeavoured afterwards to chaff +Abe about the open-air service, but most of them were glad to say +nothing on the subject, inwardly determining never again to venture +profanely within the sacred precincts of the good man's sanctuary. +</P> + +<P> +Abe gradually grew in the esteem of the people throughout the entire +Circuit, so that his coming to preach was quite an event of interest +among them. They knew he was in earnest for his Master's glory; and +though he sometimes said and did things which some men would shrink +from, and some would condemn if done by others, no one was displeased +at them in little Abe. He was a favourite, and special privileges were +accorded him, so that he could say and do just as he pleased. He knew +this quite well, and, though he seldom fell into the error of using it +as a license, it had the effect of bringing him out in his own true +character. +</P> + +<P> +Sometimes he became very happy in the pulpit, and fairly jumped for +joy. He was preaching at Shepley, and, as was his frequent custom, he +had a brother local preacher in the pulpit with him, to assist in the +preliminary exercises. On this occasion our old friend T. Holden acted +as his curate. Abe was blessed with great liberty during the delivery +of the sermon: he wept, clapped his hands, stamped his feet, and +rattled his clogs together. Brother Holden shuffled about to make room +for him as well as he could in the narrow area of the pulpit, but he +was not quick enough; down came Abe's foot on the curate's toes, almost +capsizing the preacher, without in the least disconcerting him. "Moind +thee toas, lad, steam's up, I mun jump a bit." And he did jump, the +more freely, too, when his assistant retired from his exalted position, +and left him all the pulpit to himself. It is evident from this little +event just narrated, and others which might be given, that Abe did, in +time, overcome his nervousness in the pulpit; being "plogged," and +"breaking down," became things of the past, and he began to feel as +much at home in the pulpit as in his own house. So far did he show +that "practice makes perfect." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XII. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"Butterfly Preachers." +</H3> + + +<P> +Abe had no sympathy with men who allowed themselves to be called +preachers, and yet could treat with indifference the work which was +allotted to them on the Circuit plan; men who seldom made their minds +up to go to their work, until they saw what kind of weather it was +likely to be; men who didn't like going out in the rain for fear of +getting damp, nor in the wind because it exhausted them, nor in the sun +because it broiled them, nor in the dark for fear they might miss their +way. He called them "Butterfly preachers," and often declared he would +be ashamed to be counted among them. +</P> + +<P> +Yet he did not lay all the blame of their conduct upon the shoulders of +these men, because he thought the people helped in some measure to put +"butterfly notions" into their minds. If a good man came to his +appointment through the rain and wind, and got somewhat badly used by +the weather, someone was almost sure to say something to frighten and +dishearten him from ever doing so again. "Oh dear, have you come in +all this rain? Well, I hardly thought you would be here; nobody could +blame you for staying at home on such a day; you are very wet, you'll +be sure to take cold and be laid up," and Abe used to say that kind of +talk was enough to give a chill to any man, and tempt him to stay at +home next time for fear it might rain. +</P> + +<P> +It did not make any difference to him, however; he went in all +weathers, rain or sunshine, winter and summer. There is a little ditty +he used to sing— +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"Come rain or come blow,<BR> +A Methodist preacher, I must go."<BR> +</P> + +<P> +One Sunday morning he was planned to preach at Shepley, and it was +pouring down rain. He, however, set off under his umbrella; but long +before he reached his destination he was drenched to the skin. Prior +to going into the chapel he called at the house where he was going to +dine that day; the good woman was grieved to see him in such a +condition. "Dear me," said she, "you are almost drowned; come in, take +your wet clothes off, and go to bed." "Nay, nay," replied Abe, "yo' +mun't tak' me for a butterfly preacher; I'm noan going to bed i' +dayloight, I'm baan to praach." And turning to her husband, who was a +big man, he said, "Thaa mun lend me some o' thy claathes." The +proposal to adorn himself in his host's clothes seemed so ridiculous, +considering that Abe was a little man, that both husband and wife +laughed right out. "Aye," said the man, "thou would look a queer +butterfly going into th' pulpit in my wings." But Abe wasn't to be put +off: "Come," said he, "thaa mun foind me some o' thy claathes." They +found him a spare suit, and in a few minutes he came downstairs fully +attired, and presenting such a figure that the man and his wife were +almost ill with laughing at him. It signified nothing to Abe who +laughed or who didn't; off he went to chapel. He was a few minutes +late, and most of the congregation were in their places. He was +therefore very eager to get to the pulpit; but in going across the +chapel for this purpose, one of his borrowed shoes slipped off, which +brought him to a sudden standstill, and caused special attention to be +drawn to his singular outfit; and the moment the people comprehended +the state of things, it was impossible to suppress a laugh in old or +young; and yet while they laughed at his odd figure, their hearts +warmed towards him as they thought of his zeal in coming so far, on +such a day, to preach to them. +</P> + +<P> +That morning Abe had a good time in the pulpit. He was very lively, +and knocked about a good deal; but it was noticed that he had +frequently to be looking down on the pulpit floor, and shuffling about +with his feet. It afterwards came out, that, in his excited moments, +he had dropped his shoes off, and in getting them on again, had mixed +them, and put his feet into the wrong receptacles. This occasioned him +a considerable amount of inconvenience, which ultimately exhausted his +patience. He kicked the shoes aside, and said, "I have been trying all +th' mornin' to stand in another man's shoes, and I canna' manage it; +I'm in borrowed claathes, too, but, thank God, my sermon is my own." +This little diversion set him off in another direction, and he turned +the incident to such good and practical account, showing that Jesus +once stood in our place and bore our stripes, that many have long +remembered that service with very great pleasure. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TOILING ON. +</H3> + +<P> +On one occasion, when going to a distant appointment, his zeal was put +to the test in such a degree that surely he would have been excusable +if he had turned back and gone home again. Abe had a dread of +disappointing a congregation. He used to say, "If I slip them once, +two to one they'll pay me back; noa, I mun goa." +</P> + +<P> +He had to set out one Sunday morning in a pelting rain for a walk of +about six miles. It had been raining more or less for several days; +the roads were in a sad condition for a "travelling praacher," as he +often styled himself. The streams by the roadside were swollen over, +and pouring their abundance out on the highroad, until it was very +little better than a bog. Under these circumstances the wet soon found +its way through Abe's boots and clothes. "Ne'er moind," he said to +himself, "I'll find some dry claathes when I get there." So on he went +over the rough bleak hill that wouldn't afford shelter for a rabbit, +much less for a man, down the steep slope, through the running gutters +of water. "Aye dear," said he, "I'm weshing my feet withaat taking my +booits off." At the bottom of the hill, known as Stone's Wood Bottom, +he was brought to a standstill. Along this bottom runs the river which +takes the course of the valley through Berry Brow, before named; it was +here spanned by a good strong bridge, having a wall on either side. +The water in the river had risen so high with the rainfall, that it ran +right over the bridge at both ends, and threatened to carry it away; +all the low ground about the bridge was under water to some depth, and +hereby Abe was brought to a halt. His only way was over that bridge, +and now that was not available. "Well," thought he, "I'm done this +time; haa can I get over?" Further up and down the river was swollen, +over its boundaries, and was out into the fields, while at the bridge +it rushed along like a torrent. "Naa, Lord," Abe began, "Thaa knows +where I'm plann'd to-day, and Thaa knows this is my only rooad to th' +place; that's Thy watter, and I'm Thy sarvant; I mun be over somehaa; +tak' care o' my body while I try." And into the water he plunged, and +made straight for the bridge. On reaching this he tucked his umbrella +under one arm, and climbed up on the wall of the bridge, and scrambled +across on his hands and knees, while the torrent rushed along +underneath at a horse-pace. Had he fallen into the water he would +probably have been found drowned on one of the banks down the river, +but it was not permitted. "Bless the Lord," he exclaimed, when he was +safe on the other side, "I'm over! Ah! but I'll do better nor that +when I come to pass the swellings o' Jordan! Hallelujah! I'll go over +Jordan withaat wetting a threead on me!" +</P> + +<P> +So thou wilt, Abe. Jordan's waves could not harm a brave, God-fearing, +and God-honouring man like thee; they know a true-born saint by the +tramp of his foot in the darkest night of death, and on his approach, +they fall back into line like Royal Guards when the king goes past. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"Though waves and storms go o'er my head,<BR> +Though strength, and health, and friends be gone;<BR> +Though joys be withered all and dead,<BR> +Though every comfort be withdrawn;<BR> +On this my steadfast soul relies,<BR> +Father, Thy mercy never dies."<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIII. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Various Ways out of Difficulties. +</H3> + + +<P> +Almost any one can get into trouble, but it is not always so easy for +any one to get out again. Abe knew both ways,—the way in and the way +out,—and many a time he had to run the gauntlet, and save himself as +best he could. +</P> + +<P> +There is an amusing story told of a little passage which the Rev. P. J. +Wright once had with him. They met on a Sunday morning at the Honley +railway station. Mr. Wright was at that time Superintendent of the +Circuit, and was on his way to preach at Woodroyd, whilst Abe was going +to Honley on a similar errand. After exchanging the ordinary +salutations, the reverend gentleman said, "Well, Abe, what are you +going to give them at Honley this morning?" On being informed of Abe's +subject, he further inquired how he intended to treat it; whereupon his +companion began to give an outline of his sermon. When he had +finished, his interrogator rejoined, "Why, you are wrong, altogether, +Abe, you must change the order of your divisions, and put the first +last, and the last first; you have got the cart before the horse." +"Ne'er moind," said Abe, "I'll back her up th' hill. Good-morning, +sir." "Cart before the horse" was no insuperable difficulty with Abe; +he knew how to manage his own pony, and must drive in his own way; he +was not very particular which came first so long as he could "mak' her +goa." He took what suited his mind best, and paid very little +attention to the rules of sermonizing; he was in this respect a law +unto himself, and the favour with which his humble ministrations were +received was a sufficient excuse for him. +</P> + +<P> +We have heard a sermon described as a thing having three or more heads; +it is said to be sometimes altogether void of body or matter of any +sort; at other times it appears as a skeleton, without form or +comeliness, having only the barest outline. Perhaps this in some +measure explains why some people so seldom attend our places of +worship; they fear to come <I>within the reach</I> of a sermon, and +therefore stay away,—they have heard of some persons that have been +<I>actually struck</I> with a sermon, and of others <I>being fastened to their +seats</I> by it; how dreadful! Ah, anything will do for an excuse when +people don't want to go to the Lord's house; "a poor excuse is said to +be better than none at all," but in this case we doubt the wisdom of +that saying. +</P> + +<P> +Abe Lockwood was not very particular about the number of heads in his +sermons, or whether they had any heads at all; his care was that the +sermon should have some soul in it, wherefrom mainly resulted his power +in the pulpit. +</P> + +<P> +There is sometimes very great danger of sermonizing all the force out +of a discourse; making it so very proper that it serves more as an +ornament than a thing of practical use; it appears more a work of <I>art</I> +than a work of <I>heart</I>. Abe didn't profess to understand the rules of +sermonizing, nor did he make any particular effort in that direction; +as may be supposed, therefore, he was often disconnected and irregular, +but he knew nothing about it, and nobody else cared; people liked him +as he was. His sentences were not like beautiful stones turned and +polished by the hand of a lapidary, but they were rough lumps, in all +shapes, broken from the great rock of Gospel truth, having their sharp +points and jagged edges on them; the consequence being that when slung +from the hand of this humble champion they left a mark wherever they +struck. He didn't care for that round, smooth kind of preaching which +always rolls off; he liked the word to strike, mark, and abide where it +fell. He had no sympathy with high-flown sermons which shut out the +Cross of Jesus and those good old Gospel truths associated with that +dear emblem of God's love to the world. If such a discourse were +delivered in his hearing he was sure to say something about it. +"Praacher brought us a lot of butterflies and fancy birds and let 'em +fly abaat th' chapel, and while we wore starin' abaat after th' birds, +we niver gat a soight o' th' Cross." +</P> + +<P> +A young student from Ranmoor College came to preach at Berry Brow. Abe +was in the vestry waiting to see him before he went into the pulpit. +He shook him warmly by the hand and blessed him, then added in his own +droll but kind way, "Naa, my lad, don't let's hav' ony starry heavens +t' day, tak' us t' th' Cross!" Had Abe known this young man he would +also have known there was no need to exhort him to "tak' them t' th' +Cross." The fact was, Abe didn't want to follow any astronomical +preacher all through the heavens, striding from star to star with +scales in his hand trying their weight, sizes, and distances! "The +Cross" was his watchword and rallying-point; there he loved to begin, +and there he would always end. Christ the Redeemer was his star, and +in the clear unclouded view of that Divine orb he was happy whoever was +the preacher. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"PUCKER IT IN, LADS." +</H3> + +<P> +In his pulpit exercises Abe generally enjoyed great self-command, and +things which would have disabled many a man in the same position, had +little or no effect on him. This was not always the case, as we shall +have occasion to show, but usually nothing disturbed the even balance +of his mind. We have already seen how if a text "wouldn't goa," he +could "swap" for another that would "goa." So if he failed to get hold +of a thought which had been in his mind before, he did not trouble +himself about the matter; he would just tell the people "he had +forgotten th' next idea," and then pass on to something else. +</P> + +<P> +His self-possession stood him in good stead one day, and helped to +carry others through a trouble as well. He was in one of the country +pulpits, and had just announced the second hymn, which was a long +metre. The choir commenced to sing a common metre tune to the hymn, +but before they had got through the second line they found out the +mistake, and one after another dropped their voices and ceased to sing. +One tenacious brother, who did not like to be beaten, held on, and made +a jumble of the words for a few moments, and then he stopped; whereupon +Abe clapped his hands, and turning around to the choir, he exclaimed, +"Ne'er moind, lads, pucker it in! pucker it in! Onybody can mak' a +long metre tune goa to a long metre hymn, but yo' mun beat that," and +then he joined heartily in the puckering exercise, and helped them +through their trouble. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"BREAD OF LIFE FREE." +</H3> + +<P> +At another time he had been preaching about the Gospel being the bread +of life for the world, and showing up its qualities and worth; +especially did he dwell upon its freeness for all, that it could be had +"without money and without price;" this was his last point, and he made +much of it. Now it so happened that immediately on concluding his +sermon he had to announce a collection. On sitting down in the pulpit +while it was being made, the thought flashed into his mind that he had +contradicted his own teachings by announcing that collection. He knew +where the snare had come from, and at once in his own way broke it +asunder. Rising again to his feet and bending over the pulpit front, +he cast his eyes around the chapel as if trying to find someone. "I +know that voice," he began, "it's the devil's." Every eye was on him +in a moment. "What does thaa say?" "That I ha' not been spaking th' +truth, because I telled them th' bread of life wor free, and naa I'm +asking th' people to pay for it. Thaa knaws as weall as I do th' bread +is FREE, but we mun pay for th' baking. Mak' th' collection, friends, +to pay for th' baking, and ne'er moind him." We need hardly say the +people gave willingly to this collection, for they knew very well that +though the Gospel was free to the whole world, expenses were incurred +in carrying on God's work which they should help to disburse, so Abe +got out of that difficulty. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED." +</H3> + +<P> +The Wesleyan Superintendent Minister was planned to preach one +week-night near Berry Brow, and on some account he could not attend. A +substitute had to be found, and Abe was waited on during the day, to +see if he would act in that capacity. "I'll try," he said, and +accordingly when the time came he set out for the chapel. Some of the +congregation knew who was to preach, others did not. At length the +door opened, and in walked Abe, and made straight for the pulpit, +clamp, clamp, with his wooden clogs on the floor and up the pulpit +stairs. He began the service with the usual smile on his face; then he +announced his text, "My God shall supply all your need," and closed the +Bible as he always did as soon as the text was read. "Naa," said he, +"I knaw some o' yo are disappointed at seeing me here instead of your +praacher, but it was oather me or nobody. Naa, if th' travelling +praacher had come to-noight, he moight easily ha' praached a much +better sermon than I can, but I'll defy him or onybody else to foind a +grander text than this; it's a raight un, and it's your own fault if +you doan't get some good aat on't: if the Lord had thought you <I>needed</I> +it, He would have sent you somebody better than me, for He will supply +all your need." The congregation saw at once the condition they would +have been in if Abe had not come to their help. They smiled at his +remarks, and from that moment forgot their disappointment, nor did they +think of it again during all that service. Thus Abe's tact in managing +people helped him happily through this difficulty, as it had through +many others in his lifetime. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIV. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Abe's Titles and Troubles. +</H3> + + +<P> +It is time we said something on this subject, as we are come to the +stage in his life when he began to be known by various dignified +ecclesiastical titles. He loved his own plain name, Abe Lockwood, +better than any other, and therefore wanted no improvement. That was +the name in the roll of the Church, and that was the name written in +the Lamb's book of life; he wanted no other. If any one addressed him +as Mr. Lockwood he would often break in, "They call me Abe Lockwood!" +and this was no pretended humility on his part, but the expression of a +sincere preference for the name by which he had always been known among +his friends: but the time came when it was impossible for him to resist +the universal custom of saluting him by some title, so he had to yield +to the inevitable. +</P> + +<P> +A story is told, how that on one occasion a parcel of clothes came to +the house for his wife and children. It was wrapped in strong brown +paper, and on the address-label was written "Abraham Lockwood, Esq." +Soon after this, he was taking part in a public meeting in the place +from which the present was supposed to have come, and in his speech he +thanked the unknown donor; and having done this, he proceeded to +correct a mistake which, he said, had occurred; the person who sent him +that parcel had addressed him as Esquire. "Naa," said he, "I doan't +stand much upon titles, but if I am to have ony, I think I ought to +have what falls to me by my birth. Yo' know, I'm a Prince of th' Royal +Family, I'm a King's Son, my Father is th' King of Glory, and no man +can say that, unless he is born of God, and I am, Hallelujah!" +Although there may not be anything original in this, yet the happy way +in which he worked it into his speech, and the use he made of it to +show the necessity of the new birth, was exceedingly pleasing. +</P> + +<P> +The title of "Bishop," or "Bishop of Berry Brow," was one of those by +which he became familiarly known. This arose out of the position he +held in the society there, almost like that of father among the +members, and also from the amount of preaching he did all over the +Circuit. Although this very reverend title brought him no increase to +his stipend, nor any change in his social standing, it helped to show +the general feeling with which he was everywhere regarded. +</P> + +<P> +But the designation by which he was most familiarly known was "LITTLE +ABE." This came into every-day use, and was unconsciously adopted by +almost every person either in speaking to him, or speaking of him. +Even the little children in the streets and in the Sunday Schools, +hearing it from their elders, insensibly fell into the habit of styling +him "Little Abe." +</P> + +<P> +As this title is somewhat expressive of size, it may be well to convey +some idea of +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ABE'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE +</H3> + +<P> +He was below the average height and of slender build, yet withal a +tough little man, and capable of performing as much work, and enduring +as great fatigue, as men who are much bigger and stouter made. Abe +used playfully to say, "Good stuff is mostly wrapped in small parcels." +"A penny is a great deal bigger than a sovereign, but yo' all know +which to tak' when yo' have your choice." "I'm nobbut a little un, but +bless God, I'm big enough for th' Holy Ghost to dwell in." "I doan't +tak' up much room in th' world, but I'm as happy as if I were as big as +Berry Braa Church." "I'm a little un mysen, but my Father is greater +than all." +</P> + +<P> +His face was one of the happiest it was ever our good fortune to meet +with. A smooth, round, ruddy, comfortable face, over which the razor +had almost unlimited sway; his mouth was always in shape for a smile; +his eyes were of a light blue colour, and twinkled with life and +vivacity; his hair was always brushed back behind his ears, terminating +behind in a pretty little natural curl and whether it had the black +gloss of his younger days, or the snowy white of old age, it was always +neat and orderly. In early life he was very proud of his hair, and +bestowed a great deal of care in its cultivation and arrangement. When +he became converted, Abe's hair underwent a marvellous change. The +beautiful locks which had been so much admired and preserved with such +care, were roughly taken off by the family scissors and thrown into the +fire, and while they frizzled into smoke, Abe felt he had done the +right thing in casting down every idol and putting away every mark of +pride. Many and many a time in after years would he say to his wife, +"Naa then, lass, where's th' shears? Thaa mun clip my locks agean. +Samson gat clipt by his wife, and he were worth nought after, but thy +shears mak's me strong." Then Sally would gently snip the ends of the +curling fringe all around, while Abe, by way of encouraging her, would +put in, "We mun shun th' appearance of evil, thaa knows; cut a bit +more, lass;" and then she would very reluctantly sever another lock or +two, until he could be persuaded enough was taken off. +</P> + +<P> +Abe was in the latter part of his life particularly neat in his attire, +wearing an orthodox suit of black cloth, and cut in the Methodist +preacher style. He wasn't at all sparing in white neckcloth, for he +wore one that travelled around and around his neck in such profusion, +that it might have been intended as an extra security against the loss +of his head. Altogether he was quite the type of an old-fashioned +Methodist preacher. In the pulpit his appearance was exceedingly +prepossessing; he always had a smile on his face while talking, as if +he thoroughly enjoyed the good news he was telling to others. In +beginning to speak, or when about to say something which he thought +particularly good, he had a way of holding his head a little over on +one side, and clapping his hands together. These movements, +accompanied with an occasional shrug of his shoulders, were among the +general signs that the "Little Bishop" was having a good time, and when +Abe was happy in his work, everyone that heard him had a liberal share +of enjoyment and profit as well. But of course, like other men, he +sometimes felt the misery of preaching in what he quaintly and +appropriately called +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"THE TIGHT JACKET." +</H3> + +<P> +Taking into account the want of education from which he suffered, the +disadvantages he was at in preparing for his public duties, as well as +other occasional depressing circumstances, we cannot wonder that he +should sometimes have been the subject of the most painful restraints, +likened by him to a "tight jacket." There was a wonderful difference +in his preaching when he had one of these "hard times," and when he +enjoyed liberty. If in the latter mood, as was generally the case, his +tongue was like the pen of a ready writer, and streams of beautiful +truth, sparkling with pious humour and accompanied with striking +original illustrations, would pour from his lips; but if he had the +"tight jacket" on, he could scarcely say anything, and it was a pain to +listen to him. +</P> + +<P> +Poor Abe had one of these "pulpit fevers" in Salem Chapel one day, and +Sally, his wife, was there; she sat all the time in a nervous torment, +and as soon as he had finished, she rushed off out of the place ashamed +of him. Dear woman, her homely criticisms were sometimes very severe +upon him, partly because she was jealous for his reputation, and partly +because she so loved him, and that was her way of showing the ardour of +her affection; she used a liberty which by some universal law falls to +the right of all affectionate wives whose husbands are preachers, and +she occasionally said some very terrible things to him about his +sermons. On this particular day, therefore, Abe knew pretty well that +when he got home he would get something besides his dinner. He winced +as he thought about it, and made the walk home as long as he could, in +the hope that something might cool down a bit; however, he had to go +in, so, shrinking into the smallest possible dimensions, he glided +silently into the house, hung up his hat, and sat down. Sally was in a +flutter, she was full, it must come:—"What hast ta been trying to do +this mornin'?" she began, looking hard at him. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, I couldn't mak' her goa a bit somehaa," meekly replied her good +man. +</P> + +<P> +"Goa! No, haa does th' think she could goa, thaa niver gat her on her +feet." +</P> + +<P> +Abe made no response, but sat mute in his misery, and poor Sally felt a +reaction setting in, which made her feel as if she had allowed her +ardent affection for him to carry her too far. Meanwhile, she was +bustling about preparing the dinner, and when all was ready, she went +over to him, and kissed his forehead, adding, "Naa, lad, come and get +th' dinner, and don't moind what folk say; thaa'll do better next +toime, th' Lord help the'." Abe was healed by a touch. +</P> + +<P> +Ah, but he didn't like those dry, hard times, when he couldn't find a +handful of green-meat to give to the Lord's dear sheep, and it would +trouble him deeply to think that he had led the flock to expect green +pasture, whereas he had only brought them to feed among rocks and +stones. Then the old enemy would beset him, and say what an old fool +he was to think he could preach; that the people only laughed at him +and made sport of his sayings, and that he had better give up +preaching, and try no more. But Abe would say, "Why, devil, thaa 'rt +vary much troubled abaat my praaching; if I'm such an old fool as thaa +mak's aat, I canna do the' so much harm." But all the banter and +strife he had with the devil did not conquer that arch-enemy; talking +to him is mostly waste time and ill-spent breath; there is another way +which a good man has of finding relief; he can go to God in prayer. +This was Abe's sure refuge; here he vented his trouble, here he got +comfort, here he gained fresh strength, and when he came warm from the +closet struggle to the pulpit work he was another man. After passing +through one of these temptations, he was almost sure to tell the +people, the next time he preached, how the devil had harassed him, and +wanted him to give up preaching, but how the Lord had bidden him to go +on, and on he would go and did; his restraints were broken, his tongue +loosed, and his soul fired, it was a joy to hear him then. +</P> + +<P> +He was one day rejoicing in his regained liberty, when he said, "Aye, +bless yo', I wor as fast as a thief in a man-trap; I couldn't get away +till th' Lord came and let me aat." And then turning upon the unsaved +part of his congregation, he used a simile, which, on his behalf, I +claim to be original if not elegant. Said he, "Yo' may think I was +fast enough, but let me tell yo', not hoalf as fast as some of yo' +sinners. Yo' are like a flee" (fly) "in a treacle-pot; the more he +kicks the faster he sticks." And there was truth in the saying, and +although the figure might amuse, the moral would remain in many a mind +for after-thought. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE BLACK CLOTH SUIT. +</H3> + +<P> +When Abe had been some time preaching, and was making a good name for +himself in the Circuit, a desire began to be felt by many of the +friends to hear him in High Street Chapel, Huddersfield. This was +before the present splendid sanctuary was erected. Accordingly when +the next plan came out, he was appointed to take a Sunday morning +service. Many a time did he tell of the consternation both he and +Sally felt on making this discovery. He was sitting at the end of the +table one evening with the plan in his hand marking off his work, and +his wife was busy about something in the room, when, all at once, Abe +exclaimed, "Eh, lass, what dost ta think they've done?" +</P> + +<P> +Sally looked rather startled and said, "Who? what?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, they've plann'd me in High Street on a Sunday mornin'." +</P> + +<P> +"Niver!" gasped Sally, coming to look at the plan herself; "where is +it?" +</P> + +<P> +He placed his finger on the number which indicated his work, and she +saw it was a fact. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," she said, "thaa canna goa; thaa has no claathes fit to wear +amang them grand foak." +</P> + +<P> +Now Abe would never have given his clothes a thought if she had not +brought the matter before his mind in the way she did; now, however, he +remembered his coloured suit and his thick boots, and felt they were +scarcely befitting the place he was called to occupy, however well they +might do among plain people in the country places. At length he said, +"But if I'm plann'd, I mun goa, and if they don't loike my claathes, I +canna help 't." Meanwhile the date of the High Street event drew near, +and the following Sunday would find "Little Abe" at his post of duty. +He was far more anxious about his work than his appearance, so that all +the care on this matter fell upon his wife. She was bothered sadly +about his clothes. Saturday came, and, poor thing, she was bestowing +especial attention upon his old coat, mending button-holes, cleaning +spots out, brushing, shaking, and scrutinizing the old garments as she +had never done before. That evening they were sitting together, just +before Abe went out to the Band Meeting in the Chapel; a loud knock +came to the door. In a moment Sally opened it, and a man handed her a +large parcel, simply saying, "That's for Mr. Lockwood," and immediately +went away. +</P> + +<P> +"What's this?" exclaimed Sally, feeling and patting the parcel. +</P> + +<P> +"Nay, lass, don't ask me; thaa mun open 't, and then I'll tell the'." +</P> + +<P> +A table-knife soon severed the string by which it was tied, and the +good woman proceeded with nervous fingers to unfold the wrapping, and +out came a black cloth suit for her husband. Neither of them could +speak for a moment or two; she lifted her apron to wipe her eyes; Abe's +lip quivered, and his eyes brimmed over; he couldn't help it, big round +tears fell on his clasped hands as they rested on the table; both of +them looked at the parcel. "Does the' see that?" at length said Sally; +"thaa'll look loike a travelling praacher naa, lad." +</P> + +<P> +That broke the spell. Up jumped Abe and began to leap about the house, +clapping, rubbing his hands, and blessing the Lord. All the children +joined the chorus, laughing, jumping, and shouting "Daddy's got some +new claathes! Daddy's got some new claathes!" and poor Sally, full of +smiles, holding up one garment after another, kept interjecting, "Well +I niver!" "Law me!" "Eh, dear!" Abe's heart was full, and he must +needs empty it before Him who had inclined some unknown friend to send +this handsome and appropriate present just at the right time. From an +inner room the voice of the good man was heard going up to God in +grateful acknowledgment of His kindness; and the children were hushed +into quietness hushed,—hushed while Daddy was praying. The next day +Abe appeared in his new clerical attire, and from that time was never +without the requisite black cloth suit in which to go about his beloved +Master's work. Oh, how much we may learn from a little incident like +this—how much of humble trust in God under all the circumstances of +life, how much assurance that "your heavenly Father knoweth ye have +need of these things," and that "My God will supply all your need!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XV. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A Basket of Fragments. +</H3> + + +<P> +The fame of "Little Abe" was not confined to his own Circuit, it spread +among the villages and towns for many miles around, so that he was +greatly sought after to preach anniversary and other sermons, and +wherever he went the people felt he was "a man sent from God." There +are some who well remember his first visit to Elland, and the +delightful day they had with him in the Lord's house. His text was, +"My God shall supply all your need." He read these words, and then +clapped his hands together, while his face beamed with smiles. "Well," +said he, "do you want me to praach ony after that? what can onybody say +after Paul spakes? He says everything with once opening his maath; +with one scratch of his wonderful pen, he writes more than I could +spake in a lifetoime, if I were left to mysen, 'My God shall supply all +your need.' Friends, there's nowt left, yo've gotton all in that, +ivery thing yo' need, and I reckon you'r weel off." +</P> + +<P> +From this simple and easy beginning, he gradually got away into his +subject, explaining, illustrating, and applying his text in a way that +warmed every heart. He was condemning the want of faith which +characterized some professors: "Bless yo'," he said, "sooiner than aar +God would see His faithful children want, He would mak' apple-dumplins +grow on ash-trees." And then he exclaimed, "Don't yo' believe these +words? Ah, 'tis nowt unless yo' believe; you might be eating th' +dumplins and smackin' your lips on th' apples, but if you doan't +believe, yo'll say it's a dream. Wake up, and believe naa, and you'll +foind your maath is full of good things." +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"DISH-CLOTH." +</H3> + +<P> +I have said that some of Abe's similes were not very elegant, and when +the following is related, my readers will agree with me; but they were +well understood by the people among whom they were uttered. Speaking +one day of the pardoning mercy of God, and showing that He does not +grudgingly forgive the penitent sinner, Abe said, "Yo' womenfolk know +haa to wesh a pie-dish, I reckon? Yo'll tak' th' dish and put it into +th' hot waiter, and then tak' dish-cloth and rub it raand and raand, +insoide and aatsoide, till it's clean, and then yo'll wipe it wi' a +clean towel, and mak' it look just loike a bron new dish; and that's +haa th' Lord does wi' a poor sinner: He gies him a plunge into th' +Gospel fountain, weshes all his sins away, and brings him aat a bron +new man." An old woman sitting there caught the figure in a moment, +and responded energetically, "Maa th' Lord tak' th' dishcloth and wipe +some aat here t'-noight!" "Amen," exclaimed "the Bishop." +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"TASTE AND TRY." +</H3> + +<P> +Abe's remarks on Psalm xxxiv. 8, "O taste and see that the Lord is +good," etc., were very characteristic. "David was nooan a bad man to +deal with; he didn't try to deceive onybody and mak' them believe a +lie, like th' devil does; he says, yo' may 'taste and see.' Naa, that +ought to satisfy yo' particular talk; yo' loike to taste th' butter and +cheese afore you buy, and if it's gooid, you say, 'I'll tak' a pund o' +that;' naa, then, come and try if th' Lord is gooid. Aye, bless yo', +He is gooid! He's as fresh as th' morning dew, and sweet as new +cream," and then with a quaint look he would add, "and there's a deal +more on Him than you often foind on your milk." +</P> + +<P> +He used to say that religion could be tested in two ways;—you can +taste it yoursen, and you can see it in others. See what it has done +for your neighbours—how it has changed th' lion into a lamb, th' +raving sot into a sober and happy man; weshed th' tongue and purified +th' heart o' th' blasphemer, and filled th' maath of the dumb with +songs of thanksgiving, see!—"See that the Lord is good!" Then raising +his voice and reaching out his arm he would exclaim, "There's noan so +bloind as those that weant see! but remember, yo' weant always be able +to play th' bloind man, God will crack a thunderbolt close to your ear +some day, and yo'll open your eyes to see th' judgment before yo', and +then what will yo' say?" +</P> + +<P> +His only aim in what he said was to reach the people's hearts and bring +them to decision for Christ; that was the reward he coveted, nothing +more, nothing less; only let him see sinners coming to Jesus, and he +was happy. He would stay all night by a penitent, and never leave +until he knew the poor soul was safe in the kingdom of God. Time was +nothing to him; the long, dark journey home brought no misgivings to +his mind. When his work was done, and another soul safe in the arms of +Jesus, the humble village preacher would take his stick, or, as he +sometimes called it, his pony, and set off home, where many a time he +arrived faint and tired in the dead of the night, but with his soul +full of that peace which only a man feels who has ungrudgingly laid his +last remnant of energy at the feet of his Divine Master. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"WHO'S BEEN HERE?" +</H3> + +<P> +"Little Abe" used everything that came to hand in order to make the +Gospel plain, and enforce its teachings upon his hearers. Zeal for the +work, and a devout bias to his mind, enabled him to find religious +teaching in many things, wherein perhaps others would never have +discovered any. +</P> + +<P> +He was in one of his sermons exhorting the people to watch against the +devil, lest he should gain an entrance to their hearts and spoil the +work of God. "Naa," said he, "I'll tell yo' some'at. Aar lads" (his +own sons) "took a fancy for a bit of garden; we had a little patch of +graand by aar haase; well, they set to wark, mended th' fence all +raand, dug up th' soil, threw aat th' stones and rubbish, raked it over +and marked it aat into beds, and planted flaars, and you may depend t' +lads wor praad o' their wark; for mony a week they kept doin a bit +noights and mornin's to keep it raight. By-and-bye, flaars came into +bloom, pinks, panseys, and other things came aat all over th' garden; +weren't they praad naa, and so wor I. One mornin', just afore we were +going t' th' mill, th' big lad went aat to look at th' garden a minute, +and th' first words he said wor, 'Who's been here? Who's been here?' +Aat I went, and I wor raight grieved to see all th' garden spoilt, +flaars broken off, little beds trampled aat o' shape, and th' wark of +months all undone. I saw in a minute haa it wor: an owd ass had gotten +in during th' noight and done all th' mischief. 'Haa could he get in,' +said th' lad, 'th' fence was all roight and safe?' But I said, 'Did ta +fasten th' gate last noight?' He looked at th' gate and said, 'I don't +knaw, father.' Ah, that wor it, there wor his foot-tracks through th' +gateway. Ah, friends, the devil is like an owd ass, goin' skulking and +shuffling abaat in th' dark when other folks are in bed sleeping, and +he is always trying to get into th' Lord's garden and spoil th' flaars; +yo' may mend th' fence as much as yo loike, but if you don't fasten th' +gate, he'll be in and undo all th' good wark in your hearts. Shut th' +gate, and fasten it; nail it up, raather than let th' owd cuddy get in; +he hates everything that is good in nature and grace; he'll spoil th' +best wark of God in a single noight; th' track of his owd hoof means +mischief, and one of his kicks would lame onybody; keep th' devil aat +o' th' heart, fence it raand with prayer; watch against th' enemy, and +you'll be roight noight and day." +</P> + +<P> +"When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace" +(Luke xi. 21). +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"ELLOW! WHO'S THERE." +</H3> + +<P> +Abe had a very quaint and original way of rendering the parable of our +Lord on the importunate neighbour (Luke xi. 5). +</P> + +<P> +"There was a good man who said one noight to his wife, 'Naa, lass, we +mun be getting to bed, I ha' to be up i' th' mornin' i' good toime.' +'Aye,' she said, 'thaa has?' So she put supper things away, and then +she and th' childer sat daan while th' good man read a chapter i' God's +Book; then they all knelt together at the family altar, and committed +their souls to the keeping of Him who never slumbers nor sleeps. In a +little while after that they were all in bed and th' candle blown aat; +they were just settling daan into sleep, when there came a loud +knocking at th' front door, ran, tan, tan, tan. 'Ellow! who's there?' +exclaimed th' good man of th' haase as he raised himself up in bed. +</P> + +<P> +"'It's me!' answered a voice from th' aatside. +</P> + +<P> +"'Me, who's me?' +</P> + +<P> +"'I'm th' neighbour, thaa knaws.' +</P> + +<P> +"'Aye, and a bonny neighbour thaa is to be comin' here knocking up sich +a row at this toime o' th' noight.' +</P> + +<P> +"'Why, I'm vary sorry,' chimes in th' voice aatsoide, 'vary sorry to +trouble you, but a friend o' mine that's on a journey, has just come to +aar haase, and wants his supper and a noight's lodgings, and we ha'nt a +morsel o' bread to set before him, and I want to knaw if thaa'll lend +us a loaf till my wife bakes.' +</P> + +<P> +"'Get away hoam wi' the',' replied the man of th' haase. 'I'm i' bed, +and canna be bothered; candle's aat, and we ha' no matches upstairs; go +home and come agean in th' mornin', and I'll lend the' some. Remember +me to the' friend, good-noight:' whereupon he shuffles daan into bed +agean, and tries to compose himsen to sleep. +</P> + +<P> +"But th' man aatsoide has been and fetched a big thick stick, and with +this he starts to hammer th' door laader than ever, till he startles +all th' sleepers in th' haase. +</P> + +<P> +"'Naa then, what's th' matter?' shaats th' man from insoide, 'I thought +thaa war gone hoam.' +</P> + +<P> +"'Will thaa lend me a loaf till my wife bakes?' This was said in such +a deliberate, determined voice, that the good man knows in a moment he +won't be put off. +</P> + +<P> +"'What thinks ta, lass? Mun I get up and gie him one? I don't believe +he'll goa away; he'll bray t' door daan afore dayloight.' +</P> + +<P> +"While th' wife is rubbing her eyes and hesitating a bit, th' man +aatside rings sich a clash of bells on th' front door, as brought th' +good man aat on th' floor in a twinkling. +</P> + +<P> +"'Hold on! hold on, mon, I'm coming!' and he was off daanstairs to the +cupboard like a shot, aat with a loaf, unlocked th' front door, handed +forth th' bread to the man, who was just getting ready for another +knock. 'I see,' said he, 'thaa weant be put off; tak' this, and go +hoam wi' the'.'" +</P> + +<P> +This story, told in the vernacular of the district, of which this is a +very imperfect rendering, and accompanied with Abe's expressive +gestures, was exceedingly effective, and not easily forgotten. Nor did +he omit the beautiful moral of the parable, showing the necessity of +prayer, importunate prayer, prayer at all times. "Keep knocking!" Abe +would say, "God is only trying you a bit in not answering first knock; +it's His way of proving whether you really mean it or not. Knock +laader, pray on and on, He hears, He is coming, bless Him! He never +said to th' seed of Jacob, 'Seek ye my face in vain.'" +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"PUT UM ON THEESEN." +</H3> + +<P> +The Prodigal Son was a favourite subject with the "Little Bishop," and +many are the quaint sayings which fell from his lips while dwelling on +this interesting parable. The singular pictures which he drew of this +young man in his degradation brought many a smile on the faces of the +congregation. But his chief aim always was to get the youth back to +his father's house again; here his emotions often overpowered him, and +his joy was so great that he hardly knew what he was saying. Many of +the friends still remember him on one occasion at Outlane. He had +brought the poor prodigal to the top of a lane leading down to his +father's house; there he stood, covered in rags and dirt, his head bare +and his shoes gone; he is just timidly stopping at the corner of the +lane debating whether he shall go on or turn back, when at that moment +out comes the old man to look up and down the road; he sees that bit of +human misery at the lane end, and in an instant recognizes him as his +son, "'Mother! mother!' exclaims th' owd man, 'quick! quick! here's aar +Jack standing at top o' th' loin. Oh, run! run my owd legs, tak' me to +him! Here, Jack, my lad, come to me, the' father wants thee—come, +come!' And in another moment the old man is hurrying with tottering +steps and open arms towards his son, and folding him, rags and all, to +his bursting heart." It was so real to Abe, and he was so carried away +with the picture which was before his vivid imagination, that when he +got the lad into the house, he exclaimed, "Put shoes on his hands, and +rings on his feet,"—whereupon a brother in the chapel called out, +"Nay, nay, Abe lad, thaa mun't put shoes on th' lad's hands, and th' +rings on his feet; put um on roight, man." But Abe responded at the +top of his voice, while tears came rolling over his face, "Put um on +theesen and let me aloan! 'This, my son, was dead, and is alive again, +he was lost and is faand!'" By that genuine burst of feeling, he +reached a climax of eloquence that has seldom been surpassed in the +history of preaching. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap16"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVI. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"I am a Wonder unto Many." +</H3> + + +<P> +Such were the words of David in olden times, and with propriety did +"Little Abe" frequently adopt them in his day. Considering his +condition prior to his conversion,—a wild, thoughtless, and wicked +young man, having neither fear of God nor man before his eyes, and then +contrasting it with what he had become by the grace of God; remembering +his want of education, that he never could write, and by that means +commit his thoughts to paper, and yet that his preaching was acceptable +and profitable to the people, that he drew large congregations wherever +he went, some people coming to hear him who seldom attended the places +at any other time; that he was used by God in bringing many sinners +into the fold of Christ, who are now useful members in the Church on +earth, or enrolled among those who serve God in His temple in heaven, +"Little Abe" really was "a wonder unto many." +</P> + +<P> +A woman once said to him, "Aye, Abe, I like' to hear the' preach." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless th' Lord for that," responded Abe. +</P> + +<P> +"But," continued she, "I many a toime wonders where thaa gets all th' +sense from, and haa thaa foinds t' words to say, for thaa's niver been +to college, nor ony place loike that." +</P> + +<P> +"Who says I wor niver at college?" he replied. "I have been to a +college where they mak' a roight job on um, woman." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, what college hast ta been to? Not Ranmoor, I'll be baan?" +</P> + +<P> +"Noa, not Ranmoor; it would puzzle th' Doctor to mak' onything o' me; +I've been to th' fisherman's college, where Peter and th' rest on um +went. I've learnt a bit at th' feet o' Jesus, bless Him!" +</P> + +<P> +Yes, he had learnt to devote what little talent he possessed to the +highest and happiest service in the universe, and his success as a +labourer for Jesus shows that the great Master can make good use of any +feeble instrumentality for the spread of truth and the salvation of +mankind. "We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency +of the power may be of God and not of us," was a saying of apostolic +days, but as true now as when uttered by St. Paul. When great scholars +and brilliant orators or men of extraordinary natural and acquired +parts become successful as the advocates of our Christian faith, there +are always some more ready to pay a tribute to the powers of these men, +than to the Gospel which they teach, ascribing their success not to the +inherent power of truth, but to the extraordinary talent of its +advocates. But when men like our friend "Little Abe" are raised up for +the Lord's work, and the Gospel preached by them becomes mighty in +changing the hearts and lives of others, these opponents of our blessed +religion are at a loss to find some human arm to which they can ascribe +the glory, and while they vainly seek such arm, others can plainly see +"that the excellency of the power is of God, and not of us." +</P> + +<P> +A great deal of the favour which "Little Abe" met with was due to his +<I>sincerity</I>. He was very droll in his sayings; he was very original in +his manner of dealing out truth; his illustrations were mostly drawn +from things in everyday life which everybody understood; his language +was the plain home-spun provincialism of the locality where his hearers +were born and brought up; but however much may be due to these things, +those who knew him best would say, that his almost universal acceptance +was due to his undoubted sincerity. This made everything he said in +the pulpit quite proper. What would appear out of place in any other +man, was becoming in him; all his odd sayings and gestures were kindly +received, and never an unpleasant feeling was excited in the breast of +any who really knew the man. +</P> + +<P> +Oh, it is a grand thing when a man has so lived and proved himself +among those around him, that they all feel his religion to be sincere! +What good may not such a man be capable of doing? He may be unschooled +and unread, he may be poor, and hold but a humble position in the ranks +of life, and yet withal, he may exert a power which neither rank nor +learning can acquire, nor wealth purchase. He rules hearts; learning +may rule heads, and wealth may influence manners, but sincere goodness +enshrines itself on the throne of the heart. +</P> + +<P> +Men among whom "Little Abe" lived and worked, with whom he met from day +to day,—men who professed to have no regard for religion as such, +respected Abe's presence more than they would that of their own +fathers, and stopped their unclean conversation at his approach, or by +some other unmistakable means indicated their deep respect for him. +They all knew what grace had done for him, and they honoured the +genuine work, thereby entitling Abe to say, "I'm a wonder unto many." +</P> + +<P> +One man says, "If there were no other evidence that religion is a good +thing, there was proof enough in Little Abe. I have had ample +opportunities of watching his daily life for many years, having worked +in the same mill with him, and I know what the other mill hands thought +of him as well; everybody believed in the 'Little Bishop,' and there +wasn't a man to be found that would utter a disrespectful word of him. +He was often employed in what is called 'cuttling,' that is, drawing +cloth from the machine. To do this he had to kneel on the ground; it +was easy work, and required very little thought. Many a time have I +seen him, while in this position, praying and drawing off the cloth, +and I have thought that Abe couldn't help praying if he got on his +knees, whether it was in the mill or anywhere else. +</P> + +<P> +"Sometimes on a Saturday the young people in the mill would say, 'Well, +Bishop, where are you going to preach to-morrow?' and then, with the +brightest, kindest smile, he would tell them where his work for the +next day lay, and perhaps he would ask them to go with him; but on +their refusing, he would add, 'Ah, my lads, yo' want your hearts +changing by th' grace of God, and then yo' would be glad to run +onywhere in His Name.' As years grew on him and he became infirm, I +have seen him come into the mill on a Monday morning looking very +tired, and I have said I thought he was working too hard on Sundays. +'Canna do that,' he would reply; 'I would do a thausand toimes maar for +Jesus if I could;" and then brightening up, he would add, "I'd raather +wear aat loike gooid steel, than rust aat loike owd iron;' and he was +true to his word; he did wear out." +</P> + +<P> +Many such testimonies might be added if it were necessary, all showing +that religion in "Little Abe" was the all-engrossing thing, but let +this suffice. It is delightful to see how a good man may live in the +midst of the ungodly, and keep his garments unspotted, and his name +unsullied by the adverse influences around him. What a rebuke such a +life is to many who excuse their looseness and irregularities because +they are thrown among the irreligious; and how stimulative it becomes +to others that are similarly situated, and trying to live consistently +in the midst of all their evil surroundings! +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap17"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVII. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Abe as a Class Leader +</H3> + + +<P> +The Class-meeting is one of the best institutions in Methodism. It has +done as much as anything else, if not more, to keep up the spiritual +life of the churches; it has been a refuge for tens of thousands of +tempted ones; it has been a seasonable corrector to many who were just +beginning to fall into the paths of sin, and has brought them back to +Christ again; it has supplied the social need of our Christian faith, +and gathered friends together for spiritual communion; it has been a +safeguard against the devices of the devil by affording opportunities +for the disciples of our Lord to compare their experiences, tell their +temptations, and impart mutual encouragement to each other in the +Divine life; it is a natural, seemly, and modest vent for the spiritual +fire which glows and flashes in every heart that loves the Lord with +sincerity. It was almost self-appointed; it came to be, or grew out of +a class of circumstances which would at any other time have produced +essentially the same thing; it is the outgrowth of the fervent piety +which marked the lives of our fathers in the churches, and it has met +the tendencies of glowing Christianity among us ever since. It is an +encumbrance only where this kind of Christianity is not maintained; as +godly zeal declines, so sinks the estimation for class-meetings; just +as the appetite for food forsakes a sickly person, so the desire for +experience meetings declines in a sickly church. Persons who never did +attend class-meetings cannot be judged by them; their piety may deepen +or diminish, but other tests must be found for them. The class-meeting +is a Methodist gauge, and only here can it apply. +</P> + +<P> +"Little Abe" was a class leader for many years, and there was no work +more heartily enjoyed by him than this. The members of his class who +survive him often talk of the grand times they had with the little man +in this way; it was often like heaven on earth. He was a very +successful leader, and always kept his members well together. If any +of them absented themselves he was soon on their track, hunting them up +and bringing them back to the fold. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"MY FATHER'S GOT PLENTY O' TIMBER." +</H3> + +<P> +His class was conducted in a neat little cottage near the chapel +belonging to one of the members, who week by week opened his doors for +the accommodation of Abe and his flock. Their meeting was held in a +comfortable room which served the family as kitchen and parlour; here +every Monday night the quaint old shepherd came to meet his sheep. The +big family table was pushed back against the window, the elbow-chair +was placed at the end for the leader, all the chairs and seats in the +house were brought into this room and ranged around as conveniently as +possible to accommodate the weekly visitors, and sometimes when this +was done there were more people than seats, and the big table had to be +drawn out again, and made use of as a resting-place for the homely +people who gathered there; or a long board would be brought down from +upstairs and its ends placed on two chairs, and thus an additional seat +was extemporized. +</P> + +<P> +This very board had the misfortune to snap in two one night while a +brother was engaged in praying. He was a <I>powerful</I> man in prayer; his +soul was inspired with zeal, and his body animated with strength, which +on this occasion he vented in a succession of heavy blows on this +devoted piece of timber, until suddenly it gave way with a loud crack +and fell in two pieces on the floor, to the great discomfiture of those +whose weight added to the strain. For some moments there was +considerable confusion in the room, as may be supposed, and the praying +was brought to a sudden halt, when Abe's voice was heard above all, +"Ne'er moind, lad, go at it! My Father's got plenty o' timber, and +He'll send thee a new seat," whereon the meeting went on, as lively as +before. Abe wouldn't allow any such trifles to interfere with the +happy flow of feeling in his meetings; indeed, such incidents served +rather to stimulate than abate the exuberance of his spirits. He knew +that all things belonged to the Lord, and that He would make good all +that was lost in His service, and therefore "he took joyfully the +spoiling of his goods," and other folk's too. It is needless to say +that the old seat was replaced by a new one. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"MY FATHER 'LL GIE THE' THIS HAASE" (House). +</H3> + +<P> +When Abe had been conducting his class for some years in the cottage +before named, an event transpired which greatly disturbed his mind, and +led him to fear he might have to remove his meeting to some other +place. Now this was a sore trouble ta him and to every one of his +members; they had got accustomed to going there, and some of them had +never met anywhere else, so that they could not bear the thought of +being obliged to leave, yet there was some ground for the fear. +</P> + +<P> +The person who owned the cottage was mother-in-law to the man by whom +it was occupied; she died and left her property, which consisted +chiefly of cottages, to be divided equally among her children. Soon +after the funeral the family met in this very house to arrange the +division of the estate. The plan adopted was to draw lots for houses, +and as they were nearly of the same value, this seemed equitable. So +the lots were all prepared and placed together, and each person was to +draw one, and take the house named on the lot; the drawing was to +commence with the eldest, and go down to the youngest. Now the wife of +the man in whose house the class met was the youngest member of the +family, and therefore must take what all the others left. When +everything was ready for the drawing to begin, the proceedings were +interrupted by a knock at the door. The man of the house opened it, +and found, to his surprise, "Little Abe" there. "Come aat a minute," +said he, "I want to spaike to the'." On getting outside Abe resumed, +"I knaw what ye are baan to do in there." +</P> + +<P> +"Haa dost ta knaw?" said the man. +</P> + +<P> +"Ne'r moind, I knaw;" and going close up to his ear and placing his +hand on the man's arm, he said, "My Father 'll gie the' this haase, He +telled me soa; I've been to Him abaat it, and I have His word on 't; +but afore thaa gets it, I want the' to promise me that while I live I +shall have my meetin' here." +</P> + +<P> +"Yo' shall," was the ready response; "as long as thaa and me lives this +haase shall be oppen to the' if we get it." +</P> + +<P> +"Bless the Lord," said Abe, rubbing his hands, "I could loike to shaat" +(shout) "but they'd hear me insoide. Ne'er moind, I knaw tha'll get +it;—gooid-noight!" +</P> + +<P> +His friend then returned into the house, and immediately the drawing +began. Each drew one lot; then they all read them together, and as Abe +predicted, the house in which they were assembled fell to the share of +the man who lived in it. But this is not the end of the story: it +appears that one of the sons was not satisfied with his portion, and +began to complain. The fact is he wanted this house, and if he had got +it Abe and his class would have been turned out. So, rather than have +any unpleasantness in the family, they all agreed to cast lots again +and abide by the issue. This was done, and to the astonishment of all, +this house fell a second time to the same man, and though it was +considered the best lot, everyone felt it was fairly his, and he has it +to this day. +</P> + +<P> +It may suit some people to say this was a mere accident; yes, just the +same as the world is an accident and a thing of chance. Perhaps it was +an accident, too, that "Little Abe" was able to foretell the issue of +that lottery with such confidence, and was so eager to make his bargain +for the use of the room before the lots were known. The chance that +can show such intelligence, foreknowledge, and power, that can +communicate its intentions beforehand, and afterwards verify them in +this manner, has the attributes of God, and must be Divine; a chance +that can hear and answer prayer, that can work out its own designs and +baffle those of others, that can reveal secrets to His favourites and +honourably keep covenants, deserves the faith and worship of all men: +this was Abe Lockwood's God, and He shall be ours for ever and ever. +There are some who say, "What is the Almighty that we should serve Him? +and what profit shall we have if we pray unto Him?" These scientific +theorists and unbelievers are intensely anxious to prove that prayer is +only wasted energy, that nothing can possibly come as direct answering +to prayer, that if things do follow which seem to be in response to +earnest and devout petition, they result from some other causes, which +have no connection, except coincidental, with prayer. +</P> + +<P> +Men who talk so don't pray, never did. They don't know what prayer is; +they are wrong in their first principles, and therefore all their +deductions are awry; it is impossible for anyone who discredits prayer +to know what he is talking about. Prayer is a something going on +within the soul, it is something which must be experienced to be +understood; and yet those who have no experience presume to +philosophize on the subject as if they had spent all their life in the +exercise and study of prayer. Just as well might "Little Abe" try to +talk scientifically, as those scientists speak on the merits or worth +of prayer, it is out of their sphere, they are out of their depth, and +therefore it was a sad want of discretion which first tempted them to +venture so far. +</P> + +<P> +"Little Abe" was a much better judge of the value of prayer than these +theorists; he was much further learnt in this direction than any of +them, and therefore his testimony was more reliable than theirs; what +to them was a mystery and impossibility was to him a simple daily +enjoyment. They that would test the value of prayer <I>must really pray +themselves</I>, and believe while they pray, otherwise they will be no +wiser. Prayer is not disproved by the failure of improper petitions, +but it is proved by the success attending supplications presented in +the right spirit. If men expect nothing, they get what they expect, +the Bible says so; "But without faith it is impossible to please Him; +for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a +rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. xi. 6). +</P> + +<P> +Prayer was an exercise in which Abe was a proficient and spent much +time; at his work he prayed, and in his chamber, long and earnestly, +until he prevailed. Sometimes in the meetings, as Abe would say, "they +gat agaat o' wrestling," and then he often became so importunate in his +intercessions that his whole body prayed as well as his soul, and quite +unconsciously he beat the bench at which he knelt, struck the floor +with his clogs, sweat at every pore, and really wrestled with God in +mighty prayer, and then the glory was sure to come down and fill the +place. Certainly at those times Abe and those who were with him were +very noisy, and some who had no sympathy with anything of the sort, +would make some disparaging remarks. There were some of old who would +have silenced the loud cries of poor blind Bartimeus, but they could +not, nor can they stop the voice of vehement prayer. Pray on, +brethren, get hold of God, and then make what noise you like. +</P> + +<P> +We want more of this praying spirit among the Lord's people, and less +of the cold calculations of the unbeliever. Here lies the strength of +the Christian Church, and not in its immense wealth, its high culture, +its refined pulpit, or luxurious pew; it is that praying power which +brings the Divine unction down. May God give us the praying power. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap18"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVIII. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"Working Overtime." +</H3> + + +<P> +The time came when "Little Abe" was much sought after to speak at +week-night meetings, such as tea-meetings, missionary meetings, and the +like. It was considered a great point to have him as one of the +speakers; they were sure to have a lively time if Abe came—for what +with his own original speech, his running comments and responses while +others were talking (a liberty which every one allowed him), he kept +the whole meeting alive throughout. +</P> + +<P> +This was what he called "working overtime." All his Sundays were +given, as a matter of course, to the Lord's work, and the week-days to +his daily calling; consequently what he did, in this way had to be done +at nights, after his day's work was finished. Now as this kind of work +grew upon Abe, there were some who would tell him he was doing too +much, that he would injure himself; but he would remind them that when +he had to work at the mill night after night, week after week, no one +ever thought of telling him he was doing too much. "No," would be the +response, "because you were paid for that." Then Abe's soul was +roused. "Well, and does the' think my Father doesn't pay me? Bless +Him, He owes me nowt, He's paid me double wages for every minute I have +warked for Him." And so he went on serving the Church and honouring +God to the utmost of his ability. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +LITTLE ABE AND THE MULE. +</H3> + +<P> +He had a singular experience one dark rainy night when going to a +missionary meeting at Shelley. He was late in arriving, so that the +meeting was somewhat advanced when he put in an appearance. As he +entered the chapel he was greeted by a burst of clapping, and in a +moment every face brightened at the sight of him, though, to tell the +truth, he was rather unsightly, for he was bedabbled with mud from his +feet to his head, and his big umbrella looked as if it had been on the +spree and rolled in the gutter; altogether he appeared in unusual style +for a public meeting. It was no matter to him, however. He just shook +himself like a dog out of the water, placed his bundle of whalebones +and gingham in a quiet corner, rubbed his numbed hands together, and +went smiling on to the platform. Nothing would satisfy the people but +that he should speak at once, so he rose to his feet amid the hearty +clapping of the whole audience, and said, "I niver knew so mich of th' +trials of missionary wark in my loife as I do naa. I've been in +trainin' for this meetin'. I've had to endure storms, rain, tempest, +and dangers seen and unseen, for it wor that dark on th' road I could +hardly see mysen, so, loike a returned missionary, I think I ought to +let yo' knaw some'at abaat my trials." (Hear, hear.) "Well, yo' knaw, +when I promised to come to this meetin', I meant being here somehaa, +but I 'av had a job. I thowt as I wor comin' I would mak' it as easy +as I could for mysen, so I borrowed aar neighbour's mule. I didn't +knaw mich abaat riding, so he telled me I wor to keep tight hold o' th' +bridle, as th' owd mule had a way o' tumblin' fore'ards. Well, I gat +on th' back wi' my umbrella oppen, for it wor pouring daan rain, and we +set off, all three on us, umbrella, th' mule, and me. We gat on +alroight most o' th' way. I had to scold th' owd animal sometimes, and +tell him to get on or we'd be too late for th' meeting, so we kept +gaining a bit o' graand by degrees, but troubles wor ahead. What wi' +thinking abaat my speech and holding th' umbrella roight, I forgat to +keep a toight hold o' th' bridle, and all at once th' mule tript, and +th' umbrella and me went roight over his head into th' dike. I really +wor astonished at mysen, and didn't know which to blame—th' mule or +me. I think I ne'r gat off a cuddy so quick in my loife afore; and th' +owd mule would hardly understand me I daresay, for he stopt in a moment +and look'd over at me as if he wor wondering if I always gat off in +that fashion. However, I soon scrambled aat o' th' dike, and after a +good bit o' trying I maanted agean and set off on th' road; but I +hadn't gone far before I faan some'at wor wrang wi' th' bridle. I +couldn't guide th' beast roight somehaa, so I felt abaat to try if I +could foind aat what it wor, and behold I had gotten th' bridle all on +one soide. Well, I dar'n't get off to set it roight, so I wor fain to +let th' owd beast goa his own gait till we gat to Shelley." +</P> + +<P> +The whole story was so amusing, and the more so as told in Abe's +inimitable style, that the people laughed themselves into tears; and +yet they could not but admire the zeal of the little man, and their +hearts warmed towards him, and to the missionary cause as well, for as +soon as Abe resumed his seat, the chairman, who knew how to take the +tide at its flood, called for the collection to be made, and there is +no doubt it was a good one. Just at that moment Abe shouted out, +"Bless the Lord, I've made th' collection speech to-noight." +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A QUOTATION FROM SALLY. +</H3> + +<P> +At one of the meetings where "Little Abe" was a speaker, he was +exhorting the people to give freely to the Lord's cause. "Some folk," +he remarked, "say that Methodists are always after money; well, we +canna' do very mich withaat it, I wish we could, it's a deal o' bother, +and takes sich a lot o' getting; and yet it is a far worse job to be +withaat ony." Then throwing his head over a little on one side he went +on, "Aar Sally says money is th' rooit of all evil, but I says, 'Aye, +lass, I knaw it wad be, if I wor to come home on Saturday withaat ony.'" +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A LIST OF THE FAMILY NAMES. +</H3> + +<P> +At another meeting in which our little hero was speaking he got into an +exceedingly happy mood, and was dwelling on the honour of being a child +of God. His face shone with delight, his eyes glistened with joyful +tears. "Bless the Lord," said he, "I'm a King's Son, and one of a +royal line. Ah, and there are hosts maar in th' family besides me. +Let's see," said he, "there's Jonathan Cheetham, King's Son; there's +James Crossland, King's Son; there's James Carter, King's Son; Glory! +there's Mary Carter, King's Son. Hallelujah!" How far he would have +pursued the list of family names we don't know, had not the whole +meeting burst into laughter and tears at Abe's unwitting mistake in +calling Mary Carter a King's Son; but it was of no consequence to him; +a little slip of his happy tongue didn't mar his meaning; the people +cheered him, and on he went as blythe as ever. +</P> + +<P> +It was reward enough for Little Abe to know that he had done his +Master's work and brought honour to His great name. The exertion which +these extra meetings entailed upon him, the long weary marches out and +home, were all performed without a murmur or the slightest abatement of +zeal. He didn't serve the Lord with a footrule in his hand, measuring +and marking off to the eighth of an inch. Abe strode over all narrow +and stinted measurements, and served his Master out of the fulness of +his warm and generous heart. +</P> + +<P> +That miserable devotion which does as little as possible for God, and +magnifies that little into importance, Little Abe knew nothing about, +and he is a poor, pompous, pitiable thing that does; the open heart, +the willing hand, the ready feet, are among the few things that God +Almighty is pleased to see among His people; the penitent that sheds +his tears by the dozen, the man that goes just the length of his +sixty-feet tape-measure and no more, the champion that quenches his +zeal in the first obstacle that comes in his way, and turns back from +the fight, is unworthy the name and honour of a Christian; he is unfit +to march in the glorious succession of martyrs and confessors who +follow a Leader that dedicated His all to the world's welfare and His +Father's will. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that +though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through +His poverty might be rich." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap19"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIX. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Methodist Lovefeast. +</H3> + + +<P> +Methodism has created new institutions and coined new words to express +the object of them. The lovefeast is purely Methodistic: it is a +meeting of Christian people belonging to one or more societies, where +they relate their religious experience, and bear their testimony to the +worth and influence of Divine grace in the soul. +</P> + +<P> +Under the conduct of a minister, or someone duly appointed for the +purpose, the meeting is opened with singing and prayer; then, while the +people are sitting, bread and water are distributed to all present, to +suggest that believers are members of one great family, and partners in +the same spiritual provision made by Christ who gave Himself to be the +Bread of Life for men. When this is done the offerings of the people +are gathered, usually for the poor of the Lord's flock. The +formalities ended, the meeting is thrown open for the relation of +Christian experience, and any one speaks that is prompted. +</P> + +<P> +In every period of Methodism the lovefeast has been a precious and +popular means of grace. These meetings are held all through the +country, every little church taking care to have its quarterly or +annual lovefeast. And it is remarkable what a hold some of these +meetings have upon the people; ten, or even twenty miles, have not been +considered too great a distance to be travelled in order to be present +at some of them, even though the entire journey has had to be performed +on foot. Men and women, some of them stricken in years and bowed down +with the toils and cares of a long and hard life, have joyfully walked +many a weary mile for the pleasure of attending a lovefeast; old +people, leading their grand-children by the hand, and telling them of +the stirring times of early Methodism; younger people in groups, +singing revival hymns as they plod steadily along the dusty or miry +roads under melting sun or pelting rains, making their way to these +attractive and soul-stirring meetings, contending against every +obstacle and overcoming every hindrance, determined to be there and do +honour to the Divine Master, who said, "Ye are my witnesses." +</P> + +<P> +There have been some of the grandest manifestations of Divine power at +these gatherings, as seen and felt in the sweet, gentle, and +unconscious melting of feelings, until the whole congregation has been +broken down to tears and songs of joy and praise; or coming suddenly +upon them as a "rushing mighty wind," without sound or sign, save in +the bending of heads, the breaking of hearts, the streaming tears, and +the adoring responses of the people. Then, believers have caught the +spark of sanctifying fire from God Himself, and declared it; then, men +have been endued with the gift of tongues, and spoken with apostolic +power; then, sinners, drawn into the place by the peculiar attractions +of the occasion, have felt their souls shaken by Divine energy, like +forest trees in a tempest, and trembling, bending, rending, breaking, +have fallen in the storm of Heaven's mercy, and cried for help and +found it. Oh, how many there are now in glory or on the way, of whom +it may be said, "Convicted in a lovefeast! converted in a lovefeast! +sanctified in a lovefeast!" Their name is "legion, for they are many." +Hallelujah! +</P> + +<P> +Some things among the usages of the churches we may perhaps afford to +dispense with and suffer no loss, but not this glorious means of grace. +If in any place they have lost their power, the fault is not in the +institution, but in the Church; religious declension is the greatest +enemy to this good old custom. If the Lord's people return to their +first love, the lovefeast will resume its former glory and power. Oh, +Lord, "wilt Thou not revive us again, that Thy people may rejoice in +Thee?" +</P> + +<P> +Methodism cannot afford to forsake her old ways for new and untried +ones; they are intelligent, proper, and essentially Christian. +Lovefeasts are the olive branch which we have received from the revered +hands of our fathers and mothers in the faith, not to be cast away, but +to be prized and kept as a mark of our love for them, for each other, +and for Christ our Saviour; and though the green branch which they left +us may be somewhat faded, and its leaves droop in our moistureless +hands, though it has lost some of the freshness it had when it first +came to our keeping, thank God! thank God! it is not dead, it lives! +and can be revived. It wants more moisture; sprinkle tear-drops of +penitence upon its shrunken foliage; let the springs of our sympathy +once more flow over it; let us ask God to give us the "upper and the +nether springs," that <I>His</I> love and ours may flow out in one united +stream; let us come to that stream, near, nearer, to the brink, and +olive branch in hand, plunge in, refresh ourselves, and revivify the +blessed, beautiful, and sacred symbol. +</P> + +<P> +There was no meeting in which Little Abe was more at home than a +lovefeast; whether as conductor or in a private capacity,—if such a +term can be applied to Abe,—he gloried in a rousing lovefeast. His +love for these meetings and his aptitude in conducting them occasioned +a great demand for his presence. He had such a way of interspersing +enlivening comments between the speakers. He was a good singer, too, +and was always ready with some hymn expressive of the feeling of the +meeting. Then he had the power to make everyone feel at home, so that +he was the very man to lead a lovefeast, although he did sometimes say +things that would shock very orderly and circumspect persons. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +DEVIL DIDN'T POP THEE. +</H3> + +<P> +Little Abe was leading a lovefeast in Berry Brow Chapel; the place was +crowded, people had come from far and near; the Holy Spirit was present +in great power; there was no lack of witnesses, two or three being +often on their feet together waiting for an opportunity to speak. +Little Abe, as he said, "was fair swabbing o'er," he wept for joy. +</P> + +<P> +A young man at length rose to relate his Christian experience. He had +but lately been converted to Jesus, and before that had been a very +wicked, drunken, degraded character. He proceeded to say what the Lord +had done for him, how He had found him in his sins and misery, and +taken hold of him when hardly any one else would look at him, except a +policeman, who felt as if he had a sort of right to him, and often +found him board and lodgings for a few weeks. At the time of his +conversion he was almost naked, and absolutely destitute; said he, "I +had popt" (pawned) "my coat, and popt my shoes, my vest, my shirt, and +everything on which I could raise money, and I was almost in hell." +This was more than Abe could sit under; he sprang to his feet and +exclaimed, "It's a rare job th' devil didn't pop thee and all, my lad! +Praise th' Lord!" The young man fell on his seat and vented his +gratitude in a fresh burst of tears, and many an eye in that meeting +ran over as well. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +RELIGION ALL HUMBUG. +</H3> + +<P> +Little Abe once got up in a lovefeast. "Friends," said he, "a man +asked me what I made so mich noise abaat religion for; he said, 'It's +all humbug,' and I said, 'Thaa'rt roight for once, mon; it's th' +sweetest humbug that iver I tasted. I have been sucking it for mony a +lang year, and it is sweeter than iver.'" (Humbug is the Yorkshire +name for sweets and goodies). It was just in Abe's way to turn the +tables on his assailant, and certainly in this case the Little Bishop +had the best of the encounter, and the joy of the humbug as well. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +PENITENT PHYSIC. +</H3> + +<P> +The Bishop was leading a lovefeast in Shelley Chapel (where it is said +that the Rev. John Wesley once preached), and one of the speakers had +been a backslider, but had determined to return to the Lord. This man +was telling the meeting his bitter sorrow, and how he had drunk of the +wormwood and gall of repentance, and as he spoke tears ran chasing each +other down his face. "Bless th' Lord," said Little Abe, "I see my +Father has been giving the' some penitent physic, and it's made the' +'een" (eyes) "run. Ne'er moind, lad, He'll heal thee heart, and wipe' +away all tears from thee 'een.'" +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +HONLEY FEAST MONDAY. +</H3> + +<P> +The Honley feast is one of the remaining relics of byegone times, and +is tenaciously kept year by year throughout the parish as a holiday. +It begins with Sunday, and extends over the greater part of the week, +during which time the people enjoy themselves in ways suited to their +varied tastes, too many of them indulging in the cup which brings +aching heads and empty pockets. What a pity it is that men, and even +women, too, are so infatuated as to think that pleasure can only be +found in drunkenness and public-house brawling! Thank God there are +many who know the folly of this, and have other and better ways of +finding pleasure. Ever since Salem Chapel was first built it has been +the custom to hold a lovefeast there on Honley Feast Monday, and this +is perhaps the most popular meeting in the whole year, and is always +looked to with great interest. People come to this lovefeast from many +miles around, and the chapel is invariably filled to overflowing. +</P> + +<P> +This was always a great occasion with Little Abe—a real red letter +day. I remember attending this annual meeting some years ago. Abe was +there, and he certainly monopolised a good share of my attention. He +was very happy, and kept on ringing changes with clapping, stamping, +shouting, and sometimes, when under strong feelings, he pealed a clash +altogether, with hand, foot, and voice. "Hey, lads!" he said, "it's +grand! it gets better and better, bless th' Lord!" His face was +covered with smiles from his smooth chin to his bald forehead; he never +ceased smiling during all that service,—for no sooner had his joyous +countenance spent itself on one pleasant thing, and the light, dancing +ripples begun to subside, than something else presented itself to his +notice, and another smile passed across his face like a playful breeze +over a clear pool, shaking up the waves again; and so on he went, +through all that service, with a face as bright as a sunbeam. +</P> + +<P> +At length Abe rose to his feet, still smiling, and his hands clasped +together; every eye was on him in a moment, and smiles and tears of joy +mingled all over the chapel; the women wiped their eyes, and the men +shouted, "Glory, Abe! God bless the', lad." "Friends," he began, "I +am happy, I mun spaike naa, or I'st brust mysen." "Go on, Abe," came +from all parts of the chapel. "Hey, my lads, I mean to go on; I'm noan +going to turn back naa; it's heaven I set aat for, and heaven I mean. +I've been on th' road aboon fifty years, and I'st get t' th' end afore +lang." And then he went on to say how glad he was to see them there +once more, and to see the place full of earnest worshippers. "You knaw +it warn't always soa. I can remember when we wor just a few, but we +agreed to pray for a revival, and gie th' Lord no rest until we should +mak' His arm bare amang us. We started a prayer-meeting on Sunday +mornings at five o'clock to th' minute, and they that worn't there at +time should be locked aat. Well, yo' know, I wor' baan to be at that +meeting. So I telled aar Sally on Saturday noight I mun be up i' th' +morning at half-past four. Well, wod yo' believe it, I waked abaat +five minutes to five. I wor aat o' bed in a wink, and shoved my feet +in my stockings, and then on wi' my breeks, scratted up my booits" +(boots) "i' my hand, and off I ran in my stocking feet. When I gat +hoalf-way up th' Braa th' clock struck five, and I pushed one fooit in +my booit, fastened up my gallasses, and ran on agean panting up th' +hill, and just as I came t' th' gate I saw th' chapel door shut in my +face, so I wor locked aat; but I wor noan baan to looise my meeting. +While they insoid wor getting ready, I finished dressing mysen. +By-and-bye I hears one on 'em give aat a hymn, and I clapped my ear t' +th' key-hoil and listened for th' words, and then I put my maath to th' +hoil and sang with 'em, and so I kept on until they began to pray. +Then I listened, and shaated Amen through th' hoil, and kept on while +iver they prayed. At last my owd friend Bradley stopped in th' middle +of his prayer,—'Oppen that door,' he said, 'I canna pray with that +chap shaating in at th' key-hoil that road;' so they oppened th' door, +and I went in and had my meeting after all,—but yo' moind I wor niver +late agean." +</P> + +<P> +Our little friend will be remembered as a lovefeast man for many years +to come. His name had quite grown to be associated with the Conference +lovefeast of the Methodist New Connexion, and many are the affectionate +references to our brother in these grand annual gatherings even to this +day. His voice is not now heard as it once was, along with that of +Thomas Hannam, John Shaw, and men of like spirit and notoriety; but his +name is still fragrant in the affectionate memories of those who are in +the habit of attending our Conference lovefeast. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"BREED 'EM YOURSENS." +</H3> + +<P> +Although Little Abe was no narrow-minded sectarian, he still loved to +foster in the minds of his own children a preference for the people +that had, under God, saved his soul, and made him what he was, and he +tried to bind his family to the Church of his choice. Spending a +Sunday in the town of Dewsbury, in company with a devoted brother and +local preacher who is now in heaven, they were led to converse about +the Community to which they both belonged. Abe said, "I was born in +th' New Connexion, never aat of it, and by God's help I'st die in it, +and I hope my children after me." And then, taking up an incident +which his own words had called to mind, he said, "My lad went by a +cheap trip to Hull t'other day, and what dost ta think wor th' first +thing he axed for when he gat there?" "Don't know," replied his +friend. "Why, afore he gat aat at station yard, he goes up to a man +and says, 'Can yo' tell me th' way t' th' New Connexion Chapel?' Naa," +he added, looking across at his friend; "if yo' want th' roight soort, +yo' mun breed um yoursens;" a saying which, put into other words, +simply means that if we are to have reliable members in the Church, +pious parents must bring in their own children, and let them grow up in +the fear of the Lord and love of His people, and the maxim is correct. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap20"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XX. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Patient in Tribulation. +</H3> + + +<P> +Abe Lockwood had to encounter many troubles arising from a variety of +causes but that which seemed to harass him most was poverty. Having a +large family to bring up, and earning but moderate wages by his +employment, his head was seldom above water; he just managed to keep +above the drowning point. Only the brave, honest, and godly poor who +have struggled through similar difficulties, can really know what that +good man and his wife had to contend against in this way. +</P> + +<P> +Yet how often do we find poverty and piety yoked together in one house. +What a mercy it is that piety will condescend to dwell with poverty; +sit down at the same dry crust, or sit without it; wear the same +patched and threadbare raiment, and not complain; stay in the same +circle, endure the same hunger, cold, sickness, and suffering with +unmurmuring constancy, and taking more than half the load of trouble on +her own neck will sit the long night through, and "sing of mercy" till +the day breaks, and the light comes, and the sun shines again. +"Godliness with contentment is great gain." +</P> + +<P> +How many of the Lord's jewels have been ground, cut, and polished on +the wheel of poverty; polished, but not set, for poverty is neither the +gold nor silver for the setting. No matter, God does not care for the +setting, it is the diamonds He loves, "and they shall be mine, saith +the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels." +</P> + +<P> +When, however, industry, economy, and patient courage had done all, +poor Abe was sometimes almost overwhelmed by hardships,—almost, but +not altogether. He had a firm faith in God, and used to say, "My +Father knows haa mich I can carry to a grain, and He wean't lay a straw +too mony upon me, bless Him." In the midst of all the little Bishop +maintained a happy heart and a cheerful countenance; he made as little +of his poverty as some people do of their luxuries, and an ordinary +observer might have supposed he never had a sorrow, or felt a care. +The fact is he did not hoard his troubles as some persons do; he did +not like them well enough for that. They hung very loosely about him +at any time, and he shook them off as soon as he could; instead of +buttoning them up in his breast, and keeping them until they rankled, +festered, or turned sour, he loosened his bands, bared his bosom to the +first healthy breeze of joy that blew, and laughed the moment his +sorrows were gone. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"WATTER GRUEL." +</H3> + +<P> +He was one day walking several miles to a preaching appointment, in +company with another brother who was going to the same place. On the +way his friend's nose began to bleed, and they had to stop, though the +man's nose still kept on bleeding. Abe tried to stop it: he put a cold +stone to the man's neck, held his arms up over head, and resorted to a +variety of acknowledged remedies, but with very little effect. "What +mun I do, Abe?" said the man. The little Bishop thereupon proceeded to +give him his advice. "I'll tell the' what to do," said he; "thaa mun +strike at th' rooit" (root) "o' th' evil; thaa lives o'er high; thaa +should try watter gruel for six weeks, and thaa'd cure that nose, +that's haa I do." A burst of laughter from both hastened the cure, and +on they went again with the journey. There was in this quaint remark +of his just the slightest reference to the poor fare on which he had +many a time set out on a long journey and a hard day's work in the +cause of his Divine Master; often enough dear old Abe was like brave +Gideon of old, "faint, yet pursuing." +</P> + +<P> +He used to say when he met people who carried their troubles in their +faces, "Yo' ha' no need to pull such lang miserable faces, raand 'um up +a bit! What! are yo' gotten on dark soid o' th' hedge? Yo' mun flit +into th' sunshine, there's plenty o' room." And what a blessing it +would be if people who nurse their sorrows would begin to count and +cherish their joys instead; the world, and especially the Church, would +be full of bright faces and happy hearts. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE HALLELUJAH COAT. +</H3> + +<P> +There was a time when Little Abe was badly provided against the cold, +wet, inclement weather which he had to encounter in the work of the +Lord, and coming out of the chapels on winter nights exposed him to +many a dangerous chill. His only extra covering was a thick woollen +muffler around his neck, yet in this way he bore uncomplaining the +brunt of storm and pelt of rain. One Sunday night after the little +Bishop had been preaching, a man came and invited him to supper before +starting for home, and he went. Supper over, Abe prepared to be off; +it was a bitter night, cold and wet. On seeing him about to start, the +good man said, "I've got something for you, Bishop." Abe looked round +and saw him standing with a big, thick overcoat open, ready for him to +put on. Without a word of remark he thrust his arms into the coat, and +his host proceeded to button it up from his throat to his heels, +smiling all the time; this done, he stood back to look at him. Abe +clapped his hands together, and shouted "Hallelujah! hallelujah!! I +can say now't else—hallelujah! a top coit! a hallelujah coit!" And +away he went out into the darkness and rain shouting, "A Hallelujah top +coit!" That garment was always known after as "the hallelujah coit." +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TEMPTED OF THE DEVIL. +</H3> + +<P> +Every Christian knows something of the wiles of the devil, and how +busily he goes about to tease, annoy, and break the peace of the Lord's +people. Abe had many a tussel with this enemy, but in the strength of +faith and prayer he conquered him. During the early years of Abe's +Christian life the devil often endeavoured to raise doubts in his mind +on fundamental truths; but Abe was not to be moved from the faith. +What he could not understand nor explain, he yet believed with all his +heart, so that in time the enemy yielded every point of dispute up to +him, and Abe kept his heart in perfect peace, so far as these things +were concerned. If Satan came to him, it was generally on some +unimportant thing which might harass and divert from better things. +Abe would say "Th' owd enemy 's ge'en o'er playing 'th' roaring lion,' +and turned into a flee, running and hopping all o'er me." And thus the +devil would sometimes assail him, rousing his feelings, exciting his +imagination and anger, and kindling his resentment to a pitch that +sometimes made Abe almost ashamed of himself, especially as it was all +about nothing. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ACCUSED OF SWEARING. +</H3> + +<P> +After preaching one Sunday at Wellhouse, a place about four miles from +where he resided, he was making his way home in the cool of the summer +evening, and had got within a very short distance of Berry Brow. +Following on the same road was a man that knew Abe very well, who was +trying to overtake him. As this man drew nearer he heard the Bishop +talking rather loudly, and giving expression to some very extraordinary +language, accompanied by sundry violent flourishes of his walking-stick +and stamping of his foot, and the man was amazed as he heard Abe break +out, "Thaa 'rt a liar, thaa owd devil!" A few moments' silence +followed this outburst, during which the little man was walking like a +champion racer; then suddenly he broke out again, "I tell the' thaa 'rt +a liar, and I will n't believe a word on 't." Then followed another +brief silence, and then another excited explosion, which brought Abe to +a standstill. "Didn't I tell the' I don't believe the'? Away with +the', thaa lying old devil!" +</P> + +<P> +By this time the man came up to him and said, "Why, Abe, whatever art +ta swearing abaat soa on a Sunday noight?" +</P> + +<P> +"Swearing! me swearing!" exclaimed Abe. "I'm noan swearing, my lad." +</P> + +<P> +"But I yeerd the' mysen." +</P> + +<P> +"When?" +</P> + +<P> +"Naa, this minute; thaa called somebody a lying owd devil, and sich +loike." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh," said the little Bishop kindling at the sudden recollection of +what had been passing in his mind, "I've left my Sunday +pocket-handkerchief in th' pulpit at Wellhaase, and th' owd devil wor +telling me aar Sally wod scold me, and I told him he wor a lying +owd devil, and so he is; but I didn't knaw onybody could yeer me." In +this way the enemy assailed him on his way home from his pious work, +grudging him the peace of mind which a good man has in the service of +his Master. Satan would not raise any vital point of faith or duty +with Abe, because he knew he would be beaten, and Abe would be blest, +and would rise high on the wings of his faith out of the devil's reach; +but he could spring a snare upon the good man about his +pocket-handkerchief, and gradually worry and tease him into a conflict +until he forgot altogether the thought of better things. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +COUNTING THE ORGAN PIPES. +</H3> + +<P> +Another amusing story is told of Little Abe, showing how Satan +sometimes succeeded in trailing a false scent across his path, and +leading his mind astray for a time, or, so to speak, shunting him on to +a siding, and keeping him there until he discovered the snare. He was +sitting in Berry Brow Chapel listening, or endeavouring to listen, to +the preacher; it was soon after the new organ was introduced into that +place of worship. Abe sat just opposite the organ, so that he could +not avoid seeing it. Several times during the service the little +Bishop had fidgeted about, and indicated signs of impatience from some +cause or another; when all at once, to the astonishment of preacher and +people, Abe exclaimed, "I tell the' there's soa many pipes in that +organ, I've caanted 'em a dozen times already; if thaa doesn't believe +it, caant 'em theesen, devil." +</P> + +<P> +We may imagine the effect produced by Abe's outburst of indignation, +that the devil should doubt the accuracy of his counting in a matter so +trivial, as well as the annoyance and shame he felt that he had allowed +his old enemy to make a dupe of him again. Yet it is only an +illustration of the insignificant things that serve to call off our +minds from the pursuit of holy studies. The devil would dispute +through a whole service about a couple of flies, rather than permit a +saint to wait upon God without distraction. It shows that we need to +be very watchful against the influence of that arch enemy, even in the +Lord's house. +</P> + +<P> +Little Abe, with all his excellences, had his infirmities like other +men, and he felt them keenly. It was a cause of great grief to him +when, through unwatchfulness, he was led into folly. "Could ye not +watch with me one hour?" was said to the weary disciples of old, and +might often be repeated to the Lord's people to-day. "Watch, +therefore, lest ye enter into temptation." +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +AN EVIL TEMPER. +</H3> + +<P> +One source of temptation to Little Abe was his temper; and yet here few +would think he had any trouble at all. If people who knew him were +canvassed on this question, the uniform testimony would be that he had +a most even disposition; few could be found to testify that they ever +saw him overcome by anger. He was, however, naturally of a quick, +sensitive temper, and had to keep a jealous watch upon himself, in +order to hold this tendency in subjection; the consequence was that it +seldom gained the mastery over him after his conversion. Grace turned +the lion into a lamb, and subdued the evil spirit within him, and as he +grew in grace, the marks of the old Adam became less distinct. Still +it was always an occasion for prayer and watchfulness with him; he +would not allow himself to be tempted from this side of his character, +if he could avoid it. Should anything transpire which was likely to +rouse the evil spirit, Abe would take his hat and run away, rather than +let the enemy gain ascendancy over him; he felt that it was often +better to "hide than 'bide." +</P> + +<P> +All our readers may not be troubled with a fiery temper, but they who +are should watch it closely, or they will burn themselves. If you have +fire about, keep powder and petroleum out of the way, or there may be +an explosion; he that tempts the fire with combustibles must surely pay +the penalty sometimes. The safest and wisest policy is to put the fire +out altogether; get the evil temper destroyed by Divine grace, and then +this "sin shall have no dominion over you." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap21"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXI. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"The Liberal Deviseth Liberal Things." +</H3> + + +<P> +Little Abe was endowed with a generous heart, but with very limited +means. He could generally say as the Apostles did to the lame man, +"Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee;" yet he +often devised means whereby he could enjoy the luxury of giving to +others. His own children, and even those of the village, knew they +could get a penny from Abe if he had one in his pocket, although it +might be the last he had in the world, and many a time he might be seen +surrounded by a swarm of children in the street, all begging sweets or +some other little trifle of him; and you want no better proof of a +man's habitual kindness than to see him often beleaguered by little +children: they only beg where they get something. +</P> + +<P> +If any poor neighbour was in want, and Abe had any means of assisting +him, he would not wait to be asked. Many a time he has gone home to +Sally and told her of some poor creatures who had no bread in the +house, and then he would wind up his tale of sorrow with, "Naa, lass, +we'll be loike to tak' 'em a loaf," whereupon the good woman would go +to the cupboard and take out a big family loaf, and hand it to him, and +he would hurry away to gladden the hearts of the hungry children. +</P> + +<P> +People do not need to be rich to exhibit the spirit of true generosity, +because it is not so much in the amount given, as in the spirit in +which it is done, and the sacrifice involved in the act. It is a truly +noble thing for a wealthy man to bestow of his abundance on the needy +around him, and he who does so is sure to gain a place in the +affections of the people. Everyone admires a liberal man; indeed, it +is questionable whether admiration for this quality may not sometimes +blind us to other things in the same persons which are actual faults, +and hence a man may be intemperate or profane or worldly, and people +say, "Well, but he is such a generous fellow," and that is taken as +mitigation of his faults: thus he is allowed to indulge in many wrongs, +because he has one excellency in his character. Men are not often +impartial judges; their minds are warped by unduly regarding one virtue +more than another, and consequently their verdict on character is not +always reliable. Give a benevolent man his full meed of honour, but +let not his liberal gifts become the purchase price at which he may +obtain indulgence for other sins, or he makes morality only a mockery. +</P> + +<P> +Generosity is an essential mark of the Christian character, and should +display itself in every follower of our Lord. This is the spirit which +prompted the poor of the Lord's flock to share their scanty means among +their poorer brethren, and therefore, though Abe Lockwood was never in +his life worth many shillings at one time, he was one among a multitude +of humble and generous spirits moving in the lower walks of life, who +often enjoy the pleasure of relieving the wants of sufferers around +them. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN GREAT RICHES." +</H3> + +<P> +Among the people in his own locality no one stood in better repute than +Little Abe. If any sick person wanted spiritual direction or comfort +they would send for Little Abe. He was quite at home in the sick-room; +the sight of his bright genial face would be sure to cheer the +sufferer: and then he knew so well how to lead the penitent sinner to +the Saviour, that the gloom of many a bedside has been dispelled by his +humble ministrations in this way. +</P> + +<P> +He loved this work, and gave a great amount of his spare time in +visiting the sick. He was ready to go anywhere, any time, night or +day, that he might help to sustain the soul in the last trial of faith; +and many an hour has he sat by the bedside of some dying neighbour, +talking, singing, praying, and trying to cheer him through the valley +of death. +</P> + +<P> +The little Bishop was general religious factotum in his own village, +and especially among those who were in any way connected with Salem +Chapel. In baptisms and burials he was held by many in as high repute +as the regular ministers. Often it happened that he was fetched by +some troubled parent to baptize a dying child, and he would perform the +rite with as great satisfaction to the friends, in his blue smock and +clogs, as he could have done had he worn the white neckcloth, and +passed through ordination honours. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"WILT TA KNUG?" (KNEEL). +</H3> + +<P> +A man came one evening to Abe's house, knocked at the door, then opened +it a little way, thrust in his face and said, "Is Abe in?" It was a +most unusual thing to see that man there, for he was a wicked, drunken +character, a trouble to the neighbourhood where he lived, and often a +terror to his poor wife and children. Many a time Abe had tried to +induce him to go to the Lord's house and begin to lead a new life; but +sin had such a hold upon him that he only made light of everything +good, and, in his ignorance and hardihood, professed to disbelieve in +God and His Word. +</P> + +<P> +"Is Abe in?" asked the face at the door. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I'm here," replied the little man in question, looking up from +his Bible, and peering over the lamp on the table to see who the +speaker was, "Come in, mon; open th' door and come in." +</P> + +<P> +And in a little further came the face and head, followed by a pair of +broad shoulders and a huge body, whereupon Abe saw who they belonged +to, and rising from his seat he noticed that the great hard face was +clouded and softened with sorrow. Ah, it is a hard heart that does not +melt sometimes. +</P> + +<P> +"What's ta want?" asked Abe, in a kind tone. +</P> + +<P> +"Arr bit bairn 's badly," replied the big man, "and th' missus wants +the' to come and sprinkle it." +</P> + +<P> +"Th' missus want me does she,—and what does thaa want?" said Abe, +looking meaningly at him. "Does thaa want me to come?" +</P> + +<P> +"Ay," responded the man, looking rather humble, and feeling that Abe +had obtained his first victory by that confession. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I'll goa wi' the'," and, putting on his hat, they went out +together, and betook themselves to the dwelling of the visitor. +Arriving there Abe beheld a painful yet by no means uncommon picture. +A room miserably furnished, and not the ghost of comfort anywhere; +several little ragged children stood grouped together, and in the midst +of them was the saddest figure of all—"the missus," the wife, the +mother, in tears, and on her lap, wrapped in an old faded shawl, was a +dying infant. The woman tried to smile amid her tears as Abe came in, +just the shadow of a smile, and then her poor face settled again to +that look of anguish it had before, as if all her meagre joy were +slowly dying with that little creature that lay feebly gasping on her +lap. It was so like a woman to remember amid her grief, to give a sign +of welcome to her visitor. +</P> + +<P> +"Aye, my lass, I'm real sorry for the'; thaa has a mother's heart, I +see, and thaa'd loike to keep thee bairn, I knaw thaa wad; but thaa mun +remember God has first claim on 't, and if He wants it, thaa'll be +loike to let Him ha' it. He can tak' better care on 't nor thaa can; +bless it, it'll sooin be better off nor ony on us—don't fret, my +lass—th' Lord comfort the'." And so in this way Little Abe went on +talking, softening, comforting, and strengthening the bitter heart of +that poor woman; at length he said, "Thaa wants me to baptize th' +little un, I reckon." +</P> + +<P> +"If yo' pleeas," she replied. "Jack," added she turning to her +husband, who stood all the time with his back to the table, trying hard +to keep his eyes dry and swallow down a lump that was continually +rising into his throat, "get a basin o' watter, my lad." It was said +so sadly and yet so kindly, that if Jack had had to go through fire to +fetch that basin of water he would have got it. In a minute or two he +came with the basin in his big broad hand and stood close up to his +wife's side, looking down on his dying child. +</P> + +<P> +"This is a religious service," said Abe, "and I want yo' to understand +that." He had his doubts about the man, notwithstanding his evident +effort to control his emotions; he knew the man's sinful character, +knew his hostility to everything religious, and now that he had him to +something like an advantage, he wanted to make the most of it. "I'm +baan to baptize that bairn in God's name, and we mun kneel daan and +pray for it;" and then looking at the father he said, "Wilt ta knug" +(kneel) "daan with us?" +</P> + +<P> +The man made no answer, but still kept by his wife's side, looking down +on the infant. +</P> + +<P> +"Wilt ta knug with us, Jack?" he repeated; "it's thy bairn, and it'll +sooin be gone." Still there came no reply; a conflict was going on in +the breast of that strong man, the wicked man of the world was +contending against the father. +</P> + +<P> +"If thaa will n't knug beside the' wife and bairns, I'll go haam +agean," said Abe. +</P> + +<P> +The man was conquered; the devil was strong in him, but the father was +stronger. He could not bear the thought of paying a slight to his +dying child. "I'll knug," said he, and that instant he full on his +knees. Abe baptized the child, and then all of them knelt together, +while he poured out his soul in earnest supplication to God for the +child and the family; but especially for the father who was now, almost +for the first time in his life, found humbly kneeling at the throne of +grace. It would have been very gratifying if we could say that this +was the turning-point in that man's life; but here our knowledge of the +case ends. It is, however, not too much to hope that the memory of +that sad night, coupled with the loss of the little child, would have a +good influence on the subsequent life of the man, and perhaps be the +means, under God, of leading him to seek that grace which alone could +afford him hope of meeting his child again in the kingdom of glory. +</P> + +<P> +Whether this was so or not, the incident shows the high esteem in which +Little Abe was held by the people among whom he lived. We see that he +gained a decided advantage over the hardened sinner when he constrained +him to kneel before the Lord; and it also shows that when scoffers and +so-called unbelievers are brought into the shadows of death, their +unbelief forsakes them, and like devils, "they believe and tremble." +</P> + +<P> +It was no uncommon thing for Abe to be called out of the mill to +conduct the burial service at Salem, in place of the minister, who +perhaps had never been informed of the funeral, or even of the death. +No matter, poor man, he has sadly lowered himself in the opinion of the +family and friends by not being present. He might have known he would +be wanted, and at what time of the day, and in what place, and it is +very unkind of him not to be there. Where is he? Poor innocent, he is +tramping off to a distant country appointment in simple ignorance of +the misdemeanour of which he is guilty. A minister ought to know +everything—know who is well and who is not; ministers are different +from all other people, and more is expected from them. If, for +instance, any one is ill, the doctor must be sent for; but the minister +is expected to come without being requested. It is his duty to attend +to the sick of his flock. It is no matter whether he knows of the +illness or not, he ought to know of it; a pretty shepherd he must be +not to know if any of his sheep are ill; he should make inquiries for +himself among the people. Are any persons dead here, or any sick? any +to be prayed for? or are there any disaffected parties waiting to be +coaxed into a good humour? any croakers in want of a good subject to +vent their bile upon? or anything at all in the general ministerial way +that wants doing? A man could easily find out what is going on, and +what is going off, with a little ingenuity and perseverance; and it +would save all the trouble and expense of a post card to the minister +asking him to call. Let us hope, therefore, that in future there will +be no misunderstanding upon these important matters, because every +place in the land is not favoured with such an able, willing, and +acceptable substitute as the people of Berry Brow had in Little Abe. +</P> + +<P> +Reference has already been made to the esteem with which he was +regarded by his fellow-work-people. As years went on this regard was, +if possible, intensified, and it was beautiful to see how the younger +men in the mill would strive to lighten his work, and make his duties +as easy for him as possible. Nor was this kindly feeling confined to +the mill operatives; his masters, gentlemen of high position in the +locality, held him in great esteem, for they knew him to be a honest, +upright man, and a faithful servant. He had, in his latter days, many +liberties and favours which could not be permitted to their employes +generally; often one or another of his masters would come into the +mill, and have a few minutes' conversation with him about his work as a +preacher, and his religious zeal, enlivened by his irrepressible +humour, almost invariably sent the master away with his face covered +with smiles, and his good opinion of the Little Bishop confirmed. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap22"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXII. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Used Up. +</H3> + + +<P> +As time went on, and year after year was added to his age, Little Abe +began to show, by unmistakable signs, that he was becoming an old man; +and although his lively temperament enabled him to hold up against his +infirmities for some time, the day came when he confessed he was an old +man and stricken in years; he began to speak of himself as being "used +up," "worn aat," "done for," and the like. All the marks were upon +him; his hair was snowy white, his face was furrowed with age, his +sight was dim, his step was slow and feeble, his voice tremulous, and +the signs were plainly seen that the Little Bishop was drawing near the +end of his journey. +</P> + +<P> +One day he was unexpectedly called to go into his master's office, and +immediately he made his way there, when something like the following +dialogue took place. "Well, Abe," his master began, "I am sorry to +observe that you are getting so infirm that you cannot do a day's work +now. I have seen this for some time, yet did not want to turn you +away, but now I am sorry to say you will have to leave the mill, and I +must put another man in your place." +</P> + +<P> +This coming so suddenly from the master was enough to stagger a +stronger man than Abe, and certainly he felt a little troubled at what +he had heard, but he could put his trust in God. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm vary sorry to laave, maaster, but I knaw I am gettin' owd and used +up." +</P> + +<P> +"And what will you do for a livelihood, Abe? I'm afraid you would not +be likely to get employment anywhere else at your age, what will you +do?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I don't knaw what I mun do, but I'm sure my Father will niver +see me want; 'I have been young and now am old, yet have I never seen +the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.'" This beautiful +triumph of simple faith in God was soon followed by its reward; his +master had carried the test far enough, he saw once more his old +servant was a man of God, his face broke out into a smile which showed +he had only been playing with Abe: "We have arranged to give you a +weekly allowance sufficient to keep you and your wife as long as you +live." +</P> + +<P> +"Praise th' Lord!" exclaimed Abe, "I knew my Father would not see me +want." So from that time our old friend received his weekly allowance, +and was kept from want. The Lord takes care of His own children that +trust in Him, and He often does so through the agency of some other +individual, yet whomsoever he be, he shall have his reward. "Whosoever +shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water +only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no +wise lose his reward" (Matt. x. 42). +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +OUT OF HARNESS. +</H3> + +<P> +When our old friend became so infirm as to be unable to work for his +daily bread, we may naturally conclude that his labours as a local +preacher also necessarily terminated. It was a great trouble to him to +have to put off the harness; he struggled against it as long as he +could, until indeed it was no longer safe for him to go to his beloved +work; so he was compelled to stay at home, but never man left a calling +with greater regret than he did this, for he loved it with all his +heart. +</P> + +<P> +Nor was he alone in his regrets. Many shared in them when it was known +up and down that Little Abe was "out of harness," and would come no +more. Some friends sitting together in one of the country places of +the Circuit were talking about the preachers they had heard in that +place, some of them in heaven, and some remaining till God should call +them home; reference was made to Abe Lockwood, or as he was often +called in the latter days of his life, "Old Abe!" "Ah, there's dear +'Old Abe!' he'll never come again." A fine little fellow that sat +listening to the conversation rose to his feet, with his eyes full of +tears, and exclaimed, "Why won't they let him come? If he only came +and stood in the pulpit for us to see him, it would do." Old Abe was a +great favourite with children, and he was always fond of them; +sometimes old age turns folks sour, crabby, and snarlish with children, +but age only mellowed him, and made him more loving and loved. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"WHERE'S 'T YOUNG PRAACHER?" +</H3> + +<P> +An amusing incident came under my notice during the time I was minister +at Wellhouse in the Huddersfield Circuit. I was in the front garden +one windy morning, attending to a few plants, and endeavouring to +protect them against the gusty wind, when I thought I heard someone +calling my name, but on looking up and seeing no one I resumed my task. +In a moment or two I heard someone say, "Bless th' Lord! I've managed +it at last, hurrah!" and on looking up, I saw Little Abe struggling +along the steep pathway in a field just in front of my house, his head +bare, his hat in his hand, his white locks tossed in wild confusion by +the gale, yet holding on by their roots, refusing to part from their +place of nativity. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I declare, here's Little Abe tipping about in the wind like a +shuttlecock." Out I ran, and getting hold of his arm towed him into +dock. +</P> + +<P> +"Whatever has brought you here in such a gale of wind, Abe?" +</P> + +<P> +"Hurrah! I'st see him naa," was his only response. +</P> + +<P> +"See who?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, th' young praacher to be sure; ha'nt ye gotten a young praacher +in your haase? I've come to see him." So laughing heartily at Abe's +way of installing new members into the ministry, I opened the door and +pushed him into the house. My wife was as much astonished at his +arrival as I was, yet very glad to see him, especially when he inquired +"Where's t' young praacher? Let's see him. Come, hold him up; there, +naa, put him on my lap and let me have a bit of talk to him." And down +he sat, and the "young praacher," at that time having advanced to the +age of eight or ten weeks, was placed in the old man's lap, where he +lay complacently winking his eye at Abe while he told him how he had +left home after breakfast and walked over the hills about five miles in +a storm of wind on purpose to make the acquaintance of this "young +praacher" whose name was already on the Circuit plan. And there he +stayed for the day, talking, singing, and communing with his young +friend till evening, when we sent him home by the train. +</P> + +<P> +Well, the time came when dear old Abe visited his friends nor stood in +the familiar pulpits any more; then everyone, young and old, felt they +had sustained a loss. Yet this is the natural course of things all the +world over; the scenes of life are continually changing, so are the +most familiar and most beloved faces in those scenes; they come, and +come, and come again, until we unconsciously acquire the habit of +expecting them, but when at length they do not reappear as formerly, we +realize an unexpected loss. +</P> + +<P> +How many grand and familiar faces have disappeared from our pulpits and +sanctuaries since we first began to remember things! In running the +mind's eye back into byegone years, what a number we can call into +recollection who are gone, never to return; while the truth is forced +upon us, we are daily hurrying after them, and ere long some others +will miss our faces from among the familiar scenes, and let us hope, +will regret our absence. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap23"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXIII. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"Better is the End of a Thing that the Beginning." +</H3> + + +<P> +It was known by Little Abe that his infirmities were premonitory of the +end which was not far off. He knew that though he might be permitted +to linger for a while in the border land, he must soon receive command +to march over the boundary, and enter the eternal world. Just as a +shock of corn remains in the field to dry and ripen after the shearing, +so our old friend remained in his place here for a short time, ripening +for the heavenly garner. +</P> + +<P> +He had just sufficient strength to go quietly about among his old +friends in the village, and talk over the good things of his Father's +kingdom; or he could get as far as the chapel, which was ever dear to +him, and the more so now that he felt the time was fast approaching +when he should enter it no more. He knew that before long his happy +spirit would be called up to worship in a grander temple, among a +multitude of those "who had washed their robes, and made them white in +the blood of the Lamb;" and as he sat in old Salem, and listened to the +sweet notes of the organ, his thoughts were oft carried away to the +great temple above, where day and night the harpers are striking their +joyous strings to the Redeemer's praise. Often when the choir chanted +the solemn words:— +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"What shall I be, my Lord, when I behold Thee,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">In awful majesty at God's right hand;</SPAN><BR> +And 'mid th' eternal glories that enfold me,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">In strange bewilderment, O Lord, I stand?</SPAN><BR> +What shall I be? these tears,—they dim my sight,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">I cannot catch the blisful vision right,"</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P> +he was like one enraptured, as with tearful eyes, quivering lips, and +clasped hands he listened to the soul-stirring hymn. Little Abe was +ripening for the end. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"ARISE! LET US GO UP TO BETHEL." +</H3> + +<P> +A touching little incident is told of him about this time. He always +retained an affectionate regard for the old tree on Almondbury Common, +where many years before he had made his peace with God, and now a +strong desire was felt by him to visit the consecrated spot once more +before he died. It was his Bethel pillar; against that old tree he had +rested his weary head on the dark night of his desolation; there the +Lord God had appeared to him, and filled his soul with the joys of his +salvation; there the morning of a new life first broke upon his +troubled spirit; there he had made a covenant with the God of Jacob. +That old pillar was anointed with the first tears of sanctified joy +which ever fell from his eyes; it was the altar on which he offered his +broken and renewed heart to God, and he felt as if the Lord had given +it to him as an inheritance and a monument of His pardoning mercy. +</P> + +<P> +He must see it once more and renew his vows to God; so one day they +wrapped him up in his great coat, and gave him his stick, and sent him +forth alone to his first sanctuary. Feebly and slowly the old man made +his way to the spot, and standing on the very ground, and with his hand +upon the same old tree, he saw how the locality was altered. Men had +been busy during these years, population had increased in the +neighbourhood, houses were built in different places, and many changes +had taken place. But there still remained the little running stream +close by,—figure to him of the stream of Divine grace, that had never +been cut off, never dried up in the drought of summer, never stopped by +the chill of winter, never lost in the wild growth of the wilderness +world; but on and on it flowed, down the incline of the moral world, +winding and turning from side to side, as if to gladden all in its +course, away down the hill among the gaps of the rocks, and over the +gravelly ground of human life, until it finds its way again into the +river of God's eternal love. And there too, stood the tree, the +monument; but both man and tree bore unmistakable marks of age. The +unwearying fingers of time had planted innumerable mosses against its +bark; some of its old branches had withered, its foliage was scantier +than of old; it was ripe, too; man and tree were both ripe and ready to +fall. +</P> + +<P> +What a sympathy there was between them, what a friendship, what a +secret! How many storms had both those old trees encountered since God +first threw them together! The old elm had shaken, bent, and groaned +under the violent grasp of the tempest, which hundreds of times had +swept across that common. But it still stood, patiently and bravely +waiting, amid the rolling years, for the end. Brave old elm! There is +no sympathy in a tree, or this final meeting would have awakened it; +but what matter? There is enough in man for the tree and himself too, +enough to kindle regard in his heart for every square inch of timber in +that old trunk; enough to make him see eyes in every joint—loving +eyes, looking at him in mute affection; enough to transform every limb +into strong arms stretched out to protect the old man in his +feebleness, and enable him to see a smile in every wrinkling crack and +fissure in thy hard, weather-beaten bark. Dear old elm, there needs no +apology if a man love thee. +</P> + +<P> +Who could wonder if Old Abe felt something like this for that tree? we +should wonder if he did not. There, Old Abe, dear trembling old man, +rest thy white, honoured head against the breast of that elm, and weep +if thou wilt, and never mind whether man understand thee or not, God +does. Weep, old man, but not in fear; thou hast nothing to fear, God +is with thee, and "the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." It +is the natural vent for those feelings which come crowding in upon +thee, some from the long past, and some from the approaching future, +now rapidly drawing on, with all its revelations of wonder and delight. +</P> + +<P> +And thus old Abe stood with his head resting against the tree, his eyes +closed, his tears running, and his lips silently moving in prayer to +God; so he paid his vows once more, and gathered strength for the few +remaining days of his pilgrimage; then he retraced his steps towards +home, and by the time he arrived there he was entirely himself again, +and no one would guess the emotion he had felt at Bethel. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, Sally," he exclaimed, as he re-entered his cottage, "I've been +to th' owd spot! They have hewn all abaat it, but th' owd tree stands +yet God 'll keep that tree while I live, and then they may do what they +like wi' it." +</P> + +<P> +So Abe went on, quietly severing himself from one tie after another +which bound him to this world, and getting ready for his departure to +another and a better. His mind was now steadfastly turned towards the +future, and he was continually looking for his promised rest. The +nearer he got, to the end of his life, the clearer his prospects of +heaven became; he enjoyed a most unclouded hope of glory. Often he +would say, when talking with his friends, "You'll be hearing some +mornin' before lang that Abe is gone, and yo' needn't ask where. Tak' +my word for it, I'll be in glory. If you should hear I'm dead, you may +set it daan that I'm in heaven." +</P> + +<P> +A brother local preacher had lain ill for some time, expecting every +day to be his last. Abe thought he would like to see him once more +before he passed away, and accordingly he went, and the two old +veterans spent a happy time together, conversing about the joys which +were before them. "We're both aat of harness naa, thaa sees," said +Abe, "and we'll sooin be at haam. I want the' to tell them I'm coming, +and shall n't be long after the'." +</P> + +<P> +Everyone thought that Abe would live the longer of the two, but he +gained his prize first, passing away a little before his brother, and +now they both "rest from their labours, and their works do follow them." +</P> + +<P> +Abe's remaining strength rapidly failed him at the last, so that he was +unable to leave his room; yet he was always happy in prospect of the +immortal life before him. "No aching bones or tottering limbs there," +he would say; "Glory to God! I shall sooin be young agean." The Bible +and hymn-book were his constant companions now, and in peaceful +expectation he waited for the signal that would open to him the portals +of the skies. +</P> + +<P> +The annual lovefeast was held during the time when he was a prisoner in +his room, and it was a privation to him not to be able to get there +once more, but it was not to be. They would hear his voice no more in +Salem, but before long he would have to relate his enrapturing story +among listening angels and saints before the throne. Several of the +friends came down from the chapel to see him. He said, "Aye, lads, I +could loike to ha' been amang yo' once maar, but th' next toime I cross +Salem doorstep I shall be carried over; but ne'er moind, I have seen a +door opened in heaven, and I shall sooin go through—hallelujah!" +</P> + +<P> +At last he took to his bed never to rise again; the time of his +departure was at hand. As, however, his body lost strength, his spirit +seemed to gain it; the words of the psalmist were ever on his lips, +"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear +no evil, for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." +</P> + +<P> +"Listen," he said one day, "when I can't spaike to tell yo' haa I feel, +I'll lift my hand, and yo'll knaw all's weal." This was for their +sakes. He wanted to leave a token with his dear wife and children that +should antidote their sorrow when he was gone. +</P> + +<P> +A friend came one day from a distant town to see him; he felt very sad +at finding him so near his end, and could not refrain from tears, but +when the old man saw him weep, he began to repeat as well as his feeble +voice would allow— +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"Break off your tears, ye saints, and tell<BR> +How high your great Deliverer reigns;<BR> +See how He spoiled the hosts of hell,<BR> +And led the monster Death in chains."<BR> +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +And then he took the part of comforter: "Aye, my lad, what art ta +looking so sad abaat? Thaa mun't be cast daan, thaa mun come up aat o' +th' valley; bless th' Lord!" he ran on, "I'm on Pisgah, and my soul is +full of glory. I'm in soight o' th' promised land, hallelujah! I'll +sooin be at haam." +</P> + +<P> +In this happy frame he continued to the last. As long as he could +speak at all, words of exultation and praise rose to his lips, and when +he could no longer articulate, he fell back upon the signal, and lifted +his hand, in token that all was well. Dear old Abe, he was come to the +end of his course, the shades of death were upon him, he was crossing +the narrow strip of neutral ground that divides the two worlds; friends +stood in the margin of the shadow-land, watching him feebly lift his +hand as he went over, till he could lift it no more, and when the +signal dropt mourners knew that Old Abe was safe through. +</P> + +<P> +He died in the Lord in November 1871, and left a memory behind that +grows more fragrant as years go on. His dust lies buried in the +graveyard in front of Salem Chapel, where, five years later, the +remains of his devoted wife, Sally, were laid beside him. There let +their dust sleep until that day "when they that are in their graves +shall hear His voice, and come forth." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh," said a good woman one day when talking over the subject of these +pages, "I should just like to have an odd look into heaven, to see what +Little Abe is about." What is he about? He is praising God in the +glorious temple above: "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, +What are these arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I +said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they +which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and +made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before +the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in the temple. They +rest not day and night saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, +which was, and is, and is to come." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="finis"> +THE END. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Abe, by F. Jewell + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE ABE *** + +***** This file should be named 19990-h.htm or 19990-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/9/9/19990/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Little Abe + Or, The Bishop of Berry Brow + +Author: F. Jewell + +Release Date: December 2, 2006 [EBook #19990] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE ABE *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + + +[Frontispiece: Abraham Lockwood.] + + + + + + +LITTLE ABE; + +OR, + +_THE BISHOP OF BERRY BROW_. + + + +BEING THE LIFE OF + +ABRAHAM LOCKWOOD, + +_A Quaint and Popular Yorkshire Local Preacher + in the Methodist New Connexion._ + + + +BY + +F. JEWELL. + + + +TWENTY-SECOND THOUSAND. + + + +London: + +PUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETOR, + +ROBERT CULLEY, + +25-35 CITY ROAD, AND 26 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. + + + + +Abraham Pilling, Esq., + +ASTLEY BRIDGE, + +BOLTON, + +I DEDICATE TO YOU THIS RECORD OF THE + +LIFE AND LABOURS OF ONE WHOSE WORTH YOU KNEW + +AND APPRECIATED, AS A + +MARK OF ESTEEM FOR YOUR ZEALOUS EXERTIONS + +TO + +ADVANCE THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. + + + + +PREFACE. + +I desire to express my thanks to all those friends who have kindly +assisted me in collecting materials for these pages; and I am +especially indebted to my friends the Rev. T. D. Crothers and the Rev. +W. J. Townsend for the cheerful services they have rendered me in +preparing the little work for printing. + +Whilst trying to give a faithful account of the life and character of +Abraham Lockwood, I have done my best to make the narrative both +readable and profitable; but I am sensible that there are many faults +in the volume. Such as it is, however, I humbly offer it to the +public, with the earnest prayer that it may prove a blessing to many. + +F. JEWELL. + +BETHEL VILLA, + +HULL, 1880. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +BIRTH AND PARENTAGE + + +CHAPTER II. + +EARLY INCIDENTS + + +CHAPTER III. + +HIS CONVERSION + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ABE A NEW CHARACTER IN THE VILLAGE + + +CHAPTER V. + +IN MEMBERSHIP WITH THE CHURCH + + +CHAPTER VI. + +"FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE" + + +CHAPTER VII. + +WIND AND TIDE AGAINST + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE CLOUDS BEGIN TO BREAK + + +CHAPTER IX. + +SALEM CHAPEL + + +CHAPTER X. + +ABE BECOMES A LOCAL PREACHER + + +CHAPTER XI. + +IN PRACTICE + + +CHAPTER XII. + +"BUTTERFLY PREACHERS" + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +VARIOUS WAYS OUT OF DIFFICULTIES + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +ABE'S TITLES AND TROUBLES + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A BASKET OF FRAGMENTS + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +"I AM A WONDER UNTO MANY" + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ABE AS A CLASS LEADER + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +"WORKING OVERTIME" + + +CHAPTER XIX + +METHODIST LOVEFEAST + + +CHAPTER XX. + +PATIENT IN TRIBULATION + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +"THE LIBERAL DEVISETH LIBERAL THINGS" + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +USED UP + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +"BETTER IS THE END OF A THING THAN THE BEGINNING" + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +Birth and Parentage. + +Abraham Lockwood was born on the 3rd November, 1792. His birthplace, +also called Lockwood, is situated about a mile and half out of +Huddersfield. + +It makes no pretensions to importance in any way. The only public +building which it boasts, is the Mechanics' Institute, a structure of +moderate size, yet substantially built. Its one main street is lined +with some very excellent shops, some of whose owners, report says, have +made a nice little competency there. It still boasts a toll-bar of its +own, which is guarded on either side by two white wooden posts, that +take the liberty of preventing all cattle, horses, and asses from +evading the gate, and of unceremoniously squeezing into the narrowest +limits every person who prefers pavement to the highroad. Lockwood is +also important enough to receive the attention of two or three 'buses +which ply to and fro between there and Huddersfield, as well as to have +the honour of a railway station on the L. and Y. line. Of course years +ago, when Abraham Lockwood was brought into the world, this locality +was not so attractive as it now is; only a few cottages straggled along +the level or up the hill towards Berry Brow, mostly inhabited by +weavers and others employed in the cloth manufacture of the +neighbourhood. Among these humble cottages there stood, on what is +known as the Scarr, one even more unpretentious than the rest: it +boasted only one story and two or three rooms in all; it was what Abe +used to call a "one-decker." + +In this little hut dwelt the parents of Abe Lockwood; the fact of their +residing in such a humble home, shows sufficiently that they were poor, +perhaps poorer than their neighbours. However, in that same +single-storied cot in Lockwood, Abe Lockwood was born, a Lockwoodite by +double right, and though age has seriously told upon its appearance, it +stands to this day. We sometimes see little old men living on, and +year by year growing less and less, until we begin to speculate about +the probable time it will require at their rate of diminution for +nothing to remain of them; and the same may be said of the little old +house in which Abe Lockwood was born; it was always little, but as +years have slowly added to its age, it has gradually begun to look +less, and now, as other houses of larger size and more improved style +have sprung up all around the neighbourhood, it has shrunk into the +most diminutive little hut that can well be imagined as a dwelling +house, and it only requires time enough for it to be gone altogether.[1] + +Abe's parents were a poor but honest pair, and laboured hard to make +ends meet. William Lockwood, his father, was a cloth-dresser, and +worked on Almondbury common, about a mile from his home, earning but a +scanty living for the family. In those days, when machinery was almost +unknown in the manufacture and finish of cloth, the men had to work +harder and longer and earned much less than now. Those were the times +when hard-working men thought that the introduction of machinery into +cloth mills would take all the work out of their hands, and all the +bread out of their mouths; and this was the very locality where the +greatest hostility was shown by the people to such innovations. Many a +threatened outbreak was heard of about that time, and in two or three +instances the smouldering fire in the men's minds actually burst forth +into riot and rising, when they found that the great masters were +determined to have their own way and introduce machinery into their +mills. Abe himself was led, some years after, to take part in one of +these risings, and narrowly escaped the hands of the law, while several +others were lodged for some time in York jail in recognition of the +part they had taken in the riots. + +Abe's father was a quiet, moral-living man, whose chief aim for many +years seemed to be to provide for his own household; but in after times +his thoughts were drawn to things higher as well, and he became a +God-fearing man; yet during Abe's early life, the most that can be said +for his father is that he was an honest, hard-working, and +well-disposed man. + +His mother was a good Christian woman, and was for a long time a member +with the Methodists in Huddersfield, and attended the old chapel which +formerly stood on Chapel Hill. There is no doubt that the early +teaching of his kind and pious mother had a great deal to do with the +formation of Abe's Christian character in after years. Certainly a +long time elapsed before there was any sign of spiritual life in her +son; indeed, she was called away to her eternal rest before there was +any indication of good in his heart; what matters that? the good seed +was there; it would bide its time and then grow all the stronger. +Sometimes people conclude that because there is not immediate growth +there is no life; this does not follow; the grain may slumber for +years, then wake up and grow rapidly. I on one occasion saved some +orange pippins, dried and planted them with the hope that they might +grow; as time went on, I watered and watched them, but there was no +indication of growth; months went by: I lost heart, gave over watering, +threw the plant-pot in which they were sown out of doors; a year was +gone by and more, when one day my eye fell on this same pot all covered +with green growth. "Hey! what's this?" why, positively, they are young +orange plants, standing up hardy and healthy, protesting against my +want of faith and patience. It is often the same with the growth of +other seed in the human breast; when parents have waited long in vain, +their faith grows gradually less and less, until it dies out in +despair; but the good seed may not die, it is sleeping, it lives its +winter life, and then under the tender and genial touch of some +spring-like influences it begins to grow. "Be not afraid, only +believe," said the Master of the vineyard. + +Why the young baby that had come to reside in that little cot should +have the honourable name of Abraham may be a subject of question by +some. It evidently was not to perpetuate his father's name, though +from the beginning of generations this has been a sufficient argument +for calling son after father; on that ground John Baptist had a narrow +escape from being called Zacharias. That however could not influence +the decision in Abraham Lockwood's case, because his father's name was +William. Perhaps it was that the child indicated a patriarchal spirit, +and conducted himself like a _stranger in a strange land_, in which +case there might be a suggestion of that name. Perhaps it was a piece +of parental forethought, for knowing well that they could never confer +riches upon him, or place him in a position to make them himself, they +determined to do that for him, which everyone must say is far better, +they would see to it that he had a _good name_ among men, and so they +called him Abraham. This ancient and venerable name, however, soon +underwent a transformation, and appeared in the undignified form of +"Abe." The alteration at least exhibited a mark of economy, even if it +involved the sacrifice of good taste; there certainly was a saving of +time in saying "Abe" instead of "Abraham," which is very important when +things have to be done in a hurry; and then it may be that to some ears +it would sound more musical and familiar than the full-length +designation. Howbeit, there always seemed a strange contrariness +between Abe and his name. When he was a baby they called him by the +antiquated name of "Abraham." As he grew older and bigger, they +shortened his name to "Abe," and when he was a full-grown man, and +father of a family, he was commonly known as "Little Abe." The name +and the bearer seemed to have started to run a circle in contrary +directions, till they met exactly at the opposite point in old age, +when for the first time there was seen the fitness between the man and +his name, and he was respectfully called "Abraham Lockwood." + + + +[1] Since the above was written, this little cottage has been removed +to afford room for a larger building. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Early Incidents. + +Nothing particular is reported of his early life in that little home; +there are no accounts of any hair-breadth escapes from being run over +by cart-wheels, or of his being nearly burnt to death while playing +with the kitchen fire, or of his straying away from home and taking to +the adjacent woods, and the whole neighbourhood being out in quest of +him, or that he even, during this interesting period of his history, +either fell headlong into a coal-pit, or wandered out of his depth in +the canal near by; there is, however, every probability, considering +his lively disposition, that his mother had her time pretty well +occupied in keeping him within bounds. + +On reaching the notable age of six years, a very important change came +over the even course of his young life. His parents sent him to work +in a coal-pit; people in these days will scarcely credit such a thing, +but it is nevertheless true; nor was this an extraordinary case, for +children of poor parents were commonly sent to work in the pits at that +early age, when Abe was a child. The work which they did was not +difficult; perhaps it might be the opening or shutting of a door in one +of the drifts; but whatever it was our hearts revolt at the idea of +sending a child of such tender years into a coal mine, and thanks to +the advance of civilization, and an improved legislation on these +things, such an enormity would not now be permitted. + +In some dark corner of that deep mine poor little Abe was found day by +day doing the work assigned to him, and earning a trifle of wages which +helped to keep bread in the little home at Lockwood Scarr. He went out +early in the morning, and came home late at night, with the men who +wrought in the same pit, his little hands and feet often benumbed with +cold and wet, and he so tired with his toils that many a time his poor +mother has had to lift him out of bed of a morning, and put his little +grimy suit of clothes on him, and send him off with the rest almost +before the child was awake. Many a time he was so weary on coming out +of the pit that he has not been able to drag himself along home, and +some kind collier seeing his tears has lifted him on his shoulder and +carried him, while he has slept there as soundly as if on a bed of down. + +Some few years passed on, during which time Abe continued to work in +the coal pit with but little change, except that as he grew older and +stronger he was put to other work, and earned a better wage. His +parents, however, were not satisfied that their son should live and die +a collier, they thought him capable of something else; besides that, +there were always the dangers associated with that calling in which so +many were maimed or killed. They therefore determined that their son +should be a mechanic, and learn to earn his bread above ground. After +a while they found a master who was willing to take him into his employ +and teach him his handicraft. It was customary in those days for a +master to take the apprentice to live with him in his house, and find +him in food and clothes. So Abe was given over to his new master, with +the hope that he would do well for him, and the boy would turn out a +good servant. + +Now it is quite possible all this was done by the kind parents without +consulting Abe's mind on the subject, which certainly had a good deal +to do with the realization of their hopes, more perhaps than they +thought; however they soon discovered it, for in a day or two Abe +returned home with the information that he didn't like it, and should +not be bound to any man. It was a sad disappointment to the honest +pair, who had begun to indulge in expectations that some time "aar Abe +may be mester hissen;" they however saw that it was of no use pressing +him to go back, and so they compromised the matter by setting about to +find him another master. Abe was again despatched from home with many +a kind word of advice, and the hope that he would mind his work, learn +the trade, and turn out to be a good man. But what was their surprise +and pain at the end of about a week to see Abe walk into the house +again with a bundle in his hand. "Oh, Abe, my lad, what's brought thee +here so sooin? what's ta gotton in th' bundle?" exclaimed his mother. +"Why, gotton my things to be sure; I couldn't leave them behind when +I'm going back no maar;" and sure enough he had come home with the +information as before, he didn't like being bound to any man. + +The probability is that there was something in the kind of treatment +Abe met with in both those cases that helped to set his mind so much +against the life of an apprentice away from home. All masters in those +days were not particularly kind in their manners towards apprentices: +some honourable exceptions could easily be found no doubt, but as a +rule, boys in such positions were not very kindly used; hard work from +early morning to late at night, hard fare at meal times, hard cuffs +between meals, and a hard bed with scanty covering at nights,--it was +no very enviable position for a youth to occupy, and certainly not one +to which a spirited lad would quietly submit. It may be that Abe, +during the short probations he had served at these two places, had +learnt too much of the ways of the establishments for so young a +hireling, and found they would not suit his peculiar tastes, and +therefore he decided twice over to return home, bringing his bundle of +clothes without giving any explanations or notice to any one. + +Be that as it may, here he was at home again a second time, much to the +annoyance of his father, who was bent upon the lad learning some +handicraft. Abe remained at home a short time, when one day his father +told him he had got another place for him, with an excellent man, who +would take him a little while on trial, and if they liked each other he +might then be indentured. His father had been at some trouble to find +a master farther away from home, in the hope that when once Abe was a +good way off he might be induced to stay; in this he was acting on the +principle that the power of attraction is weakened by a wider radius, +which may be correct when applied to some things, but not to all. This +new master lived in Lancashire, and thither young Abraham was sent in +due course. A month or so passed away, and all seemed to promise a +satisfactory arrangement, until one morning Abe heard a conversation in +the family, from which he gathered that his master was going to +Marsden, where he expected to meet Mr. Lockwood at a certain inn, and +make final arrangements for Abe's apprenticeship. This opened the old +sore; Abe couldn't rest: "he wouldn't stay, that he wouldn't, he would +be off home;" but how was he to get there? he didn't know the way, and +thirty miles or more was a long journey in those days. He determined +therefore to keep his eye on his master until he saw him off for +Marsden, which was more than half the distance to his home, and then he +set away after him on the same road, never losing sight of him for one +minute. On they went mile after mile along the roads until they +reached Marsden, where he saw his master enter the inn. Now Abe had to +pass in front of this very house, but he didn't want to be discovered, +so he adroitly turned up his coat collar over the side of his face, and +pulled down his cap, and set off running as fast as he could, and just +as he was passing the inn he took one hurried look from under his mask, +and there, in the open window, he saw two men side by side, his master +and his father. Of course he concluded they must have seen him, and +would be out immediately to fetch him back; this idea only lent speed +to his weary feet, so that he ran faster than ever on through the +solitary street of the old village, away out on the road, never turning +to look behind, lest he might see all Marsden coming in pursuit of him. +Exhausted nature however at length compelled him to slacken his pace, +and on turning to look back he found he had only been pursued by his +own fears. The two men sat still in the inn, talking over and settling +the terms of the apprenticeship, fixing the time when the indenture +should be signed and the boy bound to his new master. Each of them +took his journey homeward; neither of them was prepared for what +awaited him. One of them found on arriving home that Abe had gone, and +the other discovered the very opposite, that he had come, and both were +alike vexed. + +It is likely that poor Abe would have had to trot back again the next +day if his mother had not taken his part. Dear woman, she had been a +whole month without seeing her boy, and many an anxious thought had she +about him during that period; many a time when her fond heart yearned +for him, she had well nigh said she wished they had never sent him +away; many a time when some foot had been heard at the door her heart +stopped at the thought, that it might be him; and now that he had come, +really come, had run so far to be near her, had come so weary, +footsore, and hungry, had laid his weary head on the end of the table +and wept tears of trouble and pleasure, had fallen asleep there as he +sat, she put her kind arms around him, kissed his hot forehead and +said, "Dear lad, they shall not take him away from his mother any more +for all the masters and trades in the land." So it was of no use that +Mr. Lockwood should argue for his going back; he had to yield +inevitably, for what man can think to contend long against his _better_ +half? From that time all attempt to bring Abraham up as an artificer +ended, and he found employment with his father as a cloth-finisher, at +which he worked most of his lifetime afterwards. + +Soon after these stirring little events had gone by, another happened +in that household which brought far more pain and anxiety than anything +that had preceded it. The youth who would not be parted from his +mother, could not prevent his mother from leaving him, and the +separation took place; death stept in, and without regard to the fond +feelings which bound that little household together, bore away the wife +and mother to the spirit land, while her body was laid among the dust +of others in the yard of the old brick chapel in Chapel Hill, +Huddersfield. + +What a gap it made in that house! in the hearts of its inmates it left +an open wound which only long months of patient endurance could heal. +When a mother's dust is carried out and laid in the grave, it is the +light of the domestic hearth gone out; it is the sweetest string gone +from the family harp; that bereavement is like the breath of winter +among tender flowers; the live tree around which entwined tender +creepers is torn up, and they lie entangled on the ground, disconsolate +and helpless, until the Great Father of us all shall give them strength +to stand alone. + +Abraham Lockwood's mother was dead, and a kind restraining hand, which +many a time kept his wild and wayward spirit in subjection, was thereby +withdrawn, and the ill effects in time began to show themselves in his +conduct. As he grew older, and the trouble consequent on the loss of +his mother wore off, Abe gradually associated with evil companions, +fell into their habits, until he became a wild and wicked young man. +He never sank into those low habits of which some are guilty, who +neglect the appearance and cleanliness of their own person, and go +about on Sundays and weekdays unwashed and in their working attire. +Abe had more respect for himself, and was always looked upon among his +friends as a dandy. I have heard old people say he was a proud young +man, and withal of a very sprightly appearance. + +Abe took great pride in his personal appearance, and when not in his +working clothes he usually wore a blue coat in the old dress style, +such as "Father Taylor" would call "a gaf-topsail jacket." There were +the usual and attractive brass buttons to the coat, drab knee-breeches, +blue stockings, low tied shoes with buckles; and really everyone who +knew Abe thought he was a proud young man. Perhaps he was, but it is +not always an indication of pride when young people bestow more care +upon their appearance than do their fellows; it may arise from a desire +to appear respectable and be respected. No one will think I am trying +to extenuate the foolish and extravagant love of dress which some +people show, who adorn themselves in silks or broadcloth, for which +they have to go into debt without the means of paying. Some are most +unsparing in the way they lavish money on their own persons, but only +ask them to bestow something on a charitable institution, or on the +cause of God, and how poor they are; how careful not to be guilty of +the sin of _extravagance_; how anxious not to be _generous before being +just_. + +There is a propriety which ought to be observed with regard to dress as +well as other things, and it will commend itself to the judgment as +well as to the eye. Some young people are the very opposite to Abe; +they bestow scanty attentions on their appearance,--how can they think +that any one else will pay them any regard? Their appearance is like +the index to a book; you see in a minute what the work contains, and so +you may generally form a correct idea of the character of an individual +by his habitual personal appearance. "Character shows through," is a +good saying, and would make a profitable study for most of us; it shows +through the skin, the dress, the manners, the speech, through +everything; people ought to remember this, and it would have a good +influence on their conduct. + +A few years after his mother's death his father married again, and +removed about a mile further up the hill, to a place called Berry Brow. +This village is situated about two miles out of Huddersfield, and is +the notable place where "little Abe" spent the greater part of his +days. It stands on the brow of a hill which bounds one side of the +wealthy and picturesque valley that winds along from Huddersfield to +Penistone. It boasts one main street, which sidles along down the +hill-side with here and there a clever curve, just enough to prevent +you from taking a full-length view of the street; on and down it goes, +the houses on the one side looking down on those opposite, and +evidently having the advantages of being higher up in the world than +their neighbours, until it terminates in the highroad leading out of +the village towards Honley and Penistone. + +Run your eye down over the breast of the hill, and you have a +delightful landscape picture, comprising almost everything which an +artist would deem desirable for an effective painting, and a _little to +spare_. There, nearly at the bottom of the gradient, stands the +handsome old village church, with its tower and pinnacles, reaching up +among the tall trees; and around it, a consecrated enclosure, guarding +the monuments of the dead, which are mingled with melancholy shrubs, +planted there by hands of mourners whose memories of the departed are +fitly symbolized by those perpetual evergreens. On this side and +beyond the sleeping graveyard, on either arm, are scattered, in pretty +confusion, the houses of those who have retired from the main street +for the sake of a little garden plot or other convenience. Now there +is some pretence at a terrace, numbering two or three dwellings; then +an abrupt break, and houses stand independent and alone as if quietly +contemplating the lovely scenery of valley, hill, and forest, which are +visible from that spot. Down there in the bottom of the valley, stand +those mighty many-windowed cloth mills, whose great flat, unspeakable +faces, seem to be covered all over with spectacles, out of which they +can look for ever without winking; there the men, women, and children, +born and bred in the hills, find honest toil with which to win bread +and comforts; while with a twisting course there runs along the wealthy +dale a little river, from which these giant mills suck up their daily +drink. Across the narrow valley and you are into a dense woody growth, +which climbs the hills to their very crown, and sweeps away, mingling +with the sky. + +To this village the Lockwood family removed; and coming more directly +under religious influences, the father very soon became converted, and +united with the Methodist Church, along with his wife. This had a +great influence on Abe for good; he began to attend the Sunday-school, +which was conducted in a room, in what was called the Steps Mill, on +the road between Berry Brow and Honley. This was Abe's college; here +he began, and here he finished his education; no other school did he +ever attend; and for what little knowledge he had, he was indebted to +the kindness of those who taught in that school; yet all he learnt here +was to _read_. _Writing_ was a branch of study which Abe thought +altogether beyond his power; many times he endeavoured to learn the +mysterious art, but after struggling on as far as the stage of pothooks +and crooks, he gave up in disgust, and never tried again. He used to +say he firmly believed the Lord never meant him to be a writer, or he +would have given him a talent for it. Now in this Abe was certainly +labouring under a false impression, and underrating his own ability; he +was as well able to learn the art of writing as many others in similar +circumstances. How many persons have we known who have grown up to +manhood and womanhood, before they knew one letter from another, and +yet they have commenced to learn, and persevered in the work, until +they have attained at least a moderate proficiency, and some even more +than that. What Abe lacked more than talent, was a determination to +learn; for if he had been resolved, he could have become a good penman +as well as others; in this he was to blame, whether he thought so or +not. Education can only be had by those who will work for it, and +considering its immense value to every person, all who neglect it are +blameworthy, and must pay the penalties, as Abe did all through his +life. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +His Conversion. + +People talk of great changes in life, and point to periods and events +which seem to have turned their whole course into a different channel; +but there is nothing that can happen to any individual which will make +such an alteration in his life _as conversion_. Thousands of persons +who had been almost useless in the world, after that event have become +valuable members of society; others who have neglected and abused their +talents and opportunities, have become thoughtful and diligent; others +who have lived in riot and sin, wasting the energies of body and mind, +have learnt to live at peace with all men, and walk in the fear of God +and hope of heaven. Having become new creatures, they have shown it in +every line of their conduct. "Old things have passed away, and behold, +all things have become new." + +It was never more strikingly illustrated than in the case of Abraham +Lockwood. For a length of time after he had begun to attend +Sunday-school, there was a manifest difference in Abe's manner. Not +that he was really living a better life, for he was just as sinful as +before, only he was _not now thoughtless_; he might go to the ale-house +with his associates, but he went home to think about it after; he might +swear and laugh like the rest of them when they were together, but he +was no sooner alone than he felt the stings of a remorseful conscience; +he was gradually getting into that state when a man dreads to be alone +with himself; there was always something speaking to him from within, +and the voice was getting stronger and stronger every week, till +sometimes it fairly startled him, and made him afraid; often he would +try to run away from it, but it was of no use; the moment he stopped, +panting from the exertion, it was there again; many a time he tried to +deaden the voice in the deafening noise of the mill, but the more he +endeavoured to destroy it, by some mysterious contradiction, the more +intently he found himself listening for it; it spoilt all the pleasures +of sin by its presence; it was with him night and day; it followed him +in his sleep, and was waiting for him when he awoke; it made him +miserable. Poor Abe was _under conviction of sin_; he was tasting the +wormwood of a guilty conscience, than which nothing is more dreadful, +and nothing is more hopeful, because it is the bitter that oft worketh +itself sweet; it was so with Abe. While he was in this state of mind, +the Rev. David Stoner came to preach in the Wesleyan Chapel at +Almondbury. His fame drew many to hear him, and among the rest Abraham +Lockwood. He went partly out of curiosity, and partly in the hope of +getting relief to his mind; however, he only came away worse than +before; he was miserable, and it now began to show itself to his +companions. "Pain will out," like murder. "What's the matter, Abe?" +they would say to him. "Oh, nothing particular," he would reply. And +then among themselves they said, "Abe looks very queer, he's ill;" then +they tried to enliven him. "Come, cheer up, old boy, we'll have a +yarn." One would tell some droll tale, and another would say something +comical in order to make him laugh; and laugh he did, he must laugh; it +would never do to let those fellows know what was passing in his mind; +so he laughed loud as any of them, but what a laugh!--how empty and +hollow, how joyless and unreal, how unlike his former bursts of +feeling!--a got-up laugh, which shewed plainer than ever _something was +wrong_. Abe knew it, and he felt it was of no use trying any longer to +keep up a sham happiness, and all the time be in torments from a guilty +conscience; he therefore resolved to give up sin and lead a new life. +He probably was hastened to that decision by a remark which fell from +his father's lips; the old man had noticed for some time that Abe was +not in his usual spirits. He would come home of an evening and sit +looking into the fire for an hour without speaking or moving; he had +given over singing in the house, and he seemed as if he hadn't spirit +enough left to whistle to the little bird in the cage; his meals lay +almost untasted, and his tea would go cold before he had taken any. + +"Come, my lad, thaa mun get thee tea thaa knows," said the old father +one evening. + +"Yes," said Abe, as he pretended to push something into his mouth. + +"What's matter with th'?" the father inquired; "thaa's not like +theesen, nor hasn't been for mony a week." + +Abe's eyes grew moist, and his chin trembled, but he called himself to +order, no babyism now. + +The old man, still looking at him, and keen enough to notice the +struggle he had to master his feelings, went on to say, "Thaa's poorly, +my lad, thaa mun goa to th' doctor, and see if he canna gie thee +some'at." + +"No earthly doctor can do onything for me," answered Abe; "it's th' +Physician of souls that I want. Oh, father, I am unhappy; my sins are +troubling me noight and day; I don't know what will become of me: _I +feel like lost_." + +"My poor lad, the Lord have mercy on thee," replied the old man, as Abe +put on his cap and walked hurriedly out of the house. He went out +scarcely knowing why; perhaps to hide his trouble from his dear old +father; perhaps to smother his emotions, which were rapidly gaining the +mastery over him, or maybe he knew not why,--an impulse was upon him, +and it carried him forth into the cool evening air; away he went at a +brisk walk from the village in the direction of Almondbury common. +Faster and faster he went, faster and faster as if to keep up with the +rapid current of his thoughts; the distance was uncounted, the +direction unheeded, the time forgotten; one thought only occupied his +tempest-torn mind, what must he do to be saved! There are some who +would think him very foolish to give himself so much concern on a +matter of that sort; but the fact is, Abe was just beginning to act the +part of a wise man in renouncing his old habits and declaring for +Christ. No human eye followed him on that lonely walk to the common, +and no human friend accompanied him; he was alone, the thought pleased +him; he looked around all over the face of the common, but no person +was visible. _Abe was alone with God_, and he determined to speak to +Him, and tell Him all his burden of sorrow. Near to where he stood, +there was a large tree growing, whose lofty branches were uplifted to +heaven; it stood just at the bottom of a little grassy slope of four or +five yards deep, and close to the side of a small clear stream of +water, which ran gurgling and rippling along, moistening the great +roots of this tree; it was here, under its spreading boughs and gnarled +trunk, _Abe found a place for prayer_. Down on his knees he cast +himself, and his first utterance consecrated that spot as a closet, +"God be merciful to me a sinner!" He only needed to utter the first +cry, others followed in rapid and earnest succession, till all the +restraints upon his soul were broken asunder, and in an agony he +wrestled for salvation. Hour after hour fled by; twilight gave place +to darkness; lights shone from the cottage windows away on the +hill-sides; distant watch-dogs answered each other's unwearying bark; +neighbours in the village yonder, stood chatting by their open doors in +the quiet night, and in many a cottage home hard by, children and +grown-up men sat quietly eating their last meal before retiring to bed: +but none of them knew that out on Almondbury common, at the foot of a +great rude tree, a man, one of their neighbours, a sinner like +themselves, _was praying_. No, no, they didn't know: there is many a +thing goes on of vital interest to us, which even our nearest friends +know nothing about; but there are other eyes, invisible, which look +down upon us from their starry heights seeing all our ways. So they +looked, while Abe wrestled for liberty. His chief snare at this time +was, that he was _too bad for Christ to save_; it was a terrible +thought to him, and had so much of seeming truth in it, that he at +times almost despaired; then again he remembered that he could not be +too bad for Christ to save; no, HE could save to the very uttermost all +that came unto Him; Abe tried to believe that with all his heart, and +as he struggled against his doubts and fears, faith grew stronger and +bolder, then in a moment the snare broke, the dark cloud over his soul +burst, and out from the cleft there came a voice, which thrilled his +whole being. "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of +the Lord is risen upon thee." "Glory! Glory!! Glory!!!" burst from +his enraptured lips; his "light was come,"--what a light! a soul full, +_full_ of the light of Divine smiles. No wonder Abe forgot everything +else, in the joys of that ecstatic moment. He leaped, laughed, wept +shouted the praises of God till his voice might have been heard far +away over the waste, as he turned his steps towards home that night. +"Why, he's made a bron new man o' me. I hardly know mysen. +Hallelujah!" + +He was not long in reaching home, nor long in letting them know, when +he got there, what a change had come over him. In he went, with a face +shining in all the brightness of his new-found joy. "He's made a bron +new man o' me! He's made a bron new man o' me. Hallelujah! +Hallelujah!" + +The change in his whole manner and appearance was so great, that his +poor old father was at first alarmed lest he had gone wrong in his +mind; but Abe assured him he had just got right, and by God's help he +meant to keep so. + +Oh, if Abe had just got right by the wonderful change which God had +wrought in him, (and who can doubt it?) how many there are in the world +_who are all wrong_, living the wrong life, striving for the wrong +things, going the wrong way, and running towards the wrong goal! Oh, +how many are spending this short life in the pursuit of things which +are worthless and worse; sacrificing their souls' best interests for +the brief indulgence of sinful tastes, or spending the rapidly +accumulating years of their life in dark indifference to eternal things! + +The escape of one such sinner as Abe from the captivity in which the +ungodly are all held, may for a brief hour excite remark, perhaps a +desire for liberty, too, in the minds of some others; but these good +desires are often only of short duration, they die where they were +born, and almost as soon, and the soul returns to its former state; the +sleeper slumbers on; the drunkard drinks harder; the swearer blasphemes +more fiercely; the libertine indulges in greater excesses; and all +these hordes of ungodly men push on again down the broad and easy +incline to the pit of Hell. Do people know that the end of a sinful +life is Hell? Do people believe? Why, then, do they press their way +down to such a place? + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Abe a New Character in the Village. + +"Hast ta yeard th' news?" said one neighbour to another, on the morning +following the happy event narrated in the preceding chapter. + +"What news dost ta mean?" + +"Aye well, thaa has'n't yeard what happened last noight; doan't look so +scared, mon; th' mill worn't burnt daan; nor th' river droid up; nor +Amebury (Almondbury) common transported; but some'at stranger nor that." + +"Why, whatever dost ta mean?" + +"I mean that Abe Lockwood's been and gotton converted last noight, and +he's up and off to his wark this morning, shaating and singing like a +madman." + +"Abe Lockwood converted!" replied the other in astonishment, and +pausing between each word, as if to realize his own sayings. +"Nay,--I'll niver believe that." + +"It's as true as thaa and me is here; his father telled me he wor aat +hoalf at noight on Amebury common, crying and praying by a big tree +roit, and he gat converted there all alone; and when he came into th' +haase, his face was shining like th' moonloight." + +Here was news for the people of Berry Brow, and how it flew from mouth +to mouth, and from house to house, till, before many hours, almost +every person in the village knew of the wonderful change which had come +over Abe. Some doubted the report,--"It canna be soa," said one; +another "would sooiner think of ony one than him; he's making game +on't, I'll lay onything." Others thought, "If he's turned religious, +it's no matter; he'll be as wild as iver by th' week-end." It was out +of all character for Abe Lockwood to be anything else than he had been, +a rollicksome, laughing, drinking, ungodly young man. + +How often people talk in this way, when they hear of some giving their +hearts to God; "They won't stand long; give them a month, and it will +be all over," and such like injudicious things are said even by some +who ought to have more discretion. People talk without thinking, or +make such statements to cover their own shortcomings and faults. Why +shall they not stand? are they in the keeping of a feeble or fickle +Saviour? isn't His grace as strong as sin? is not Jesus always mightier +than the devil? and have not millions of the greatest sinners who have +found the Lord, stood firm against the snares of the world, and all the +devices of the wicked one? "He won't stand," is an old lie, which +every young believer must set at defiance. "Stand fast, therefore, in +the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled +again with the yoke of bondage." + +"Weant I stand," said Abe, "then I'll fall, but it shall be at the feet +of Jesus." Ah, that is the best way to stand; fall at the feet of +Jesus. It may seem a paradox in terms, but it is not in truth; it is +on the Apostolic principle, "When I'm weak, then am I strong." So poor +Abe laid himself down in order that he might not fall, and this is a +plan which others might try in times of spiritual peril, and so escape +the danger of backsliding. + +Among others who canvassed the subject of his conversion were his old +companions. One had gone out from among them that they were sorry to +lose; he was such a merry fellow; his face was always sunny; his +comical sayings had filled the public-house with roars of laughter many +a time; he could sing a song better than any of them, and he was always +ready; he was open-handed with his money whenever he had any; and +indeed, he possessed most of the qualities which make a man a favourite +among boon companions. His going out left a blank which was more felt +than seen; a vacant seat in a public-house is soon filled; so if Abe +was not there to occupy his own place someone else was; but no matter +who of his old associates were present, everyone felt Abe was absent, +and couldn't help showing it in some way. + +They had all observed that he had not been exactly himself lately; "a +little down in the mouth," and very quiet at times; but never divining +the reason, they had put it down to the wrong cause, or thought very +little about it; and then Abe had so often roused himself out of these +moods of mental abstraction by taking "another glass," and having +another song, that he had kept his companions completely ignorant of +the work which was going on in his mind. So now it burst upon them +like a gun-shot; they were amazed; but the devil seldom deserts his +victims at a time like that; it would not be safe, he might lose some +more of them; he comes to their help and counsels them as to their +conduct. "Well," says one of them as they gathered in their usual +place of resort one night, "I s'pose Abe Lockwood will be gone to +prayer-meeting to sing Psalms with the old women," at which the whole +company burst into a loud laugh at Abe's expense, and yet it cost him +nothing, which was more than any of them could say of the drink they +consumed that night. + +Abe Lockwood had left them,--he was a changed man; he had been +converted on Amebury common; he had turned off into an entirely +different course from theirs; he was a better man than any of them: +many such thoughts as these would obtrude themselves on the minds of +his former friends, and linger there in spite of all their efforts to +keep clear of them. + +Some time elapsed before any of these old associates were brought into +immediate contact with Abe; whether they purposely kept out of his way, +or he out of theirs, is not easy to say; perhaps both would be correct. +He no doubt felt safest and happiest away from his old companions and +everything which reminded him of them; they, too, had a misgiving that +whenever they did meet Abe, he would say something that might make them +uncomfortable; for they knew he would not beat about the bush, he would +tell them his mind about their ways: so on the whole it was best to +keep out of his way as long as they could. + +Meanwhile, Abe was gathering strength day by day, for he was living in +the constant spirit of prayer, which is the way to be strong. Night +after night, a lone man might be seen kneeling at the root of a great +tree on Almondbury common, pouring out his soul in prayer to God, until +that spot became to the new convert the very gate of heaven; and for +long years after, when Abe was established in the faith, he still +frequently found his way there to pray; during the whole of his +subsequent life, he never passed that spot without turning aside to +hear what the Lord would say to him. Many of the most delightful times +he ever had were experienced at the foot of that tree; and a visit +there, where he breathed the native air of his spiritual life, +invariably brought the glow of religious health to his soul. + +As weeks and months went by, the people of Berry Brow became used to +the fact of Abe Lockwood's conversion, and it ceased to excite any +particular remark, except such as might pass between neighbours on +seeing him go by. + +"Aye, mun, what a change is in yon lad," one would say. + +"You are roight naa," would be the response. + +"He wor as big a rake as ony i' th' parish a few months sin'; I'd never +ha' thowt o' Abe Lockwood turning religious." + +"No, nor me noather, but we niver know what 'll come to us." + +"No,--gooid-noight." + +One day Abe and a former companion of his met full in front; there was +no sliding away on either side,--they must speak. Both of them +experienced a slight nervousness at first, but Abe plucked up courage +and came boldly on. + +"Naa, lad, haa art ta?" + +"Oh, why, middling like, haa's yersen?" + +"Aye, mun," said Abe, "it gets better and better, religion is th' best +thing i' th' world; it's made me th' happiest chap i' Berry Braa." + +"Why, thaa looks merry," said his companion. + +"I is merry, and only wish thaa wor like me," and then Abe went on in +his own simple, earnest, and homely manner to preach Jesus to his +friend; and before they parted, the man had proof enough that Abe had +found a better way of living than his former one. + +Many a time, as weeks and months rolled by, he was thrown for a short +time into company with one or another of his old yoke-fellows in sin; +and often did they endeavour to lead him back again into the ways and +haunts he had forsaken; but no, no, he was not to be moved out of the +new path which he had taken for time and for eternity. + +Abe was a very plain-spoken man, and sometimes used phrases which were +anything but refined, but this was compensated for by their good sense. +Sometimes, when Satan was tempting him to give up his religion, and +return again into the ways of sin, he would exclaim, "What! give up my +blessed religion and return to thy swill-tub agean; I should be a great +fooil to do that,--does th' want to mak' me like an owd saa (sow), +that's been weshed, and then runs back into t' muck agean; nay, thaa's +rolled me i' sin lang enough; I'm thankful to be aat o' thy mud-hoil, +and by the help of God, thaa'll get me there no maar." Then perhaps, +when in conversation with some unconverted neighbour on the +all-absorbing theme of religion, he would break out, "Aye, mun, yoa +doan't know haa grand it feels being weshed, weshed i' th' blood of th' +Lamb. I wor that mucky, all th' waiter i' Holmfirth dam couldn't mak' +me daacent, but a drop of His blood did it in a moment. Glory to God!" + +Ah! the precious blood of Jesus can make the foulest clean; no matter +how long or how deep sin has reigned in his heart, Jesus is able to +remove it entirely, and bring in His grace and peace. He is a +wonderful Physician, there is none like Him; He has never been baffled +yet, though for nearly two thousand years He has been called to +exercise His power on the outcasts and incurables of our race. He +knows the disease with which every poor sinner is afflicted, and He +also understands the cure; sinners who have long been given up by +themselves, and others as well--poor, abandoned things, who have been +kicked out of all orderly society, and left to rot in the moral filth +of the streets, or die in the sewers of iniquity, have been found by +Him, lifted out of the mire, washed in the streams of His grace, +clothed in His righteousness, and made fit to sit among princes. + + "Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness + My beauty are, my glorious dress; + 'Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, + With joy shall I lift up my head." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +In Membership with the Church. + +As soon as Abe Lockwood found the Lord, he felt it was his duty and +privilege to unite himself with the people of God, and he therefore +lost no time in seeking membership. + +THE METHODIST NEW CONNEXION at that time had no chapel in Berry Brow, +but conducted prayer-meetings, and held a weekly class in a cottage +somewhere in the village. Abe knew these humble, earnest people, and +felt drawn towards them by strong sympathy; he was sure he could feel +at home among them, and they would be of very great assistance to him +in building up his Christian character. What made him all the more +willing to throw in his lot among them, was the fact that some of them +had frequently shown an interest in his spiritual welfare before he +became converted, and had endeavoured to induce him to attend their +meetings; and now when they all knew the change that had taken place in +him, they were the first to go after him and offer him the right hand +of fellowship,--so he at once united himself heart and hand to their +little band. + +It would be well if that zeal and watching for souls, which +characterized the early Methodists, were more frequently displayed +among their successors; how many who are now merely hovering outside +the Christian Church, afraid to run after the pleasures of sin, ashamed +to avow themselves in quest of salvation, would be brought to decision, +and enabled to lead a happy and useful life. + +There are many thus hanging on the skirts of almost every Church, +waiting to be gathered up, and shame on the members who quietly and +indifferently permit this! It must not be; men's souls are too +precious to be trifled with; they have _cost too much_ for us to allow +them to starve and die on our doorstep; open the door, put forth your +hand, draw them kindly, but firmly, into the family of the Lord; few of +them will have heart to resist such efforts to save them; but if they +do, then go out to them, stay with them, persuade and entreat them, +pray for them, pray on and on, and in the end you will prevail. We +want more of this watching and waiting for souls in Churches; may God +lay these souls on our hearts! + +Abe became a member of the Methodist New Connexion in Berry Brow when +it could scarcely be considered a Church, inasmuch as neither Christian +sacrament nor preaching services were established there: it was merely +a class belonging to the society in Huddersfield. That class, however, +was the living germ out of which was in due time developed a strong and +flourishing Church, having now a commodious chapel, and also an +excellent Sunday School, in which are growing up hundreds of +interesting children, who will some day be a blessing to the +neighbourhood, and an honour to the Church of Christ. + +To this little band of disciples our friend Abe was a most valuable +addition; not that either then or afterwards he brought them wealth, +for he was always poor, but because he contributed a zealous, praying +spirit, and encouraged the little flock to fresh exertions. + +He was no sooner admitted among them, than he began to exercise his +talents in prayer-meetings, and although he sometimes got confused in +his utterances, he didn't care much, for he used to say, "Th' Lord +knows what I mean, and He can soort th' words, and put 'em in their +roight places; bless Him, He can read upsoide daan, or insoide aat." +But time and constant exercise made a wonderful improvement in this +respect, and as Abe felt less difficulty in uttering what he meant, he +also experienced less restraint of spirits, and began to show himself +in his own peculiar style. + +He had a way of responding to almost everything that was prayed for, +and interlacing remarks, and sometimes explanations, when he thought +them necessary. Possibly these comments were more to himself than for +any one else, and were often made quite unconsciously--a kind of +thinking aloud. A rather amusing instance is given where Abe's notes +of explanation were called forth. It appears that one night the weekly +prayer-meeting was conducted as usual in the cottage of one of the +members. Abe was there among a number of others, and they were having +a very lively time together. As one after another engaged in earnest +intercession at the throne of grace, the feelings of all present became +very elevated, and they shouted for joy. At length, while one brother +was praying, another got so happy that he could remain on his knees no +longer. Springing to his feet, therefore, he began to jump, and in one +of his upward movements he brought his head into sudden and violent +contact with a basket of apples, which hung by a nail to the ceiling; +the basket oscillated a time or two, then slipped over the head of the +nail, and spilt its contents on the head of the man that was praying. +This singular event was deemed by him a sufficient reason for +suspending his exercises, and opening his eyes to ascertain the cause. +As soon as Abe observed the suspension of prayer, he exclaimed, "Pray +on, lad! it's nobbut th' owd woman's apple-cart upset," on receiving +which timely exposition of the state of things, the good man resumed +his intercessions, and the meeting returned to its former happy flow of +feeling. The time came when Abe was looked upon as the life and soul +of these little meetings: his quaint sayings, his earnest prayers, his +happy experience, always animated and strengthened those who were +present, and made the meetings real means of grace. Then Abe was +always there; he could be relied upon whoever might fail, so that they +all began to depend upon him, look to him, and follow him, till, almost +without knowing it, he had become greatly responsible for the spiritual +life of the little flock in Berry Brow, and mainly instrumental in +laying the foundations of the cause there, which has now grown to very +interesting and influential proportions. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +"For Better, for Worse" + +Marriage is a most important step in the life of any person; happiness +or misery in this world depend on it far more than many young people +think. Nothing demands more careful thought, discrimination, and +prayer, than the choice of a life partner. Especially professors of +religion should consider this, lest they be tempted to break the +apostolic injunction, and become "unequally yoked together with +unbelievers." + +It is painful to see how little regard is paid to this subject by some +who profess to be disciples of Jesus, and yet allow their affections to +be centred upon someone of the world. Pleased by an attractive +appearance, winning manners, or something else of this kind, they are +beguiled away beyond the line of demarcation which divides the church +from the world, until, by-and-bye, they consummate a union of the +flesh, where there cannot be a union of spirit, and light and darkness +make a poor attempt to dwell together. + +Self-deception is a very easy thing in matters of this sort; it is +seldom difficult to find arguments in favour of that which the heart is +set upon. The one that knows the Lord, will pray until the other is +brought to him; neither will be guilty of casting the slightest +hindrance in the way of the other, etc., etc., but how often have these +pretty delusive devices been cast to the winds, or broken to atoms like +glass toys in after life, and their framers made to pay the bitter +penalties of disappointment, regret, and even backsliding for their +early transgressions? The selection of a husband or wife is not a +question of mere sentiment or feeling, but one which involves an +important principle. In making it, we should take God into our +counsel, and abide by His decisions. A young man who was a member in +one of our churches once opened his mind to me on this subject; he very +much admired a young person whom he mentioned; he said he had been +praying about marriage with her for some time, and had left it entirely +with the Lord, but said he, "I must have her, come what may." Prayer +with submission like that is only a solemn mockery, and is sure to meet +with its deserved reward. If we ask God to guide us, we must permit +Him to lead; and whether the outcome suit our feelings or not, we may +rest assured it will be for our ultimate welfare. + +In the choice of his wife Abe Lockwood was wisely led, as a long and +happy life together afterwards proved. It appears that soon after his +conversion, Abe, who was always fond of singing, joined the choir of +the Huddersfield Chapel. That was the age before organs were thought +of in Methodist places of worship; other musical instruments obtained +in those good old times: fiddles and bass viols, clarionets, flutes, +hautboys, cornets, trombones, bassoons and serpents, delighted the ears +and stirred the souls of our forefathers with their sacred harmony. +Grand old times those were too; there was some scope for the musical +genius and taste of men in those days, when if a man could not +manipulate the keys and evoke the religious tones of a clarionet, he +might vent his zeal in the trombone, or make melody on a triangle; +then, the orchestra was a kind of safety valve, where zealous men might +exert their powers until they were bathed in perspiration and +exhausted. In those days the musicians were men of considerable +influence in the public services; they could any time keep the +congregation waiting while they tuned up to harmony, or while the first +fiddle mended his string, or rosined his stick. True, a little +accident would occasionally happen in the midst of the service, such as +the falling of a bridge, but nobody was hurt, it was only a +fiddle-bridge; a nervous preacher might be just a little startled by +the thwack behind him, and a few of the light sleepers might be +suddenly aroused from their deep meditations to venture an +inappropriate response; and other little matters might occasionally +happen, as when some conspicuous instrument became excited, and played +somewhat sharper than the others in the band, thereby giving a twinge +of neuralgia to a few sensitive persons in the congregation; but then +they shouldn't be so sensitive,--others were not, not even the +musicians, and why should they? Besides, all these things, and a great +many more, too numerous to mention, helped to throw some variety and +feeling into the proceedings, and frequently afforded matter for lively +conversation when the people came out of chapel. Can any one wonder, +therefore, that the musical taste of the past should steadfastly resist +every effort to bring about a change in the composition and conduct of +our chapel orchestras? + +Abe lived and flourished as a singer in those good old days, and it was +one of his greatest enjoyments to take his place among the singers in +the old High Street Chapel, and raise his alto voice in honour of Him +"whose praise can ne'er be told." + +But there was another little pleasure which Abe very much enjoyed after +the services, and that was to walk home in company with a young woman, +one of the singers, too, named Sarah Bradley. She lived at Berry Brow, +and was a member in the same class as himself; she was about his own +age, and while she made no pretensions to beauty, she was what the +neighbours called "a real bonny lass." Abe thought her the nicest and +handsomest young woman he ever gazed upon. She was the very light of +his eyes, and her conversation was real music to him; he was so charmed +with her, that he would run a mile any time to look at her bonny face; +his affections were entirely won by her,--which was, by the way, no +little pleasure to herself, inasmuch as she regarded him with very +similar feelings. + +There seemed quite a propriety in the mutual affection of these two +young people; it was, to say the least of it, quite patriarchal that +Abraham should love Sarah; but whether Abe ever thought of Scripture +precedent for indulging such sentiment or not, one thing is certain, he +followed the example set by one of old, and took Sarah to be his wife. + +The wedding took place on the 10th May, 1818. There was no extravagant +or improvident display on the occasion. Abe did, however, put on his +best clothes, and stay from work for that day; and Sally, as he now +began to call her, appeared in a stuff dress, that served as her Sunday +frock for a long time afterwards. A few friends attended the ceremony +by invitation, and a few more of the gentler sex just dropped in as +they were, to see that the affair was properly done, as well as to +indulge a pardonable liking for that kind of religious service. Some +of them probably never attended a place of worship except on such +interesting occasions, or in connection with a christening. Here, +then, was an opportunity for these people to indulge their select +tastes, and they failed not to embrace it. + +The ceremony over, the happy pair came forth to be pelted, according to +custom, with rice and old shoes, symbolizing the wishes of the +bystanders, that all through life they might enjoy plenty, prosperity, +and good luck. Then came the walk home through the village arm-in-arm; +Abe nervous, and Sally blushing under the kind yet familiar +congratulations of their friends. + +The day was spent in a quiet, happy manner among the members of the +wedding party, and nothing particular occurred until a little before +seven o'clock in the evening, when all at once Abe got up, reached down +his hat, and prepared for going out. + +"Where's ta going?" someone asked. Sally was looking at him rather +curiously, as if she could not understand his movements. + +"Why," said he, "doant yoa know it's my class noight?" + +"Well, what by that? they'll niver expect thee t'-noight." + +"Oh, but I mun goa." + +All present laughed right heartily at his remark, and one of them said, +"Nay, lad, thaa mu'nt goa t'-noight and leave th' wife and all th' +friends; foak 'll laugh at thee." + +"Let 'em laugh; th' devil 'll laugh if I doant goa, and foak 'll laugh +if I do. I'm sure to be laughed at, ony way; I'll goa." He looked at +Sally for a moment, and saw, at any rate, that she understood him, +although she did smile; so opening the door he shot out, saying, "I +shalln't be long, lass." He went to his meeting just the same as +usual, and no matter to Abe if his leader and class-mates were all +surprised to see him, he was quite as comfortable as if a wedding were +an every-day event with him. Abe's maxim was to allow no hindrance to +stand in the way of his duty to God. Christ came first with him, his +wife stood next; and as he began, so he continued through all his +marriage life. + +This worthy couple began housekeeping in a very humble way,--it was +really "love in a cot,"--and with very limited means; but they were +happy in each other and happy in God. Sally made a good wife, and +contributed greatly not only to her husband's happiness, but also to +his usefulness in the Church. Too much can hardly be said in honour of +that humble and devoted woman, whose great study, during all their life +together, was to make home most attractive to her husband, and his +path, as a Christian, easy. When the charge of a large family came +upon them, she cheerfully and studiously undertook the multitudinous +little offices and cares that always come, under the circumstances, and +threw as little as possible upon her partner in the house; for she used +to say, "Dear man, he has enough to do to find us in bread, without +troubling to put it into our mouths." Ah, and when there was scarcely +even bread for them, which often happened in those hard times, she +would scorn to murmur at her husband, or utter a word that seemed like +a reflection upon him; no, she was united to him "for better, for +worse," and she bore whatever came with a noble and patient fortitude. +Many a time, however, had she, poor thing, to go to her heavenly Father +with her cares, and vent her anguish in a shower of tears, which Abe +never saw, and perhaps never heard about; and when he came home from +his day's toil, she always tried to have a cheerful face and a smile +for the dear man. + +Besides attending to the duties of her household like an exemplary +wife, she was often engaged in her own house _burling_ cloth for the +manufacturers, by which means she earned a scanty addition to their +income. Frequently when Abe retired to rest, she would pretend she was +scarcely ready, and then, after he had fallen soundly asleep, she might +be seen by the dim light of a candle, hour after hour, till far away +into the morning, picking at the cloth in order to get it finished; +then, tired in body and spirit, she would throw herself down to sleep, +and recruit for the struggles of another day. Whenever the children +had any new clothes, which was too seldom, they were made by her hands. +Necessity had taught that thrifty little woman many a thing, until in +time she learnt not only to earn and make their clothes, but even to +mend their shoes herself. Many a homely patch did she put upon their +clogs, and many a sole, too. She had fingers for anything, and never +stood fast whatever came in her way. While many others in her position +would have sat wondering and despairing, she arose, stuck to her task, +got it done, and if she had any time, she did the wondering afterwards. + +Go when you would to Sally Lockwood's house, it was always tidy, and +there was a clean chair for you to sit upon. Although their clothes +were coarse, and patched with more pieces, if not more colours than +Joseph's coat, the children were always clean, though many a time they +hadn't a change of garment to put on. What that means in a large +family, the thrifty wives of hard-working men will understand. The +frequent late washings on Saturday nights, when the little ones were +gone to bed, were something wonderful, and what was even more +remarkable still was, that Sunday morning found their things all clean +and dried, ready for them to go to school like other children. + +Ah, Sunday morning, beginning of the day of rest,--how welcome to poor +Sally after her hard week's toils and anxieties! When the family were +gone to school, and her honest man was somewhere at work in the +Master's vineyard, she could slip on her bonnet and shawl and just run +into the preaching service close by, and gather strength and +encouragement from the earnest prayers and humble exhortations of those +men whom God had found in the quarry, at the loom, in the mine, or at +the lapstone, and sent forth Sunday by Sunday into the villages to +preach a homely gospel to the poor, and comfort to His flock. + +And thus she struggled on from week to week and year to year, bearing +with uncomplaining fortitude her own burdens, and lightening, when she +could, those of her husband; setting an example of patience, industry, +and piety before her family, thus by example, as well as precept, +training them up in the fear of the Lord. + +No wonder that one of Abe's greatest boasts was his wife. Next to his +Lord and Master, whose praise was ever on his lips, Sally came in for +honours. "Aar Sally," which was the usual homely and affectionate way +in which he spoke of her, was, humanly speaking, his sheet anchor; her +word was more to him than counsel's opinion, and considerably cheaper; +what "aar Sally" said was Act of Parliament in that little house. She +had gained a power there which was due to her, and which she exercised +for the benefit of the whole. + +"Aar Sally" often figured in Abe's sermons, and always in a favourable +light, which shows the estimation he cherished for the worthy partner +of his joys and sorrows. Although, as years went on, time, labour, and +anxiety made their unmistakable impressions upon her, she was always +bonny to Abe; and up to the last, when he was a feeble old man, and she +was stricken in years, he used to say, "Aar Sally is th' handsomest +woman i' th' world." It is possible that this assertion may have been +the occasion of some tender disputes in some quarters, but nothing was +ever heard to that effect, and no one ever openly ventured to enter +into competition with Sally for the honour which was ascribed to her, +so that she was, _without dispute_, the handsomest woman in the world. + + "Handsome is he, that handsome doth, + And handsome, indeed, that's handsome enough." + +Beauty is only skin deep, but goodness goes right through. Sally was a +good wife, a good mother, a good Christian, and now her soul rests in +the presence of Him "who is fairest among ten thousand, and altogether +lovely." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Wind and Tide Against. + +When Sally gave her hand to Abe, we have said it was "for better, for +worse," but she soon found there was a good deal of "worse" in it. +What a sad thing it seems that nearly all the pretty castles which +young people build for themselves in the air, should so soon fall to +pieces! What a wonderful contribution it would be to the science of +architecture if the ideas of these erections could only be realized in +substance! Ah, but such is the nature of things, that castles without +foundations can only be built in the air, and commonplace men are +unable to do that. It has been a great disappointment to the +constructors of these buildings, that they have never been permitted to +spend a single hour in them; so very attractive as they looked, too, +covered all over with gilt and flowers, and furnished in a style that +out-rivalled the pictures of the "Arabian Nights." + +A real prince might be happy if he could only get in. Some of them +have taken years to bring to such a state of perfection; now, a little +addition is made here, and then a slight alteration there, until it is +finished, and the happy pair set off to take possession of the fairy +palace. But they never enter it: the more eager they are to get in, +the more confused they become as to the position of the doorway; one +thinks it is at the front, the other fancies it must be at the side, +and every time they go around the house seeking the entrance, by some +mysterious means the house seems further from them, and another effort +is necessary to reach it. How tiresome! but they must be in, for +storms begin to gather, and they are not prepared for them; the wind +blows and whistles as if calling up other evil forces for mischief; +night, like a dismal monster in a black cloak, and barefooted, is +coming on; the pretty castle is fading out of view among the darkening +objects around,--quick! quick! we must be in, for the hour is wild. On +they hurry, and in their haste, they find an open door and enter; there +is shelter and rest for them, but when daylight comes they open their +eyes, and lo, the lovely castle is gone, and the home is a weaver's +cottage! + +There is no doubt that Abe and his young wife played their part at +castle-building, like most others in their position, and like others +they found it a great deal easier to erect than inhabit. However, +there is this to be said for them, which cannot be said for all, they +had fortitude to endure their lot without complaint; and though their +castle was but a very little cot, it was commodious enough to hold +them, and left room for a variety of joys and sorrows as well. + +At the time when they were married, Abe was working as a cloth-finisher +in a mill near Almondbury common, but not long afterwards, the work at +this place failed, and he, with a number of others, was thrown out of +employment. This was a sore reverse, for which they were ill-prepared. +If trade had been good in the neighbourhood, he could easily have +obtained work under some other master, but alas! the reasons which +induced his employer to discharge his men, operated with others in the +same way, and consequently left no opening for Abe. + +What was to be done? Ah! that was the inquiry which often passed +between Abe and Sally in their little home. The bread-winner was +stopped, then the bread must soon stop, and then would come a dark +_period_, that is, a full stop. + +In their day of trouble they carried their case to the Lord, and asked +His fatherly aid; many a time did they go together to vent their burden +of trouble in His ear, and obtain strength to endure their trial. One +day, after Abe had been in this way asking help and counsel of the +Lord, he came and sat in a chair at one end of the table, while his +wife sat near him, quietly stitching away at an old garment she was +mending. For a few minutes neither of them spoke; by-and-by Sally +looked up from her work to thread her needle, and their eyes met. She +had a very sad look upon her face, for her heart was full of trouble, +and she was just ready for what she called "a good cry;" but the moment +she saw his face, which was covered all over with a comical smile, she +caught the infection, and burst into a laugh,--a kind of hysterical +laugh that had more sorrow than mirth in it. She laughed and he +laughed, one at the other, till tears came from the eyes of both, and +their poor sorrow-sick hearts seemed as if they would rise into their +throats and choke them. + +"Naa, lass, what's matter with the'?" at length exclaimed Abe. + +"Why, it's thee made me laugh soa." + +"Me, what did I do?" + +"Ay, thaa may weel ask," said Sally, wiping her eyes with her apron. +"Why, thaa looked a'most queer enough to mak' a besom-shank laugh; +thaa's made my soides ache." + +"Well, it 'll do thee gooid; thaa wants a bit of a change, for thaa's +had heartache lang enough," responded her husband. + +Sally resumed her work, but said nothing; her only response was a +deep-drawn sigh. A few moments of silence again ensued, which Abe +broke by saying, "Sally, haa would the' loike to see me wi' a black +face?" + +"What's 'ta say?" + +"Haa w'd th' loike to see me wi' a black face?" repeated Abe. + +"What art ta going to blacken thee face forr doesn't th' like thee own +colour? what does ta mean?" inquired Sally looking at him. + +"I mean," replied Abe with great earnestness, "that I'm gooin to turn +collier." + +"Nay, niver, lad!" cried his wife in dismay. + +"Why, it's only for a bit till things brighten up in aar loine, and +then thaa knows I can get wark at th' mill agean." + +Poor Sally wept in earnest now; it was a shock to her feelings that she +was not prepared for. At length she said, "I niver thought of thee +goin daan a coil-pit, thaa isn't used to it, and thaa 'll happen break +thee neck." + +"Nay, not soa; I've warked mony a day in a coil-pit," said Abe. "Bless +thee, my lass, when I were nowt but a bairn I used to wark i' th' pits; +niver fear, I'm an owd hand, I can do a bit o' hewing wi' ony on um." +And then when Abe saw the first burst of feeling on his wife's part was +giving way, he went on to make good his position: "Thaa knows I mun do +some'at, and there is nowt else I can see to turn to, and it 'll keep +us going till I can get back to my own wark; we mu'nt be praad in these +times, thaa knows. I'll promise to wesh th' black dust off my face +every day," said he, laughing, and trying to get her to do the same. +"Cheer up, my lass, we mun look th' rock i' th' face." + +"Ah, th' Lord help us," responded Sally. + +"Naa I like to year thee say that," said Abe, "because I believe it was +the Lord that put it into my yead, for I niver thowt abaat such a thing +till I were telling Him my troubles just naa, and then it came to me +all in a moment, like as if someone spake to me, and I says, I'll goa." + +And he did go, and he got employment in one of the coal-pits in the +neighbourhood, where he received so much per week as wages, and a lump +of coal every day as large as he could carry home, as a perquisite. Of +course he took as big a lump as he could manage, and sometimes he was +tempted to overtax his strength. Many a time poor Abe had to stop on +the way home, lift the coal down from his head, where he usually +carried it, and rub the sore place; and many an expedient, in the way +of padding, had he to resort to, in order to compensate for the soft +place which nature, so prodigal in her gifts to some, had denied him. +However, day after day he struggled along under his dark and heavy +load, each day finding himself oppressed by another weight--of coals. + +The new work was hard and trying to him, but he kept toiling on, and +patiently waiting for the time when his heavenly Father would open up +another sphere for him; meanwhile there was this consolation, that his +toils kept fire in the hearth, and bread in the cupboard at home, and +knowing this he was happy. He didn't envy any man his wealth, or his +ease; he many a time on his way home, with the lump of coal on his +head, was happier than the rich employer who passed him in his +carriage; he had no ambitious schemes with which to harass his mind, +his highest object was to glorify God in a consistent Christian life, +and try to lead others to do the same. When his day's work was ended, +he could lift his burden on his head, and journey homeward with a light +heart; the only weight he felt was upon his head; many a day he came +over the ground singing, certainly _under a difficulty_, but no matter, +he did sing. Abe was an alto singer in the chapel choir, but in these +homeward songs one would almost fancy he would have to take another +part, as the lump on his head would render it rather inconvenient for +him to reach the higher notes; ground-bass would be more in keeping +with his circumstances, and probably he himself was more inclined to +sink than soar; be that as it may, he sang and trudged along home, and +any one that met him, might know he was happy as a king, aye, and +happier than many. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +The Clouds begin to Break. + +Abe had not long laboured in the coal-pit before all about him began to +feel he was a good man. He did not hide his light from anyone, masters +or men, and though they may not have followed his godly example and +Christian counsel, they all respected him for his pious and consistent +life among them. + +It so turned out that one day the foreman ordered all the men to stay +and work overtime at night, in order to complete some important matter +which they had in hand. This was a terrible blow to Abe, for it was +his class-night, and he had never yet missed that means of grace, nor +would he, if he could by any possibility get there; but now, what was +he to do? He felt it was his duty to obey his master, and take his +share of the extra work if required; on the other hand, his heart +yearned for the fellowship of saints: how dear that little classroom +seemed to him then. All the day his mind dwelt upon the subject; he +fancied his own accustomed seat empty, and his leader and classmates +wondering why he was not there; he prayed earnestly for deliverance +from this snare, and yet saw no way of escape. Evening came, and the +usual hour for leaving work, but no bell rang the men out; on they all +went at their task, and Abe along with the rest, yet all the time he +was groaning in spirit; half an hour passed away, when the foreman came +in. He was a hard, resolute man, that seemed to have neither fear of +God nor devil before his eyes. "Abe Lockwood," said he, "isn't this +thy class noight?" Abe looked up in an instant, and replied, "It is." +"Drop thee wark this minute and go then; if I'm going to hell, I won't +hinder another man from trying to get to a better place," and before +Abe could find time to thank him, he was gone again. In a twinkling +Abe was out of the place, and away over Almondbury common, like a fleet +hound just slipt from the leash. He went to his class-meeting and was +very happy there, but he did not forget in his own happiness to pray +for the man who in this instance had bowed to the better spirit within +him, and shown him such a mark of favour. + +There is a heart in every man, however hard he may be, and when once +the Spirit of God assails that heart, He may break it, or at least +reason it into submission. We don't know all the power that God has, +nor the many ways in which He can exert that power on the minds of men; +we often hinder its operation by our want of faith. O Lord, increase +our faith! Then "all things are possible to him that believeth." + +For some time Abe continued working at the coal-pit. Although he made +no complaints, he greatly disliked the employment, and looked forward +with intense longing to the time when he could again return to his own +calling. He told the Lord all his heart upon this subject, and often +implored Him to lift him out of the pit and bring him again to the +employment that was more congenial to his feelings. Nor did he pray in +vain, as the following incident will show:--One day a gentleman came to +the pit, and said, "Have you got a man here called Abe Lockwood?" On +being answered in the affirmative, he expressed a wish to see him. Abe +was at once communicated with, and fetched out of the place where he +was working. On seeing him all begrimed with coal-dust, the gentleman +said, "I'm sorry to see thee like this, Abe; I have been troubled about +thee for some time." + +"Have you, haa's that, maaster?" + +"Why, I hardly know, but I have felt for many a day that I ought to +come and offer thee work in my place, and now I've come, and if thou +wants to leave here, I will find thee something to do in my mill." + +Abe's grateful heart was almost in his throat; his eyes swam in tears, +his face beamed with smiles, and he shouted, "Hallelujah! When mun I +come?" + +"Come at once if you can." + +"All roight," said he, "I can leave here ony time. I'll come i' th' +morning; bless th' Lord! I knew my Father would foind me another job +somewhere." + +That night he went home singing with the usual lump of coal on his +head. When he got into the house he threw it down with a crash that +startled Sally, his wife. "There," he said, playfully pretending to be +vexed, "I'll fetch thee na moor coils on my yead, so thaa needn't +expect it." + +"What's matter wi' the' naa?" she said, looking at him. + +"I tell the' I'll fetch the' na maar coils," he responded, rubbing his +scalp as if it hurt him. + +"Well then, we may as weel let t' fire goa aat first as last," rejoined +the good wife, a little ruffled. + +"Noa thaa shalln't. I loike a gooid foire as weel as onybody; and if +thaa grumbles ony maar, I weant go to th' pit agean." + +Sally looked hard at him for a moment or two, and in spite of the thick +layer of coal-dust on his face, she could see there was a smile just +underneath struggling to burst through. "What dost ta mean?" she said, +half laughing herself. + +"Mean!" exclaimed Abe, jumping from his seat, and seizing hold of her +hand, "Mean! Why, I mean that I've done with coil-pit; the Lord has +gotten me a job in Huddersfield at my own wark, and I'm goin' in th' +morning, bless th' Lord!" + +Sally smiled, wiped her eyes, and said quietly, "Well I niver; aye, but +I am glad; come and get thee teaa, my old collier." And that night +there was sunshine in Abe's cottage hours after the great orb of day +had gone down and left the world in darkness. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Salem Chapel. + +Close to the entrance of the village, at the top of the main street, +and within five minutes' walk of the railway station, stands the +Methodist New Connexion Chapel of Berry Brow. It is situated on the +right-hand side of the street coming from Huddersfield; being on lower +ground than the road, it has from this point a stunted appearance. +Pursuing the decline and curve of the street a little further brings +you to the vertex of a triangle of level ground, on the base of which +the chapel stands. It is fronted by a graveyard, whose two sides +gradually converge towards a little iron gateway at the entrance. + +Seen from here the chapel presents a more pleasing appearance, though +even now an observer could not fail to be struck with the dwarfish look +of the building; there is a want of height to give it proper +proportion. It shows a plain stone front, which suggests that the good +people who built it had no money to spend in costly ornamentation. +SALEM, the honoured name of the chapel, is inscribed on the front. The +Sunday-school, which is of more recent date, stands adjoining it on the +left; the foreground treasures up the dust of many pious pilgrims who, +in the days gone by, came to this house of peace. The chapel has two +doors in the front; inside, the appearance is exceedingly plain; the +pulpit is stationed with its back against the front wall, and is +enclosed by a pew that was formerly occupied by the choir, but now +mostly by the speakers at the public meetings, for, being somewhat +elevated, it serves as a permanent platform. The plan of the sittings +is a simple rising gallery, springing from the floor half-way to the +ceiling, and traversed by two aisles leading direct from either +doorway; in a recess abutting through the right-hand wall, the organ is +fixed. The chapel is capable of accommodating about three hundred +persons, though there have been times when, somewhere or other, it has +afforded room to much larger numbers of people that have crushed within +its limited space. Altogether, it is a plain, unpretentious structure, +by no means equal to the growing requirements of the prosperous Church +that worships there in these days. + +Salem Chapel, like many other places of worship, has its story, full of +sacred incident and interest. It has been the religious birthplace of +hundreds of precious souls, many of whom are now in glory, while others +are journeying thitherward. Many of the ablest ministers the Methodist +New Connexion has ever had, have counted it a joy to preach in that old +sanctuary. + +Several revivals of the work of God have broken out within those walls, +and spread with such rapidity and power through the neighbourhood, that +Satan's strongholds have trembled before them; and in the great day of +the Lord it will be said of Salem, "This and that man were born there." + +But before it was built the people used to attend the High Street +Chapel, Huddersfield, which involved a walk of over two miles each way, +and this in unfavourable weather was no light task. The time came, +however, when they began seriously to entertain the idea of having a +place of worship in their own village. + +Abe Lockwood was among the chief advocates of this scheme, and it was +mainly owing to his activity in the matter that the undertaking was at +length commenced and completed. In the month of July 1823, Abe, full +of the new Chapel enterprize, entered a harvest field belonging to Mr. +S---- of Armitage Fold, where several members of the Society were at +work, and took upon himself to announce that there would be a meeting +in a certain house that night, for the purpose of considering whether +they were to have a Chapel in Berry Brow. The meeting was held, and +the decision taken in favour of the movement. They would arise and +build, so in God's name they began the work. + +It was a serious undertaking for them, as most of the members were poor +working people, but they were in earnest, and at once opened a +subscription list, each of them promising something to the fund before +they went outside to solicit help from any one else. They then +obtained further promises from others, and arranged to gather the money +by weekly instalments, some being as little as a penny. Then, in order +to save cost as much as possible, the men themselves went and delved in +the quarry for stones, and borrowed horses and carts of the farmers to +remove the material to the chapel site, and when it sometimes happened +that they could not obtain the use of horses, they got the loan of +carts, and the men, old and young, took the horse-work themselves, and +drew the stones to the building place. + +In all this Abe was a foremost worker, toiling early and late, and +asking any one and every one to come to their help, by which means they +got many of the wild young men of the village to assist in the work. +This did not, however, meet with universal approval; there were some +few very good people, who mostly employed themselves in looking on, +giving directions, and finding fault, who said it was not right to +bring a lot of ungodly young men into a work so sacred; they +expostulated with Abe on the subject, he being the chief cause of their +enlistment, but he replied, "Not roight for them to help in building +th' Lord's haase! It must be roight; if they soil th' stones with +their fingers, God will put them roight again when He gets into it. I +wouldn't care if th' devil hissen were to come and drag stones for th' +place, if only Jesus is preached in it afterwards;" so the croakers +didn't gain anything by their complaints, except rejoinders from Abe, +which taught them a little good sense, and they went on with the +building. + +The foundation stone was laid on Shrove Tuesday 1824, and the chapel +was opened for religious services on Good Friday 1825. The Rev. Thomas +Allin preached on that occasion with his usual extraordinary ability. +From that time until now the cause has never looked back, but has +maintained a steady onward course. Seasons of trial and depression +have occasionally gathered over it like dark clouds, but the earnest +band of Christian people it has drawn together, have been conducted +under the clouds in safety, and have lived to come out again into the +sunshine of prosperity. + +There is not a trouble or a joy, not a throb of sorrow or a thrill of +delight that ever came to that church during those years, which Abe +Lockwood did not feel. He was so mixed and wrapt up in its history and +workings that he counted its very pulsations as distinctly as he felt +his own. In later years, when other labourers were brought into the +church, and his services as a local preacher came into greater demand, +many of the duties involved in conducting the cause fell into other +hands; but Abe's love for Salem never did and never could diminish; to +him it was the most beautiful sanctuary in the Circuit or out of it; +and there it stands as a monument of the zeal and devotion of those +earnest men who more than fifty years ago laid its foundations, and +reared its sacred walls in the name of the Lord. + +They are nearly all gone to their reward, Abe among them, but in no +sense more than this is the Scripture fulfilled, "He being dead yet +speaketh." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +Abe becomes a Local Preacher. + +Several years had passed away from the date of Abe's marriage, and a +family of young children had sprung up around him, filling his cottage +with life, and keeping him and his active wife constantly employed to +supply their daily necessities. Hard times they had during those +years, but they held on their honest way, content with what they got, +and envying no one that was in better circumstances than themselves. + +During all these years Abe continued a devoted follower of Christ; he +was always at the means of grace, and his chief aim was to be a true +disciple of the cross. At the same time he was slowly acquiring +ability to speak in the meetings with more propriety and effect. + +Methodist prayer-meetings and class-meetings are excellent training +schools for public speakers. Most of the best ministers in Methodism +first learnt to talk in these little meetings, where they have had, +week by week, opportunities of expressing their thoughts and feelings +upon their religious life and experience; and although there are some +who have profited but very little by the benefits afforded in this way, +there are many others who have made their way from that humble +beginning up to the highest ranks of the Christian ministry. + +In this training institution Abe slowly and steadily improved his +powers, till some of his friends began to think he ought to have his +name placed on the Circuit plan as an exhorter. It was accordingly +mentioned to him, but for some time met with no very favourable +response from Abe. "Come on t' plan," exclaimed he; "nay, not soa, +unless you want to mak' a clerk o' me; but I can say Amen, without +being planned." + +However, circumstances sometimes happen which have more force of +argument in them than anything that men can say. It occasionally +transpired, that some local preacher who was planned to preach in Salem +Chapel did not come to his appointment, and some person in the +congregation had to take the vacant place, and conduct the service as +well as he might be able without any previous preparation. Now it +appears that Abe found himself placed just in this very unenviable +position. The congregation were all in the chapel; the hour of service +had come, and passed, yet no preacher arrived; the people were +whispering and looking at the clock; one brother went to the door to +see if there were any sign of the preacher's coming; two or three of +the leading brethren were whispering together, and then one of them +came over to Abe and said, "I'm afraid there's going to be no preacher, +thou'll be like to try and talk a bit this morning." + +"Me, noa, I canna praach, mun," said Abe, evidently agitated. + +"Aye, but thou can; thou'll have to try, and we'll pray for thee." + +Abe turned pale, looked up at the little pulpit, then down on the +ground, and then said, "I've now't to talk abaat, noa, I canna tak' +it." Then another brother came and united his persuasion to that of +the man already with him, and at length Abe arose and went into the +singing pew in front of the pulpit, pale and trembling, and announced a +hymn. The service began, and grew into a kind of compromise between a +prayer meeting and preaching. The preacher took a text, and in his own +style did his best to speak from the words,--the probability is he _did +speak from them_, further from them than critical hearers would judge +proper, but what of that? He did his best, and there were none in the +congregation but knew him and knew his consistent life; and although +what he said was very unpreaching-like, it did not matter; the people +were well pleased, and Abe was very glad when it was over. + +After the first time this occurred again and again in Salem, until Abe +began to be looked upon as the general stop-gap, as they called him. +But he was not to occupy that post always; it was only the +stepping-stone to something else, for by-and-bye some of the local +preachers would take him out with them to their appointments, and let +him talk to the people as well as he was able. Wherever he went they +said he must be sure and come again; he was so quaint, droll, plain, +yet withal so fervent, that everyone enjoyed his remarks, and wished to +hear him again. + +About the year 1833, and during the ministry of the Revs. J. Curtis and +G. Bradshaw in the Huddersfield Circuit, an incident took place which +will give an idea of the style of Abe's early preaching efforts. It +was on one Shrove Tuesday afternoon that he had to preach at +Paddock;--the service was at that time conducted in a cottage;--a good +deal of talk had been indulged in by the people in anticipation of +Abe's visit, and a great amount of curiosity and interest was excited. +The place was full. Abe arrived, rubbing his hands, and blessing the +Lord, and immediately took his place, and commenced the service. His +prayer was like himself, rough and earnest; Divine power came down upon +the little company, and tears of joy ran from all eyes. He selected a +lesson with which he was familiar, and managed the reading very +creditably. Abe then took his text, the subject being Abraham offering +up his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. Just at that moment the Rev. J. +Curtis came into the service. Now the unexpected appearance of the +Superintendent Minister, under circumstances like those, would have +unnerved most young preachers, but it had no such effect on Abe; he no +sooner set his eyes on him, than he said, "Naa thaa sees I'm at it, +we're just baan off to Mount Moriah, and thaa mun goa too," and off he +went in a style peculiarly his own. + +He drew some very amusing pictures of the patriarch, his son, and the +young men preparing for the journey; he had Abraham ordering the +servant men to do this, fetch that, undo something else; he had a deal +of trouble in saddling the asses, those animals exhibiting the +obstinate tendencies for which their descendants are even yet so +renowned; all was at length ready, Abraham and his attendants were +mounted and setting off, when the door was again opened, and in walked +the Rev. G. Bradshaw, the young minister. At sight of him Abe shouted, +"Aye, lad, thaa art baan to be too late, we've gotten th' mules saddled +and had a'most gone withaat thee, but niver moind, thaa mun catch a +mule for theesen, and come on behind." So away they went, Abe taking +the lead, and the people mentally following. + +He preached them such a sermon as they had never heard in their +lives--nor anybody else. Now they laughed at his odd sayings and +grotesque pictures, and then with melting feelings they praised God as +they listened to some of the simple yet truly beautiful sayings which +fell from his lips. As a sermon, there was enough to find fault with, +for he knew nothing about the art of sermonizing, and cared as little; +but it was so full of homely truth and spiritual feeling, that every +one, ministers not excepted, forgave the faults, and said it was a +means of grace. + +In this way Abe continued for some time, occasionally preaching without +being officially recognized, but at length his name was placed on the +plan as a local preacher on trial. When the term of his probation was +almost expired, Abe was required to preach one week-night in High +Street Chapel, Huddersfield. + + +HIS TRIAL SERMON. + +It was a terrible trial for him, which appears strange, considering how +easy he felt when the Circuit ministers heard him in the little room at +Paddock, yet so it was; and as the time came on, Abe thought he never +could show his face in High Street. Had it been anywhere else he would +not have cared, but he had a dread of the Circuit Chapel. He had gone +to several of the country places during the year, and sometimes did +very well; but then, he felt at home among the plain village people; +they could understand his broad vernacular, and make allowance for his +blunders, which he knew were not a few, but in High Street everything +was different. He thought they could not exercise the same forbearance +towards him, and so he shrank from the task. + +But then he remembered it was not a place of his own seeking; that it +was a trial which other plain men had undergone before him, and would +do again, and he could not expect more favour than his brethren; so he +must go and do his best, trusting in the Lord for help. And that +evening Sally brushed him up, and had his clogs polished, and away he +went to Huddersfield. There was a good congregation to hear him, and +among others several local preachers. Abe was very nervous, and +everything around conspired to make him so. He was in High Street +Chapel, awful; he had to preach, worse; to preach a trial sermon, worse +than ever; before all these grand folks, and in the presence of the +Superintendent, it was blinding, sickening, confounding. He started at +the sound of his own voice, and when he tried to speak, he somehow said +just what he didn't intend, and made more mistakes than he had either +time or sense to rectify; then, whenever he moved his feet, his clogs +clamped on the floor in such a way as he had never heard them anywhere +else; he was in a fever of excitement and fear. However, he had to +preach; so having announced his text, he commenced his sermon, but it +was evidently hard for him to say anything; he tried and tried, rolled +his eyes up and all around, clasped his hands, uttered a few sentences, +scratched his head, and exclaimed, "Friends, I'm plogged" (meaning he +could not go on), "she weant goa; if this is preaching trial sermon, +I'll niver try another; we'll be like to swap texts" (try another +text). Now while he was finding another text, the congregation sang a +hymn, and by the time this was done, Abe was ready with his text, which +he announced and again started to speak, but with no greater success, +for it seemed as if all his ideas were gone wool-gathering. He +coughed, stammered, and sweat at every pore, but brought forth nothing +else; an encouraging word or two from one of the brethren was very +welcome at that moment, for looking towards him, Abe said, "She weant +goa, but we'll try another." + +Twice breaking down in one service would have satisfied any ordinary +man in his circumstances, and so daunted many as that they would never +have been heard of again; but Abe was no ordinary man, and was not soon +killed; he had come there to try to preach, and it was evident to +everyone that he was trying; he knew that if he made another attempt he +could not do worse than he had done, and he might do better, and if he +did break down there would not be anything very unusual in it, seeing +it would make the third time, so he found another text and announced +it. Everybody was wide awake and ready for another stop, but Abe +smiled, brightened up, and went on; "She's baan to goa this time, I do +believe," said he, and so it proved, for when he got into his subject +he spoke very fluently, sensibly, and naturally, and all present felt +that Abe could preach when he got started, and how could he or any one +else preach without starting? + +A short time after this eventful service Abe had to pass through +another trying ordeal. His case had to come before the Circuit +quarterly meeting, the tribunal which has made many an innocent man +tremble. There he had to be examined as to his acquaintance with and +belief in the Methodist doctrines, rules, etc. What may have been the +merits of this examination we are unable to state; probably there was a +good deal of leniency shown by the meeting towards Abe. If he was +deficient on some points, he compensated in others; if he could not +define and defend all the articles of our faith, he could believe them +as fully as any one else; be that as it may, there was no serious +objection taken to him on the ground of his examination, but the affair +of the trial sermon was not so soon got over, and a good deal of +special pleading had to be done for him by his friends, which is no +unusual thing when the merits of a candidate are under discussion. +That "swapping of texts" no less than three times was a very +extraordinary feature in the case, and called forth some severe +censures. A man that did so could not be fit to come on the Circuit +plan as an accredited local preacher, so some in the meeting felt and +said; but others thought differently; they could not but admit that +under the circumstances he had done a good thing even in changing texts +the third time, and why impeach the man for doing a good thing? The +man who changes horses in crossing a stream may incur great risks; but +if the horse he is riding be sinking under him, he must change seats or +sink too, and this is just what Abe did, and the outcome showed that he +did the best thing, for the third horse carried him over. He at least +possessed an amount of perseverance which few men in similar +circumstances would have exhibited; then he must not be estimated +solely by what he was when under trial in High Street chapel. How had +he done in other places? Here the tide began to tell in his favour, as +first one and then another spoke in commendation of his labour in other +places, and at length Brother Haigh rose and said, "Abe Lockwood was +with me on Sunday night at Mills Bridge; I heard him preach, and he did +my soul good. After the sermon an old man seventy years of age came +out, sought the Lord, and found Him; that old man was impressed under +Abe's sermon, which shows that God can do with his preaching. What +matter if he does sometimes break down in his sermons? he knows how to +break sinners down too, and after all, that is the best sort of +preaching." He was at once cordially received into the ranks of the +local preachers, and appeared as such in January 1837; and from that +time to the end of his life was as earnest, devoted, and popular as any +man among that band, as worthy a band of men as ever worked a Methodist +circuit. + +So Abe became a local preacher, and while he always felt and said that +the office honoured him, he, on the other hand, did his utmost to +honour the position which the Church had called him to occupy. +Methodism owes very much to those brave, earnest, and godly men who +have, during all her history, through all her struggles, laboured +cheerfully on, year after year, often at immense personal sacrifice and +suffering, carrying the tidings of salvation to outstanding districts, +which would seldom have heard the Gospel but for their disinterested +services. Their toils cannot have been for worldly honours, where +could they win them? They cannot have been for pecuniary gain, because +their labours have ever been gratuitous, and often expensive to +themselves;--pelted with hailstones, dripping with rain, torn by +storms, blistered with sun-heat, in all parts of the land, over miles +of barren hills and wild moor, through dirty lanes and new-ploughed +fields, giving ungrudgingly of their strength; Sunday after Sunday +leaving the home enjoyments of their family and the sanctuary to carry +the Gospel of Christ to those afar off. What will the Master do to +those brave labourers of His in the day of award? He will make them +great in the Kingdom of Heaven. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +In Practice. + +We may now consider that Abe had really commenced practice as a local +preacher, and before long the numerous demands made upon him +professionally showed the estimation in which he was held among the +people. But there was one thing which gave him considerable trouble, +and that was his preparation for the pulpit. This was a great toil to +him, but he counted himself abundantly rewarded when he found that God +made his simple, earnest sayings a blessing to the people to whom he +preached. Abe had no quiet room in his house into which he could +retire for the purpose of meditation. His home was full of children, +and each of the little rooms resounded with their merry or troubled +outcries from morning till night. His study was elsewhere. There was +one spot more sacred to him than any other in the world, and that was +at the old tree-root on Almondbury Common, where, years before, he +found the blessing of Divine pardon. To that Bethel he often turned +his steps, and there would he run through his sermons with no audience +but the old tree and the little brook; and although his earnest +addresses produced no manifest change either on the stoical old elm, or +the unstable stream, the practice of speaking did him good, and helped +to make him more effective when he came to address a more appreciative +assembly. + +His frequent visits to this sacred and secret spot began, by-and-by, to +be known among his acquaintances, and some of them determined to go and +watch him, and make fun of it. They accordingly went and hid +themselves where they could both see and hear all that passed. Abe +came and began the service, prayed and preached with great liberty, +considering the irresponsive audience before him; but while he was +preaching and pointing out the folly and danger of sin, and exhorting +to repentance, his words were reaching unknown ears, and searching +their way into more hearts than he was aware of. These spies were +caught in their own net; they felt the truth of the simple preaching. +They knew those words applied more to themselves than anything else. +They listened in fear and silence, and when they would gladly have got +beyond the sound of his voice, they dared not move lest he should +discover them, and make his discourse even more personal. When the +preacher had prayed earnestly, and had retired from his rural +sanctuary, the hidden and moveable part of his congregation were glad +to get away. Some of the callous ones endeavoured afterwards to chaff +Abe about the open-air service, but most of them were glad to say +nothing on the subject, inwardly determining never again to venture +profanely within the sacred precincts of the good man's sanctuary. + +Abe gradually grew in the esteem of the people throughout the entire +Circuit, so that his coming to preach was quite an event of interest +among them. They knew he was in earnest for his Master's glory; and +though he sometimes said and did things which some men would shrink +from, and some would condemn if done by others, no one was displeased +at them in little Abe. He was a favourite, and special privileges were +accorded him, so that he could say and do just as he pleased. He knew +this quite well, and, though he seldom fell into the error of using it +as a license, it had the effect of bringing him out in his own true +character. + +Sometimes he became very happy in the pulpit, and fairly jumped for +joy. He was preaching at Shepley, and, as was his frequent custom, he +had a brother local preacher in the pulpit with him, to assist in the +preliminary exercises. On this occasion our old friend T. Holden acted +as his curate. Abe was blessed with great liberty during the delivery +of the sermon: he wept, clapped his hands, stamped his feet, and +rattled his clogs together. Brother Holden shuffled about to make room +for him as well as he could in the narrow area of the pulpit, but he +was not quick enough; down came Abe's foot on the curate's toes, almost +capsizing the preacher, without in the least disconcerting him. "Moind +thee toas, lad, steam's up, I mun jump a bit." And he did jump, the +more freely, too, when his assistant retired from his exalted position, +and left him all the pulpit to himself. It is evident from this little +event just narrated, and others which might be given, that Abe did, in +time, overcome his nervousness in the pulpit; being "plogged," and +"breaking down," became things of the past, and he began to feel as +much at home in the pulpit as in his own house. So far did he show +that "practice makes perfect." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +"Butterfly Preachers." + +Abe had no sympathy with men who allowed themselves to be called +preachers, and yet could treat with indifference the work which was +allotted to them on the Circuit plan; men who seldom made their minds +up to go to their work, until they saw what kind of weather it was +likely to be; men who didn't like going out in the rain for fear of +getting damp, nor in the wind because it exhausted them, nor in the sun +because it broiled them, nor in the dark for fear they might miss their +way. He called them "Butterfly preachers," and often declared he would +be ashamed to be counted among them. + +Yet he did not lay all the blame of their conduct upon the shoulders of +these men, because he thought the people helped in some measure to put +"butterfly notions" into their minds. If a good man came to his +appointment through the rain and wind, and got somewhat badly used by +the weather, someone was almost sure to say something to frighten and +dishearten him from ever doing so again. "Oh dear, have you come in +all this rain? Well, I hardly thought you would be here; nobody could +blame you for staying at home on such a day; you are very wet, you'll +be sure to take cold and be laid up," and Abe used to say that kind of +talk was enough to give a chill to any man, and tempt him to stay at +home next time for fear it might rain. + +It did not make any difference to him, however; he went in all +weathers, rain or sunshine, winter and summer. There is a little ditty +he used to sing-- + + "Come rain or come blow, + A Methodist preacher, I must go." + +One Sunday morning he was planned to preach at Shepley, and it was +pouring down rain. He, however, set off under his umbrella; but long +before he reached his destination he was drenched to the skin. Prior +to going into the chapel he called at the house where he was going to +dine that day; the good woman was grieved to see him in such a +condition. "Dear me," said she, "you are almost drowned; come in, take +your wet clothes off, and go to bed." "Nay, nay," replied Abe, "yo' +mun't tak' me for a butterfly preacher; I'm noan going to bed i' +dayloight, I'm baan to praach." And turning to her husband, who was a +big man, he said, "Thaa mun lend me some o' thy claathes." The +proposal to adorn himself in his host's clothes seemed so ridiculous, +considering that Abe was a little man, that both husband and wife +laughed right out. "Aye," said the man, "thou would look a queer +butterfly going into th' pulpit in my wings." But Abe wasn't to be put +off: "Come," said he, "thaa mun foind me some o' thy claathes." They +found him a spare suit, and in a few minutes he came downstairs fully +attired, and presenting such a figure that the man and his wife were +almost ill with laughing at him. It signified nothing to Abe who +laughed or who didn't; off he went to chapel. He was a few minutes +late, and most of the congregation were in their places. He was +therefore very eager to get to the pulpit; but in going across the +chapel for this purpose, one of his borrowed shoes slipped off, which +brought him to a sudden standstill, and caused special attention to be +drawn to his singular outfit; and the moment the people comprehended +the state of things, it was impossible to suppress a laugh in old or +young; and yet while they laughed at his odd figure, their hearts +warmed towards him as they thought of his zeal in coming so far, on +such a day, to preach to them. + +That morning Abe had a good time in the pulpit. He was very lively, +and knocked about a good deal; but it was noticed that he had +frequently to be looking down on the pulpit floor, and shuffling about +with his feet. It afterwards came out, that, in his excited moments, +he had dropped his shoes off, and in getting them on again, had mixed +them, and put his feet into the wrong receptacles. This occasioned him +a considerable amount of inconvenience, which ultimately exhausted his +patience. He kicked the shoes aside, and said, "I have been trying all +th' mornin' to stand in another man's shoes, and I canna' manage it; +I'm in borrowed claathes, too, but, thank God, my sermon is my own." +This little diversion set him off in another direction, and he turned +the incident to such good and practical account, showing that Jesus +once stood in our place and bore our stripes, that many have long +remembered that service with very great pleasure. + + +TOILING ON. + +On one occasion, when going to a distant appointment, his zeal was put +to the test in such a degree that surely he would have been excusable +if he had turned back and gone home again. Abe had a dread of +disappointing a congregation. He used to say, "If I slip them once, +two to one they'll pay me back; noa, I mun goa." + +He had to set out one Sunday morning in a pelting rain for a walk of +about six miles. It had been raining more or less for several days; +the roads were in a sad condition for a "travelling praacher," as he +often styled himself. The streams by the roadside were swollen over, +and pouring their abundance out on the highroad, until it was very +little better than a bog. Under these circumstances the wet soon found +its way through Abe's boots and clothes. "Ne'er moind," he said to +himself, "I'll find some dry claathes when I get there." So on he went +over the rough bleak hill that wouldn't afford shelter for a rabbit, +much less for a man, down the steep slope, through the running gutters +of water. "Aye dear," said he, "I'm weshing my feet withaat taking my +booits off." At the bottom of the hill, known as Stone's Wood Bottom, +he was brought to a standstill. Along this bottom runs the river which +takes the course of the valley through Berry Brow, before named; it was +here spanned by a good strong bridge, having a wall on either side. +The water in the river had risen so high with the rainfall, that it ran +right over the bridge at both ends, and threatened to carry it away; +all the low ground about the bridge was under water to some depth, and +hereby Abe was brought to a halt. His only way was over that bridge, +and now that was not available. "Well," thought he, "I'm done this +time; haa can I get over?" Further up and down the river was swollen, +over its boundaries, and was out into the fields, while at the bridge +it rushed along like a torrent. "Naa, Lord," Abe began, "Thaa knows +where I'm plann'd to-day, and Thaa knows this is my only rooad to th' +place; that's Thy watter, and I'm Thy sarvant; I mun be over somehaa; +tak' care o' my body while I try." And into the water he plunged, and +made straight for the bridge. On reaching this he tucked his umbrella +under one arm, and climbed up on the wall of the bridge, and scrambled +across on his hands and knees, while the torrent rushed along +underneath at a horse-pace. Had he fallen into the water he would +probably have been found drowned on one of the banks down the river, +but it was not permitted. "Bless the Lord," he exclaimed, when he was +safe on the other side, "I'm over! Ah! but I'll do better nor that +when I come to pass the swellings o' Jordan! Hallelujah! I'll go over +Jordan withaat wetting a threead on me!" + +So thou wilt, Abe. Jordan's waves could not harm a brave, God-fearing, +and God-honouring man like thee; they know a true-born saint by the +tramp of his foot in the darkest night of death, and on his approach, +they fall back into line like Royal Guards when the king goes past. + + "Though waves and storms go o'er my head, + Though strength, and health, and friends be gone; + Though joys be withered all and dead, + Though every comfort be withdrawn; + On this my steadfast soul relies, + Father, Thy mercy never dies." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Various Ways out of Difficulties. + +Almost any one can get into trouble, but it is not always so easy for +any one to get out again. Abe knew both ways,--the way in and the way +out,--and many a time he had to run the gauntlet, and save himself as +best he could. + +There is an amusing story told of a little passage which the Rev. P. J. +Wright once had with him. They met on a Sunday morning at the Honley +railway station. Mr. Wright was at that time Superintendent of the +Circuit, and was on his way to preach at Woodroyd, whilst Abe was going +to Honley on a similar errand. After exchanging the ordinary +salutations, the reverend gentleman said, "Well, Abe, what are you +going to give them at Honley this morning?" On being informed of Abe's +subject, he further inquired how he intended to treat it; whereupon his +companion began to give an outline of his sermon. When he had +finished, his interrogator rejoined, "Why, you are wrong, altogether, +Abe, you must change the order of your divisions, and put the first +last, and the last first; you have got the cart before the horse." +"Ne'er moind," said Abe, "I'll back her up th' hill. Good-morning, +sir." "Cart before the horse" was no insuperable difficulty with Abe; +he knew how to manage his own pony, and must drive in his own way; he +was not very particular which came first so long as he could "mak' her +goa." He took what suited his mind best, and paid very little +attention to the rules of sermonizing; he was in this respect a law +unto himself, and the favour with which his humble ministrations were +received was a sufficient excuse for him. + +We have heard a sermon described as a thing having three or more heads; +it is said to be sometimes altogether void of body or matter of any +sort; at other times it appears as a skeleton, without form or +comeliness, having only the barest outline. Perhaps this in some +measure explains why some people so seldom attend our places of +worship; they fear to come _within the reach_ of a sermon, and +therefore stay away,--they have heard of some persons that have been +_actually struck_ with a sermon, and of others _being fastened to their +seats_ by it; how dreadful! Ah, anything will do for an excuse when +people don't want to go to the Lord's house; "a poor excuse is said to +be better than none at all," but in this case we doubt the wisdom of +that saying. + +Abe Lockwood was not very particular about the number of heads in his +sermons, or whether they had any heads at all; his care was that the +sermon should have some soul in it, wherefrom mainly resulted his power +in the pulpit. + +There is sometimes very great danger of sermonizing all the force out +of a discourse; making it so very proper that it serves more as an +ornament than a thing of practical use; it appears more a work of _art_ +than a work of _heart_. Abe didn't profess to understand the rules of +sermonizing, nor did he make any particular effort in that direction; +as may be supposed, therefore, he was often disconnected and irregular, +but he knew nothing about it, and nobody else cared; people liked him +as he was. His sentences were not like beautiful stones turned and +polished by the hand of a lapidary, but they were rough lumps, in all +shapes, broken from the great rock of Gospel truth, having their sharp +points and jagged edges on them; the consequence being that when slung +from the hand of this humble champion they left a mark wherever they +struck. He didn't care for that round, smooth kind of preaching which +always rolls off; he liked the word to strike, mark, and abide where it +fell. He had no sympathy with high-flown sermons which shut out the +Cross of Jesus and those good old Gospel truths associated with that +dear emblem of God's love to the world. If such a discourse were +delivered in his hearing he was sure to say something about it. +"Praacher brought us a lot of butterflies and fancy birds and let 'em +fly abaat th' chapel, and while we wore starin' abaat after th' birds, +we niver gat a soight o' th' Cross." + +A young student from Ranmoor College came to preach at Berry Brow. Abe +was in the vestry waiting to see him before he went into the pulpit. +He shook him warmly by the hand and blessed him, then added in his own +droll but kind way, "Naa, my lad, don't let's hav' ony starry heavens +t' day, tak' us t' th' Cross!" Had Abe known this young man he would +also have known there was no need to exhort him to "tak' them t' th' +Cross." The fact was, Abe didn't want to follow any astronomical +preacher all through the heavens, striding from star to star with +scales in his hand trying their weight, sizes, and distances! "The +Cross" was his watchword and rallying-point; there he loved to begin, +and there he would always end. Christ the Redeemer was his star, and +in the clear unclouded view of that Divine orb he was happy whoever was +the preacher. + + +"PUCKER IT IN, LADS." + +In his pulpit exercises Abe generally enjoyed great self-command, and +things which would have disabled many a man in the same position, had +little or no effect on him. This was not always the case, as we shall +have occasion to show, but usually nothing disturbed the even balance +of his mind. We have already seen how if a text "wouldn't goa," he +could "swap" for another that would "goa." So if he failed to get hold +of a thought which had been in his mind before, he did not trouble +himself about the matter; he would just tell the people "he had +forgotten th' next idea," and then pass on to something else. + +His self-possession stood him in good stead one day, and helped to +carry others through a trouble as well. He was in one of the country +pulpits, and had just announced the second hymn, which was a long +metre. The choir commenced to sing a common metre tune to the hymn, +but before they had got through the second line they found out the +mistake, and one after another dropped their voices and ceased to sing. +One tenacious brother, who did not like to be beaten, held on, and made +a jumble of the words for a few moments, and then he stopped; whereupon +Abe clapped his hands, and turning around to the choir, he exclaimed, +"Ne'er moind, lads, pucker it in! pucker it in! Onybody can mak' a +long metre tune goa to a long metre hymn, but yo' mun beat that," and +then he joined heartily in the puckering exercise, and helped them +through their trouble. + + +"BREAD OF LIFE FREE." + +At another time he had been preaching about the Gospel being the bread +of life for the world, and showing up its qualities and worth; +especially did he dwell upon its freeness for all, that it could be had +"without money and without price;" this was his last point, and he made +much of it. Now it so happened that immediately on concluding his +sermon he had to announce a collection. On sitting down in the pulpit +while it was being made, the thought flashed into his mind that he had +contradicted his own teachings by announcing that collection. He knew +where the snare had come from, and at once in his own way broke it +asunder. Rising again to his feet and bending over the pulpit front, +he cast his eyes around the chapel as if trying to find someone. "I +know that voice," he began, "it's the devil's." Every eye was on him +in a moment. "What does thaa say?" "That I ha' not been spaking th' +truth, because I telled them th' bread of life wor free, and naa I'm +asking th' people to pay for it. Thaa knaws as weall as I do th' bread +is FREE, but we mun pay for th' baking. Mak' th' collection, friends, +to pay for th' baking, and ne'er moind him." We need hardly say the +people gave willingly to this collection, for they knew very well that +though the Gospel was free to the whole world, expenses were incurred +in carrying on God's work which they should help to disburse, so Abe +got out of that difficulty. + + +"MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED." + +The Wesleyan Superintendent Minister was planned to preach one +week-night near Berry Brow, and on some account he could not attend. A +substitute had to be found, and Abe was waited on during the day, to +see if he would act in that capacity. "I'll try," he said, and +accordingly when the time came he set out for the chapel. Some of the +congregation knew who was to preach, others did not. At length the +door opened, and in walked Abe, and made straight for the pulpit, +clamp, clamp, with his wooden clogs on the floor and up the pulpit +stairs. He began the service with the usual smile on his face; then he +announced his text, "My God shall supply all your need," and closed the +Bible as he always did as soon as the text was read. "Naa," said he, +"I knaw some o' yo are disappointed at seeing me here instead of your +praacher, but it was oather me or nobody. Naa, if th' travelling +praacher had come to-noight, he moight easily ha' praached a much +better sermon than I can, but I'll defy him or onybody else to foind a +grander text than this; it's a raight un, and it's your own fault if +you doan't get some good aat on't: if the Lord had thought you _needed_ +it, He would have sent you somebody better than me, for He will supply +all your need." The congregation saw at once the condition they would +have been in if Abe had not come to their help. They smiled at his +remarks, and from that moment forgot their disappointment, nor did they +think of it again during all that service. Thus Abe's tact in managing +people helped him happily through this difficulty, as it had through +many others in his lifetime. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +Abe's Titles and Troubles. + +It is time we said something on this subject, as we are come to the +stage in his life when he began to be known by various dignified +ecclesiastical titles. He loved his own plain name, Abe Lockwood, +better than any other, and therefore wanted no improvement. That was +the name in the roll of the Church, and that was the name written in +the Lamb's book of life; he wanted no other. If any one addressed him +as Mr. Lockwood he would often break in, "They call me Abe Lockwood!" +and this was no pretended humility on his part, but the expression of a +sincere preference for the name by which he had always been known among +his friends: but the time came when it was impossible for him to resist +the universal custom of saluting him by some title, so he had to yield +to the inevitable. + +A story is told, how that on one occasion a parcel of clothes came to +the house for his wife and children. It was wrapped in strong brown +paper, and on the address-label was written "Abraham Lockwood, Esq." +Soon after this, he was taking part in a public meeting in the place +from which the present was supposed to have come, and in his speech he +thanked the unknown donor; and having done this, he proceeded to +correct a mistake which, he said, had occurred; the person who sent him +that parcel had addressed him as Esquire. "Naa," said he, "I doan't +stand much upon titles, but if I am to have ony, I think I ought to +have what falls to me by my birth. Yo' know, I'm a Prince of th' Royal +Family, I'm a King's Son, my Father is th' King of Glory, and no man +can say that, unless he is born of God, and I am, Hallelujah!" +Although there may not be anything original in this, yet the happy way +in which he worked it into his speech, and the use he made of it to +show the necessity of the new birth, was exceedingly pleasing. + +The title of "Bishop," or "Bishop of Berry Brow," was one of those by +which he became familiarly known. This arose out of the position he +held in the society there, almost like that of father among the +members, and also from the amount of preaching he did all over the +Circuit. Although this very reverend title brought him no increase to +his stipend, nor any change in his social standing, it helped to show +the general feeling with which he was everywhere regarded. + +But the designation by which he was most familiarly known was "LITTLE +ABE." This came into every-day use, and was unconsciously adopted by +almost every person either in speaking to him, or speaking of him. +Even the little children in the streets and in the Sunday Schools, +hearing it from their elders, insensibly fell into the habit of styling +him "Little Abe." + +As this title is somewhat expressive of size, it may be well to convey +some idea of + + +ABE'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE + +He was below the average height and of slender build, yet withal a +tough little man, and capable of performing as much work, and enduring +as great fatigue, as men who are much bigger and stouter made. Abe +used playfully to say, "Good stuff is mostly wrapped in small parcels." +"A penny is a great deal bigger than a sovereign, but yo' all know +which to tak' when yo' have your choice." "I'm nobbut a little un, but +bless God, I'm big enough for th' Holy Ghost to dwell in." "I doan't +tak' up much room in th' world, but I'm as happy as if I were as big as +Berry Braa Church." "I'm a little un mysen, but my Father is greater +than all." + +His face was one of the happiest it was ever our good fortune to meet +with. A smooth, round, ruddy, comfortable face, over which the razor +had almost unlimited sway; his mouth was always in shape for a smile; +his eyes were of a light blue colour, and twinkled with life and +vivacity; his hair was always brushed back behind his ears, terminating +behind in a pretty little natural curl and whether it had the black +gloss of his younger days, or the snowy white of old age, it was always +neat and orderly. In early life he was very proud of his hair, and +bestowed a great deal of care in its cultivation and arrangement. When +he became converted, Abe's hair underwent a marvellous change. The +beautiful locks which had been so much admired and preserved with such +care, were roughly taken off by the family scissors and thrown into the +fire, and while they frizzled into smoke, Abe felt he had done the +right thing in casting down every idol and putting away every mark of +pride. Many and many a time in after years would he say to his wife, +"Naa then, lass, where's th' shears? Thaa mun clip my locks agean. +Samson gat clipt by his wife, and he were worth nought after, but thy +shears mak's me strong." Then Sally would gently snip the ends of the +curling fringe all around, while Abe, by way of encouraging her, would +put in, "We mun shun th' appearance of evil, thaa knows; cut a bit +more, lass;" and then she would very reluctantly sever another lock or +two, until he could be persuaded enough was taken off. + +Abe was in the latter part of his life particularly neat in his attire, +wearing an orthodox suit of black cloth, and cut in the Methodist +preacher style. He wasn't at all sparing in white neckcloth, for he +wore one that travelled around and around his neck in such profusion, +that it might have been intended as an extra security against the loss +of his head. Altogether he was quite the type of an old-fashioned +Methodist preacher. In the pulpit his appearance was exceedingly +prepossessing; he always had a smile on his face while talking, as if +he thoroughly enjoyed the good news he was telling to others. In +beginning to speak, or when about to say something which he thought +particularly good, he had a way of holding his head a little over on +one side, and clapping his hands together. These movements, +accompanied with an occasional shrug of his shoulders, were among the +general signs that the "Little Bishop" was having a good time, and when +Abe was happy in his work, everyone that heard him had a liberal share +of enjoyment and profit as well. But of course, like other men, he +sometimes felt the misery of preaching in what he quaintly and +appropriately called + + +"THE TIGHT JACKET." + +Taking into account the want of education from which he suffered, the +disadvantages he was at in preparing for his public duties, as well as +other occasional depressing circumstances, we cannot wonder that he +should sometimes have been the subject of the most painful restraints, +likened by him to a "tight jacket." There was a wonderful difference +in his preaching when he had one of these "hard times," and when he +enjoyed liberty. If in the latter mood, as was generally the case, his +tongue was like the pen of a ready writer, and streams of beautiful +truth, sparkling with pious humour and accompanied with striking +original illustrations, would pour from his lips; but if he had the +"tight jacket" on, he could scarcely say anything, and it was a pain to +listen to him. + +Poor Abe had one of these "pulpit fevers" in Salem Chapel one day, and +Sally, his wife, was there; she sat all the time in a nervous torment, +and as soon as he had finished, she rushed off out of the place ashamed +of him. Dear woman, her homely criticisms were sometimes very severe +upon him, partly because she was jealous for his reputation, and partly +because she so loved him, and that was her way of showing the ardour of +her affection; she used a liberty which by some universal law falls to +the right of all affectionate wives whose husbands are preachers, and +she occasionally said some very terrible things to him about his +sermons. On this particular day, therefore, Abe knew pretty well that +when he got home he would get something besides his dinner. He winced +as he thought about it, and made the walk home as long as he could, in +the hope that something might cool down a bit; however, he had to go +in, so, shrinking into the smallest possible dimensions, he glided +silently into the house, hung up his hat, and sat down. Sally was in a +flutter, she was full, it must come:--"What hast ta been trying to do +this mornin'?" she began, looking hard at him. + +"Why, I couldn't mak' her goa a bit somehaa," meekly replied her good +man. + +"Goa! No, haa does th' think she could goa, thaa niver gat her on her +feet." + +Abe made no response, but sat mute in his misery, and poor Sally felt a +reaction setting in, which made her feel as if she had allowed her +ardent affection for him to carry her too far. Meanwhile, she was +bustling about preparing the dinner, and when all was ready, she went +over to him, and kissed his forehead, adding, "Naa, lad, come and get +th' dinner, and don't moind what folk say; thaa'll do better next +toime, th' Lord help the'." Abe was healed by a touch. + +Ah, but he didn't like those dry, hard times, when he couldn't find a +handful of green-meat to give to the Lord's dear sheep, and it would +trouble him deeply to think that he had led the flock to expect green +pasture, whereas he had only brought them to feed among rocks and +stones. Then the old enemy would beset him, and say what an old fool +he was to think he could preach; that the people only laughed at him +and made sport of his sayings, and that he had better give up +preaching, and try no more. But Abe would say, "Why, devil, thaa 'rt +vary much troubled abaat my praaching; if I'm such an old fool as thaa +mak's aat, I canna do the' so much harm." But all the banter and +strife he had with the devil did not conquer that arch-enemy; talking +to him is mostly waste time and ill-spent breath; there is another way +which a good man has of finding relief; he can go to God in prayer. +This was Abe's sure refuge; here he vented his trouble, here he got +comfort, here he gained fresh strength, and when he came warm from the +closet struggle to the pulpit work he was another man. After passing +through one of these temptations, he was almost sure to tell the +people, the next time he preached, how the devil had harassed him, and +wanted him to give up preaching, but how the Lord had bidden him to go +on, and on he would go and did; his restraints were broken, his tongue +loosed, and his soul fired, it was a joy to hear him then. + +He was one day rejoicing in his regained liberty, when he said, "Aye, +bless yo', I wor as fast as a thief in a man-trap; I couldn't get away +till th' Lord came and let me aat." And then turning upon the unsaved +part of his congregation, he used a simile, which, on his behalf, I +claim to be original if not elegant. Said he, "Yo' may think I was +fast enough, but let me tell yo', not hoalf as fast as some of yo' +sinners. Yo' are like a flee" (fly) "in a treacle-pot; the more he +kicks the faster he sticks." And there was truth in the saying, and +although the figure might amuse, the moral would remain in many a mind +for after-thought. + + +THE BLACK CLOTH SUIT. + +When Abe had been some time preaching, and was making a good name for +himself in the Circuit, a desire began to be felt by many of the +friends to hear him in High Street Chapel, Huddersfield. This was +before the present splendid sanctuary was erected. Accordingly when +the next plan came out, he was appointed to take a Sunday morning +service. Many a time did he tell of the consternation both he and +Sally felt on making this discovery. He was sitting at the end of the +table one evening with the plan in his hand marking off his work, and +his wife was busy about something in the room, when, all at once, Abe +exclaimed, "Eh, lass, what dost ta think they've done?" + +Sally looked rather startled and said, "Who? what?" + +"Why, they've plann'd me in High Street on a Sunday mornin'." + +"Niver!" gasped Sally, coming to look at the plan herself; "where is +it?" + +He placed his finger on the number which indicated his work, and she +saw it was a fact. + +"Well," she said, "thaa canna goa; thaa has no claathes fit to wear +amang them grand foak." + +Now Abe would never have given his clothes a thought if she had not +brought the matter before his mind in the way she did; now, however, he +remembered his coloured suit and his thick boots, and felt they were +scarcely befitting the place he was called to occupy, however well they +might do among plain people in the country places. At length he said, +"But if I'm plann'd, I mun goa, and if they don't loike my claathes, I +canna help 't." Meanwhile the date of the High Street event drew near, +and the following Sunday would find "Little Abe" at his post of duty. +He was far more anxious about his work than his appearance, so that all +the care on this matter fell upon his wife. She was bothered sadly +about his clothes. Saturday came, and, poor thing, she was bestowing +especial attention upon his old coat, mending button-holes, cleaning +spots out, brushing, shaking, and scrutinizing the old garments as she +had never done before. That evening they were sitting together, just +before Abe went out to the Band Meeting in the Chapel; a loud knock +came to the door. In a moment Sally opened it, and a man handed her a +large parcel, simply saying, "That's for Mr. Lockwood," and immediately +went away. + +"What's this?" exclaimed Sally, feeling and patting the parcel. + +"Nay, lass, don't ask me; thaa mun open 't, and then I'll tell the'." + +A table-knife soon severed the string by which it was tied, and the +good woman proceeded with nervous fingers to unfold the wrapping, and +out came a black cloth suit for her husband. Neither of them could +speak for a moment or two; she lifted her apron to wipe her eyes; Abe's +lip quivered, and his eyes brimmed over; he couldn't help it, big round +tears fell on his clasped hands as they rested on the table; both of +them looked at the parcel. "Does the' see that?" at length said Sally; +"thaa'll look loike a travelling praacher naa, lad." + +That broke the spell. Up jumped Abe and began to leap about the house, +clapping, rubbing his hands, and blessing the Lord. All the children +joined the chorus, laughing, jumping, and shouting "Daddy's got some +new claathes! Daddy's got some new claathes!" and poor Sally, full of +smiles, holding up one garment after another, kept interjecting, "Well +I niver!" "Law me!" "Eh, dear!" Abe's heart was full, and he must +needs empty it before Him who had inclined some unknown friend to send +this handsome and appropriate present just at the right time. From an +inner room the voice of the good man was heard going up to God in +grateful acknowledgment of His kindness; and the children were hushed +into quietness hushed,--hushed while Daddy was praying. The next day +Abe appeared in his new clerical attire, and from that time was never +without the requisite black cloth suit in which to go about his beloved +Master's work. Oh, how much we may learn from a little incident like +this--how much of humble trust in God under all the circumstances of +life, how much assurance that "your heavenly Father knoweth ye have +need of these things," and that "My God will supply all your need!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A Basket of Fragments. + +The fame of "Little Abe" was not confined to his own Circuit, it spread +among the villages and towns for many miles around, so that he was +greatly sought after to preach anniversary and other sermons, and +wherever he went the people felt he was "a man sent from God." There +are some who well remember his first visit to Elland, and the +delightful day they had with him in the Lord's house. His text was, +"My God shall supply all your need." He read these words, and then +clapped his hands together, while his face beamed with smiles. "Well," +said he, "do you want me to praach ony after that? what can onybody say +after Paul spakes? He says everything with once opening his maath; +with one scratch of his wonderful pen, he writes more than I could +spake in a lifetoime, if I were left to mysen, 'My God shall supply all +your need.' Friends, there's nowt left, yo've gotton all in that, +ivery thing yo' need, and I reckon you'r weel off." + +From this simple and easy beginning, he gradually got away into his +subject, explaining, illustrating, and applying his text in a way that +warmed every heart. He was condemning the want of faith which +characterized some professors: "Bless yo'," he said, "sooiner than aar +God would see His faithful children want, He would mak' apple-dumplins +grow on ash-trees." And then he exclaimed, "Don't yo' believe these +words? Ah, 'tis nowt unless yo' believe; you might be eating th' +dumplins and smackin' your lips on th' apples, but if you doan't +believe, yo'll say it's a dream. Wake up, and believe naa, and you'll +foind your maath is full of good things." + + +"DISH-CLOTH." + +I have said that some of Abe's similes were not very elegant, and when +the following is related, my readers will agree with me; but they were +well understood by the people among whom they were uttered. Speaking +one day of the pardoning mercy of God, and showing that He does not +grudgingly forgive the penitent sinner, Abe said, "Yo' womenfolk know +haa to wesh a pie-dish, I reckon? Yo'll tak' th' dish and put it into +th' hot waiter, and then tak' dish-cloth and rub it raand and raand, +insoide and aatsoide, till it's clean, and then yo'll wipe it wi' a +clean towel, and mak' it look just loike a bron new dish; and that's +haa th' Lord does wi' a poor sinner: He gies him a plunge into th' +Gospel fountain, weshes all his sins away, and brings him aat a bron +new man." An old woman sitting there caught the figure in a moment, +and responded energetically, "Maa th' Lord tak' th' dishcloth and wipe +some aat here t'-noight!" "Amen," exclaimed "the Bishop." + + +"TASTE AND TRY." + +Abe's remarks on Psalm xxxiv. 8, "O taste and see that the Lord is +good," etc., were very characteristic. "David was nooan a bad man to +deal with; he didn't try to deceive onybody and mak' them believe a +lie, like th' devil does; he says, yo' may 'taste and see.' Naa, that +ought to satisfy yo' particular talk; yo' loike to taste th' butter and +cheese afore you buy, and if it's gooid, you say, 'I'll tak' a pund o' +that;' naa, then, come and try if th' Lord is gooid. Aye, bless yo', +He is gooid! He's as fresh as th' morning dew, and sweet as new +cream," and then with a quaint look he would add, "and there's a deal +more on Him than you often foind on your milk." + +He used to say that religion could be tested in two ways;--you can +taste it yoursen, and you can see it in others. See what it has done +for your neighbours--how it has changed th' lion into a lamb, th' +raving sot into a sober and happy man; weshed th' tongue and purified +th' heart o' th' blasphemer, and filled th' maath of the dumb with +songs of thanksgiving, see!--"See that the Lord is good!" Then raising +his voice and reaching out his arm he would exclaim, "There's noan so +bloind as those that weant see! but remember, yo' weant always be able +to play th' bloind man, God will crack a thunderbolt close to your ear +some day, and yo'll open your eyes to see th' judgment before yo', and +then what will yo' say?" + +His only aim in what he said was to reach the people's hearts and bring +them to decision for Christ; that was the reward he coveted, nothing +more, nothing less; only let him see sinners coming to Jesus, and he +was happy. He would stay all night by a penitent, and never leave +until he knew the poor soul was safe in the kingdom of God. Time was +nothing to him; the long, dark journey home brought no misgivings to +his mind. When his work was done, and another soul safe in the arms of +Jesus, the humble village preacher would take his stick, or, as he +sometimes called it, his pony, and set off home, where many a time he +arrived faint and tired in the dead of the night, but with his soul +full of that peace which only a man feels who has ungrudgingly laid his +last remnant of energy at the feet of his Divine Master. + + +"WHO'S BEEN HERE?" + +"Little Abe" used everything that came to hand in order to make the +Gospel plain, and enforce its teachings upon his hearers. Zeal for the +work, and a devout bias to his mind, enabled him to find religious +teaching in many things, wherein perhaps others would never have +discovered any. + +He was in one of his sermons exhorting the people to watch against the +devil, lest he should gain an entrance to their hearts and spoil the +work of God. "Naa," said he, "I'll tell yo' some'at. Aar lads" (his +own sons) "took a fancy for a bit of garden; we had a little patch of +graand by aar haase; well, they set to wark, mended th' fence all +raand, dug up th' soil, threw aat th' stones and rubbish, raked it over +and marked it aat into beds, and planted flaars, and you may depend t' +lads wor praad o' their wark; for mony a week they kept doin a bit +noights and mornin's to keep it raight. By-and-bye, flaars came into +bloom, pinks, panseys, and other things came aat all over th' garden; +weren't they praad naa, and so wor I. One mornin', just afore we were +going t' th' mill, th' big lad went aat to look at th' garden a minute, +and th' first words he said wor, 'Who's been here? Who's been here?' +Aat I went, and I wor raight grieved to see all th' garden spoilt, +flaars broken off, little beds trampled aat o' shape, and th' wark of +months all undone. I saw in a minute haa it wor: an owd ass had gotten +in during th' noight and done all th' mischief. 'Haa could he get in,' +said th' lad, 'th' fence was all roight and safe?' But I said, 'Did ta +fasten th' gate last noight?' He looked at th' gate and said, 'I don't +knaw, father.' Ah, that wor it, there wor his foot-tracks through th' +gateway. Ah, friends, the devil is like an owd ass, goin' skulking and +shuffling abaat in th' dark when other folks are in bed sleeping, and +he is always trying to get into th' Lord's garden and spoil th' flaars; +yo' may mend th' fence as much as yo loike, but if you don't fasten th' +gate, he'll be in and undo all th' good wark in your hearts. Shut th' +gate, and fasten it; nail it up, raather than let th' owd cuddy get in; +he hates everything that is good in nature and grace; he'll spoil th' +best wark of God in a single noight; th' track of his owd hoof means +mischief, and one of his kicks would lame onybody; keep th' devil aat +o' th' heart, fence it raand with prayer; watch against th' enemy, and +you'll be roight noight and day." + +"When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace" +(Luke xi. 21). + + +"ELLOW! WHO'S THERE." + +Abe had a very quaint and original way of rendering the parable of our +Lord on the importunate neighbour (Luke xi. 5). + +"There was a good man who said one noight to his wife, 'Naa, lass, we +mun be getting to bed, I ha' to be up i' th' mornin' i' good toime.' +'Aye,' she said, 'thaa has?' So she put supper things away, and then +she and th' childer sat daan while th' good man read a chapter i' God's +Book; then they all knelt together at the family altar, and committed +their souls to the keeping of Him who never slumbers nor sleeps. In a +little while after that they were all in bed and th' candle blown aat; +they were just settling daan into sleep, when there came a loud +knocking at th' front door, ran, tan, tan, tan. 'Ellow! who's there?' +exclaimed th' good man of th' haase as he raised himself up in bed. + +"'It's me!' answered a voice from th' aatside. + +"'Me, who's me?' + +"'I'm th' neighbour, thaa knaws.' + +"'Aye, and a bonny neighbour thaa is to be comin' here knocking up sich +a row at this toime o' th' noight.' + +"'Why, I'm vary sorry,' chimes in th' voice aatsoide, 'vary sorry to +trouble you, but a friend o' mine that's on a journey, has just come to +aar haase, and wants his supper and a noight's lodgings, and we ha'nt a +morsel o' bread to set before him, and I want to knaw if thaa'll lend +us a loaf till my wife bakes.' + +"'Get away hoam wi' the',' replied the man of th' haase. 'I'm i' bed, +and canna be bothered; candle's aat, and we ha' no matches upstairs; go +home and come agean in th' mornin', and I'll lend the' some. Remember +me to the' friend, good-noight:' whereupon he shuffles daan into bed +agean, and tries to compose himsen to sleep. + +"But th' man aatsoide has been and fetched a big thick stick, and with +this he starts to hammer th' door laader than ever, till he startles +all th' sleepers in th' haase. + +"'Naa then, what's th' matter?' shaats th' man from insoide, 'I thought +thaa war gone hoam.' + +"'Will thaa lend me a loaf till my wife bakes?' This was said in such +a deliberate, determined voice, that the good man knows in a moment he +won't be put off. + +"'What thinks ta, lass? Mun I get up and gie him one? I don't believe +he'll goa away; he'll bray t' door daan afore dayloight.' + +"While th' wife is rubbing her eyes and hesitating a bit, th' man +aatside rings sich a clash of bells on th' front door, as brought th' +good man aat on th' floor in a twinkling. + +"'Hold on! hold on, mon, I'm coming!' and he was off daanstairs to the +cupboard like a shot, aat with a loaf, unlocked th' front door, handed +forth th' bread to the man, who was just getting ready for another +knock. 'I see,' said he, 'thaa weant be put off; tak' this, and go +hoam wi' the'.'" + +This story, told in the vernacular of the district, of which this is a +very imperfect rendering, and accompanied with Abe's expressive +gestures, was exceedingly effective, and not easily forgotten. Nor did +he omit the beautiful moral of the parable, showing the necessity of +prayer, importunate prayer, prayer at all times. "Keep knocking!" Abe +would say, "God is only trying you a bit in not answering first knock; +it's His way of proving whether you really mean it or not. Knock +laader, pray on and on, He hears, He is coming, bless Him! He never +said to th' seed of Jacob, 'Seek ye my face in vain.'" + + +"PUT UM ON THEESEN." + +The Prodigal Son was a favourite subject with the "Little Bishop," and +many are the quaint sayings which fell from his lips while dwelling on +this interesting parable. The singular pictures which he drew of this +young man in his degradation brought many a smile on the faces of the +congregation. But his chief aim always was to get the youth back to +his father's house again; here his emotions often overpowered him, and +his joy was so great that he hardly knew what he was saying. Many of +the friends still remember him on one occasion at Outlane. He had +brought the poor prodigal to the top of a lane leading down to his +father's house; there he stood, covered in rags and dirt, his head bare +and his shoes gone; he is just timidly stopping at the corner of the +lane debating whether he shall go on or turn back, when at that moment +out comes the old man to look up and down the road; he sees that bit of +human misery at the lane end, and in an instant recognizes him as his +son, "'Mother! mother!' exclaims th' owd man, 'quick! quick! here's aar +Jack standing at top o' th' loin. Oh, run! run my owd legs, tak' me to +him! Here, Jack, my lad, come to me, the' father wants thee--come, +come!' And in another moment the old man is hurrying with tottering +steps and open arms towards his son, and folding him, rags and all, to +his bursting heart." It was so real to Abe, and he was so carried away +with the picture which was before his vivid imagination, that when he +got the lad into the house, he exclaimed, "Put shoes on his hands, and +rings on his feet,"--whereupon a brother in the chapel called out, +"Nay, nay, Abe lad, thaa mun't put shoes on th' lad's hands, and th' +rings on his feet; put um on roight, man." But Abe responded at the +top of his voice, while tears came rolling over his face, "Put um on +theesen and let me aloan! 'This, my son, was dead, and is alive again, +he was lost and is faand!'" By that genuine burst of feeling, he +reached a climax of eloquence that has seldom been surpassed in the +history of preaching. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +"I am a Wonder unto Many." + +Such were the words of David in olden times, and with propriety did +"Little Abe" frequently adopt them in his day. Considering his +condition prior to his conversion,--a wild, thoughtless, and wicked +young man, having neither fear of God nor man before his eyes, and then +contrasting it with what he had become by the grace of God; remembering +his want of education, that he never could write, and by that means +commit his thoughts to paper, and yet that his preaching was acceptable +and profitable to the people, that he drew large congregations wherever +he went, some people coming to hear him who seldom attended the places +at any other time; that he was used by God in bringing many sinners +into the fold of Christ, who are now useful members in the Church on +earth, or enrolled among those who serve God in His temple in heaven, +"Little Abe" really was "a wonder unto many." + +A woman once said to him, "Aye, Abe, I like' to hear the' preach." + +"Bless th' Lord for that," responded Abe. + +"But," continued she, "I many a toime wonders where thaa gets all th' +sense from, and haa thaa foinds t' words to say, for thaa's niver been +to college, nor ony place loike that." + +"Who says I wor niver at college?" he replied. "I have been to a +college where they mak' a roight job on um, woman." + +"Why, what college hast ta been to? Not Ranmoor, I'll be baan?" + +"Noa, not Ranmoor; it would puzzle th' Doctor to mak' onything o' me; +I've been to th' fisherman's college, where Peter and th' rest on um +went. I've learnt a bit at th' feet o' Jesus, bless Him!" + +Yes, he had learnt to devote what little talent he possessed to the +highest and happiest service in the universe, and his success as a +labourer for Jesus shows that the great Master can make good use of any +feeble instrumentality for the spread of truth and the salvation of +mankind. "We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency +of the power may be of God and not of us," was a saying of apostolic +days, but as true now as when uttered by St. Paul. When great scholars +and brilliant orators or men of extraordinary natural and acquired +parts become successful as the advocates of our Christian faith, there +are always some more ready to pay a tribute to the powers of these men, +than to the Gospel which they teach, ascribing their success not to the +inherent power of truth, but to the extraordinary talent of its +advocates. But when men like our friend "Little Abe" are raised up for +the Lord's work, and the Gospel preached by them becomes mighty in +changing the hearts and lives of others, these opponents of our blessed +religion are at a loss to find some human arm to which they can ascribe +the glory, and while they vainly seek such arm, others can plainly see +"that the excellency of the power is of God, and not of us." + +A great deal of the favour which "Little Abe" met with was due to his +_sincerity_. He was very droll in his sayings; he was very original in +his manner of dealing out truth; his illustrations were mostly drawn +from things in everyday life which everybody understood; his language +was the plain home-spun provincialism of the locality where his hearers +were born and brought up; but however much may be due to these things, +those who knew him best would say, that his almost universal acceptance +was due to his undoubted sincerity. This made everything he said in +the pulpit quite proper. What would appear out of place in any other +man, was becoming in him; all his odd sayings and gestures were kindly +received, and never an unpleasant feeling was excited in the breast of +any who really knew the man. + +Oh, it is a grand thing when a man has so lived and proved himself +among those around him, that they all feel his religion to be sincere! +What good may not such a man be capable of doing? He may be unschooled +and unread, he may be poor, and hold but a humble position in the ranks +of life, and yet withal, he may exert a power which neither rank nor +learning can acquire, nor wealth purchase. He rules hearts; learning +may rule heads, and wealth may influence manners, but sincere goodness +enshrines itself on the throne of the heart. + +Men among whom "Little Abe" lived and worked, with whom he met from day +to day,--men who professed to have no regard for religion as such, +respected Abe's presence more than they would that of their own +fathers, and stopped their unclean conversation at his approach, or by +some other unmistakable means indicated their deep respect for him. +They all knew what grace had done for him, and they honoured the +genuine work, thereby entitling Abe to say, "I'm a wonder unto many." + +One man says, "If there were no other evidence that religion is a good +thing, there was proof enough in Little Abe. I have had ample +opportunities of watching his daily life for many years, having worked +in the same mill with him, and I know what the other mill hands thought +of him as well; everybody believed in the 'Little Bishop,' and there +wasn't a man to be found that would utter a disrespectful word of him. +He was often employed in what is called 'cuttling,' that is, drawing +cloth from the machine. To do this he had to kneel on the ground; it +was easy work, and required very little thought. Many a time have I +seen him, while in this position, praying and drawing off the cloth, +and I have thought that Abe couldn't help praying if he got on his +knees, whether it was in the mill or anywhere else. + +"Sometimes on a Saturday the young people in the mill would say, 'Well, +Bishop, where are you going to preach to-morrow?' and then, with the +brightest, kindest smile, he would tell them where his work for the +next day lay, and perhaps he would ask them to go with him; but on +their refusing, he would add, 'Ah, my lads, yo' want your hearts +changing by th' grace of God, and then yo' would be glad to run +onywhere in His Name.' As years grew on him and he became infirm, I +have seen him come into the mill on a Monday morning looking very +tired, and I have said I thought he was working too hard on Sundays. +'Canna do that,' he would reply; 'I would do a thausand toimes maar for +Jesus if I could;" and then brightening up, he would add, "I'd raather +wear aat loike gooid steel, than rust aat loike owd iron;' and he was +true to his word; he did wear out." + +Many such testimonies might be added if it were necessary, all showing +that religion in "Little Abe" was the all-engrossing thing, but let +this suffice. It is delightful to see how a good man may live in the +midst of the ungodly, and keep his garments unspotted, and his name +unsullied by the adverse influences around him. What a rebuke such a +life is to many who excuse their looseness and irregularities because +they are thrown among the irreligious; and how stimulative it becomes +to others that are similarly situated, and trying to live consistently +in the midst of all their evil surroundings! + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Abe as a Class Leader + +The Class-meeting is one of the best institutions in Methodism. It has +done as much as anything else, if not more, to keep up the spiritual +life of the churches; it has been a refuge for tens of thousands of +tempted ones; it has been a seasonable corrector to many who were just +beginning to fall into the paths of sin, and has brought them back to +Christ again; it has supplied the social need of our Christian faith, +and gathered friends together for spiritual communion; it has been a +safeguard against the devices of the devil by affording opportunities +for the disciples of our Lord to compare their experiences, tell their +temptations, and impart mutual encouragement to each other in the +Divine life; it is a natural, seemly, and modest vent for the spiritual +fire which glows and flashes in every heart that loves the Lord with +sincerity. It was almost self-appointed; it came to be, or grew out of +a class of circumstances which would at any other time have produced +essentially the same thing; it is the outgrowth of the fervent piety +which marked the lives of our fathers in the churches, and it has met +the tendencies of glowing Christianity among us ever since. It is an +encumbrance only where this kind of Christianity is not maintained; as +godly zeal declines, so sinks the estimation for class-meetings; just +as the appetite for food forsakes a sickly person, so the desire for +experience meetings declines in a sickly church. Persons who never did +attend class-meetings cannot be judged by them; their piety may deepen +or diminish, but other tests must be found for them. The class-meeting +is a Methodist gauge, and only here can it apply. + +"Little Abe" was a class leader for many years, and there was no work +more heartily enjoyed by him than this. The members of his class who +survive him often talk of the grand times they had with the little man +in this way; it was often like heaven on earth. He was a very +successful leader, and always kept his members well together. If any +of them absented themselves he was soon on their track, hunting them up +and bringing them back to the fold. + + +"MY FATHER'S GOT PLENTY O' TIMBER." + +His class was conducted in a neat little cottage near the chapel +belonging to one of the members, who week by week opened his doors for +the accommodation of Abe and his flock. Their meeting was held in a +comfortable room which served the family as kitchen and parlour; here +every Monday night the quaint old shepherd came to meet his sheep. The +big family table was pushed back against the window, the elbow-chair +was placed at the end for the leader, all the chairs and seats in the +house were brought into this room and ranged around as conveniently as +possible to accommodate the weekly visitors, and sometimes when this +was done there were more people than seats, and the big table had to be +drawn out again, and made use of as a resting-place for the homely +people who gathered there; or a long board would be brought down from +upstairs and its ends placed on two chairs, and thus an additional seat +was extemporized. + +This very board had the misfortune to snap in two one night while a +brother was engaged in praying. He was a _powerful_ man in prayer; his +soul was inspired with zeal, and his body animated with strength, which +on this occasion he vented in a succession of heavy blows on this +devoted piece of timber, until suddenly it gave way with a loud crack +and fell in two pieces on the floor, to the great discomfiture of those +whose weight added to the strain. For some moments there was +considerable confusion in the room, as may be supposed, and the praying +was brought to a sudden halt, when Abe's voice was heard above all, +"Ne'er moind, lad, go at it! My Father's got plenty o' timber, and +He'll send thee a new seat," whereon the meeting went on, as lively as +before. Abe wouldn't allow any such trifles to interfere with the +happy flow of feeling in his meetings; indeed, such incidents served +rather to stimulate than abate the exuberance of his spirits. He knew +that all things belonged to the Lord, and that He would make good all +that was lost in His service, and therefore "he took joyfully the +spoiling of his goods," and other folk's too. It is needless to say +that the old seat was replaced by a new one. + + +"MY FATHER 'LL GIE THE' THIS HAASE" (House). + +When Abe had been conducting his class for some years in the cottage +before named, an event transpired which greatly disturbed his mind, and +led him to fear he might have to remove his meeting to some other +place. Now this was a sore trouble ta him and to every one of his +members; they had got accustomed to going there, and some of them had +never met anywhere else, so that they could not bear the thought of +being obliged to leave, yet there was some ground for the fear. + +The person who owned the cottage was mother-in-law to the man by whom +it was occupied; she died and left her property, which consisted +chiefly of cottages, to be divided equally among her children. Soon +after the funeral the family met in this very house to arrange the +division of the estate. The plan adopted was to draw lots for houses, +and as they were nearly of the same value, this seemed equitable. So +the lots were all prepared and placed together, and each person was to +draw one, and take the house named on the lot; the drawing was to +commence with the eldest, and go down to the youngest. Now the wife of +the man in whose house the class met was the youngest member of the +family, and therefore must take what all the others left. When +everything was ready for the drawing to begin, the proceedings were +interrupted by a knock at the door. The man of the house opened it, +and found, to his surprise, "Little Abe" there. "Come aat a minute," +said he, "I want to spaike to the'." On getting outside Abe resumed, +"I knaw what ye are baan to do in there." + +"Haa dost ta knaw?" said the man. + +"Ne'r moind, I knaw;" and going close up to his ear and placing his +hand on the man's arm, he said, "My Father 'll gie the' this haase, He +telled me soa; I've been to Him abaat it, and I have His word on 't; +but afore thaa gets it, I want the' to promise me that while I live I +shall have my meetin' here." + +"Yo' shall," was the ready response; "as long as thaa and me lives this +haase shall be oppen to the' if we get it." + +"Bless the Lord," said Abe, rubbing his hands, "I could loike to shaat" +(shout) "but they'd hear me insoide. Ne'er moind, I knaw tha'll get +it;--gooid-noight!" + +His friend then returned into the house, and immediately the drawing +began. Each drew one lot; then they all read them together, and as Abe +predicted, the house in which they were assembled fell to the share of +the man who lived in it. But this is not the end of the story: it +appears that one of the sons was not satisfied with his portion, and +began to complain. The fact is he wanted this house, and if he had got +it Abe and his class would have been turned out. So, rather than have +any unpleasantness in the family, they all agreed to cast lots again +and abide by the issue. This was done, and to the astonishment of all, +this house fell a second time to the same man, and though it was +considered the best lot, everyone felt it was fairly his, and he has it +to this day. + +It may suit some people to say this was a mere accident; yes, just the +same as the world is an accident and a thing of chance. Perhaps it was +an accident, too, that "Little Abe" was able to foretell the issue of +that lottery with such confidence, and was so eager to make his bargain +for the use of the room before the lots were known. The chance that +can show such intelligence, foreknowledge, and power, that can +communicate its intentions beforehand, and afterwards verify them in +this manner, has the attributes of God, and must be Divine; a chance +that can hear and answer prayer, that can work out its own designs and +baffle those of others, that can reveal secrets to His favourites and +honourably keep covenants, deserves the faith and worship of all men: +this was Abe Lockwood's God, and He shall be ours for ever and ever. +There are some who say, "What is the Almighty that we should serve Him? +and what profit shall we have if we pray unto Him?" These scientific +theorists and unbelievers are intensely anxious to prove that prayer is +only wasted energy, that nothing can possibly come as direct answering +to prayer, that if things do follow which seem to be in response to +earnest and devout petition, they result from some other causes, which +have no connection, except coincidental, with prayer. + +Men who talk so don't pray, never did. They don't know what prayer is; +they are wrong in their first principles, and therefore all their +deductions are awry; it is impossible for anyone who discredits prayer +to know what he is talking about. Prayer is a something going on +within the soul, it is something which must be experienced to be +understood; and yet those who have no experience presume to +philosophize on the subject as if they had spent all their life in the +exercise and study of prayer. Just as well might "Little Abe" try to +talk scientifically, as those scientists speak on the merits or worth +of prayer, it is out of their sphere, they are out of their depth, and +therefore it was a sad want of discretion which first tempted them to +venture so far. + +"Little Abe" was a much better judge of the value of prayer than these +theorists; he was much further learnt in this direction than any of +them, and therefore his testimony was more reliable than theirs; what +to them was a mystery and impossibility was to him a simple daily +enjoyment. They that would test the value of prayer _must really pray +themselves_, and believe while they pray, otherwise they will be no +wiser. Prayer is not disproved by the failure of improper petitions, +but it is proved by the success attending supplications presented in +the right spirit. If men expect nothing, they get what they expect, +the Bible says so; "But without faith it is impossible to please Him; +for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a +rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. xi. 6). + +Prayer was an exercise in which Abe was a proficient and spent much +time; at his work he prayed, and in his chamber, long and earnestly, +until he prevailed. Sometimes in the meetings, as Abe would say, "they +gat agaat o' wrestling," and then he often became so importunate in his +intercessions that his whole body prayed as well as his soul, and quite +unconsciously he beat the bench at which he knelt, struck the floor +with his clogs, sweat at every pore, and really wrestled with God in +mighty prayer, and then the glory was sure to come down and fill the +place. Certainly at those times Abe and those who were with him were +very noisy, and some who had no sympathy with anything of the sort, +would make some disparaging remarks. There were some of old who would +have silenced the loud cries of poor blind Bartimeus, but they could +not, nor can they stop the voice of vehement prayer. Pray on, +brethren, get hold of God, and then make what noise you like. + +We want more of this praying spirit among the Lord's people, and less +of the cold calculations of the unbeliever. Here lies the strength of +the Christian Church, and not in its immense wealth, its high culture, +its refined pulpit, or luxurious pew; it is that praying power which +brings the Divine unction down. May God give us the praying power. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +"Working Overtime." + +The time came when "Little Abe" was much sought after to speak at +week-night meetings, such as tea-meetings, missionary meetings, and the +like. It was considered a great point to have him as one of the +speakers; they were sure to have a lively time if Abe came--for what +with his own original speech, his running comments and responses while +others were talking (a liberty which every one allowed him), he kept +the whole meeting alive throughout. + +This was what he called "working overtime." All his Sundays were +given, as a matter of course, to the Lord's work, and the week-days to +his daily calling; consequently what he did, in this way had to be done +at nights, after his day's work was finished. Now as this kind of work +grew upon Abe, there were some who would tell him he was doing too +much, that he would injure himself; but he would remind them that when +he had to work at the mill night after night, week after week, no one +ever thought of telling him he was doing too much. "No," would be the +response, "because you were paid for that." Then Abe's soul was +roused. "Well, and does the' think my Father doesn't pay me? Bless +Him, He owes me nowt, He's paid me double wages for every minute I have +warked for Him." And so he went on serving the Church and honouring +God to the utmost of his ability. + + +LITTLE ABE AND THE MULE. + +He had a singular experience one dark rainy night when going to a +missionary meeting at Shelley. He was late in arriving, so that the +meeting was somewhat advanced when he put in an appearance. As he +entered the chapel he was greeted by a burst of clapping, and in a +moment every face brightened at the sight of him, though, to tell the +truth, he was rather unsightly, for he was bedabbled with mud from his +feet to his head, and his big umbrella looked as if it had been on the +spree and rolled in the gutter; altogether he appeared in unusual style +for a public meeting. It was no matter to him, however. He just shook +himself like a dog out of the water, placed his bundle of whalebones +and gingham in a quiet corner, rubbed his numbed hands together, and +went smiling on to the platform. Nothing would satisfy the people but +that he should speak at once, so he rose to his feet amid the hearty +clapping of the whole audience, and said, "I niver knew so mich of th' +trials of missionary wark in my loife as I do naa. I've been in +trainin' for this meetin'. I've had to endure storms, rain, tempest, +and dangers seen and unseen, for it wor that dark on th' road I could +hardly see mysen, so, loike a returned missionary, I think I ought to +let yo' knaw some'at abaat my trials." (Hear, hear.) "Well, yo' knaw, +when I promised to come to this meetin', I meant being here somehaa, +but I 'av had a job. I thowt as I wor comin' I would mak' it as easy +as I could for mysen, so I borrowed aar neighbour's mule. I didn't +knaw mich abaat riding, so he telled me I wor to keep tight hold o' th' +bridle, as th' owd mule had a way o' tumblin' fore'ards. Well, I gat +on th' back wi' my umbrella oppen, for it wor pouring daan rain, and we +set off, all three on us, umbrella, th' mule, and me. We gat on +alroight most o' th' way. I had to scold th' owd animal sometimes, and +tell him to get on or we'd be too late for th' meeting, so we kept +gaining a bit o' graand by degrees, but troubles wor ahead. What wi' +thinking abaat my speech and holding th' umbrella roight, I forgat to +keep a toight hold o' th' bridle, and all at once th' mule tript, and +th' umbrella and me went roight over his head into th' dike. I really +wor astonished at mysen, and didn't know which to blame--th' mule or +me. I think I ne'r gat off a cuddy so quick in my loife afore; and th' +owd mule would hardly understand me I daresay, for he stopt in a moment +and look'd over at me as if he wor wondering if I always gat off in +that fashion. However, I soon scrambled aat o' th' dike, and after a +good bit o' trying I maanted agean and set off on th' road; but I +hadn't gone far before I faan some'at wor wrang wi' th' bridle. I +couldn't guide th' beast roight somehaa, so I felt abaat to try if I +could foind aat what it wor, and behold I had gotten th' bridle all on +one soide. Well, I dar'n't get off to set it roight, so I wor fain to +let th' owd beast goa his own gait till we gat to Shelley." + +The whole story was so amusing, and the more so as told in Abe's +inimitable style, that the people laughed themselves into tears; and +yet they could not but admire the zeal of the little man, and their +hearts warmed towards him, and to the missionary cause as well, for as +soon as Abe resumed his seat, the chairman, who knew how to take the +tide at its flood, called for the collection to be made, and there is +no doubt it was a good one. Just at that moment Abe shouted out, +"Bless the Lord, I've made th' collection speech to-noight." + + +A QUOTATION FROM SALLY. + +At one of the meetings where "Little Abe" was a speaker, he was +exhorting the people to give freely to the Lord's cause. "Some folk," +he remarked, "say that Methodists are always after money; well, we +canna' do very mich withaat it, I wish we could, it's a deal o' bother, +and takes sich a lot o' getting; and yet it is a far worse job to be +withaat ony." Then throwing his head over a little on one side he went +on, "Aar Sally says money is th' rooit of all evil, but I says, 'Aye, +lass, I knaw it wad be, if I wor to come home on Saturday withaat ony.'" + + +A LIST OF THE FAMILY NAMES. + +At another meeting in which our little hero was speaking he got into an +exceedingly happy mood, and was dwelling on the honour of being a child +of God. His face shone with delight, his eyes glistened with joyful +tears. "Bless the Lord," said he, "I'm a King's Son, and one of a +royal line. Ah, and there are hosts maar in th' family besides me. +Let's see," said he, "there's Jonathan Cheetham, King's Son; there's +James Crossland, King's Son; there's James Carter, King's Son; Glory! +there's Mary Carter, King's Son. Hallelujah!" How far he would have +pursued the list of family names we don't know, had not the whole +meeting burst into laughter and tears at Abe's unwitting mistake in +calling Mary Carter a King's Son; but it was of no consequence to him; +a little slip of his happy tongue didn't mar his meaning; the people +cheered him, and on he went as blythe as ever. + +It was reward enough for Little Abe to know that he had done his +Master's work and brought honour to His great name. The exertion which +these extra meetings entailed upon him, the long weary marches out and +home, were all performed without a murmur or the slightest abatement of +zeal. He didn't serve the Lord with a footrule in his hand, measuring +and marking off to the eighth of an inch. Abe strode over all narrow +and stinted measurements, and served his Master out of the fulness of +his warm and generous heart. + +That miserable devotion which does as little as possible for God, and +magnifies that little into importance, Little Abe knew nothing about, +and he is a poor, pompous, pitiable thing that does; the open heart, +the willing hand, the ready feet, are among the few things that God +Almighty is pleased to see among His people; the penitent that sheds +his tears by the dozen, the man that goes just the length of his +sixty-feet tape-measure and no more, the champion that quenches his +zeal in the first obstacle that comes in his way, and turns back from +the fight, is unworthy the name and honour of a Christian; he is unfit +to march in the glorious succession of martyrs and confessors who +follow a Leader that dedicated His all to the world's welfare and His +Father's will. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that +though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through +His poverty might be rich." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Methodist Lovefeast. + +Methodism has created new institutions and coined new words to express +the object of them. The lovefeast is purely Methodistic: it is a +meeting of Christian people belonging to one or more societies, where +they relate their religious experience, and bear their testimony to the +worth and influence of Divine grace in the soul. + +Under the conduct of a minister, or someone duly appointed for the +purpose, the meeting is opened with singing and prayer; then, while the +people are sitting, bread and water are distributed to all present, to +suggest that believers are members of one great family, and partners in +the same spiritual provision made by Christ who gave Himself to be the +Bread of Life for men. When this is done the offerings of the people +are gathered, usually for the poor of the Lord's flock. The +formalities ended, the meeting is thrown open for the relation of +Christian experience, and any one speaks that is prompted. + +In every period of Methodism the lovefeast has been a precious and +popular means of grace. These meetings are held all through the +country, every little church taking care to have its quarterly or +annual lovefeast. And it is remarkable what a hold some of these +meetings have upon the people; ten, or even twenty miles, have not been +considered too great a distance to be travelled in order to be present +at some of them, even though the entire journey has had to be performed +on foot. Men and women, some of them stricken in years and bowed down +with the toils and cares of a long and hard life, have joyfully walked +many a weary mile for the pleasure of attending a lovefeast; old +people, leading their grand-children by the hand, and telling them of +the stirring times of early Methodism; younger people in groups, +singing revival hymns as they plod steadily along the dusty or miry +roads under melting sun or pelting rains, making their way to these +attractive and soul-stirring meetings, contending against every +obstacle and overcoming every hindrance, determined to be there and do +honour to the Divine Master, who said, "Ye are my witnesses." + +There have been some of the grandest manifestations of Divine power at +these gatherings, as seen and felt in the sweet, gentle, and +unconscious melting of feelings, until the whole congregation has been +broken down to tears and songs of joy and praise; or coming suddenly +upon them as a "rushing mighty wind," without sound or sign, save in +the bending of heads, the breaking of hearts, the streaming tears, and +the adoring responses of the people. Then, believers have caught the +spark of sanctifying fire from God Himself, and declared it; then, men +have been endued with the gift of tongues, and spoken with apostolic +power; then, sinners, drawn into the place by the peculiar attractions +of the occasion, have felt their souls shaken by Divine energy, like +forest trees in a tempest, and trembling, bending, rending, breaking, +have fallen in the storm of Heaven's mercy, and cried for help and +found it. Oh, how many there are now in glory or on the way, of whom +it may be said, "Convicted in a lovefeast! converted in a lovefeast! +sanctified in a lovefeast!" Their name is "legion, for they are many." +Hallelujah! + +Some things among the usages of the churches we may perhaps afford to +dispense with and suffer no loss, but not this glorious means of grace. +If in any place they have lost their power, the fault is not in the +institution, but in the Church; religious declension is the greatest +enemy to this good old custom. If the Lord's people return to their +first love, the lovefeast will resume its former glory and power. Oh, +Lord, "wilt Thou not revive us again, that Thy people may rejoice in +Thee?" + +Methodism cannot afford to forsake her old ways for new and untried +ones; they are intelligent, proper, and essentially Christian. +Lovefeasts are the olive branch which we have received from the revered +hands of our fathers and mothers in the faith, not to be cast away, but +to be prized and kept as a mark of our love for them, for each other, +and for Christ our Saviour; and though the green branch which they left +us may be somewhat faded, and its leaves droop in our moistureless +hands, though it has lost some of the freshness it had when it first +came to our keeping, thank God! thank God! it is not dead, it lives! +and can be revived. It wants more moisture; sprinkle tear-drops of +penitence upon its shrunken foliage; let the springs of our sympathy +once more flow over it; let us ask God to give us the "upper and the +nether springs," that _His_ love and ours may flow out in one united +stream; let us come to that stream, near, nearer, to the brink, and +olive branch in hand, plunge in, refresh ourselves, and revivify the +blessed, beautiful, and sacred symbol. + +There was no meeting in which Little Abe was more at home than a +lovefeast; whether as conductor or in a private capacity,--if such a +term can be applied to Abe,--he gloried in a rousing lovefeast. His +love for these meetings and his aptitude in conducting them occasioned +a great demand for his presence. He had such a way of interspersing +enlivening comments between the speakers. He was a good singer, too, +and was always ready with some hymn expressive of the feeling of the +meeting. Then he had the power to make everyone feel at home, so that +he was the very man to lead a lovefeast, although he did sometimes say +things that would shock very orderly and circumspect persons. + + +DEVIL DIDN'T POP THEE. + +Little Abe was leading a lovefeast in Berry Brow Chapel; the place was +crowded, people had come from far and near; the Holy Spirit was present +in great power; there was no lack of witnesses, two or three being +often on their feet together waiting for an opportunity to speak. +Little Abe, as he said, "was fair swabbing o'er," he wept for joy. + +A young man at length rose to relate his Christian experience. He had +but lately been converted to Jesus, and before that had been a very +wicked, drunken, degraded character. He proceeded to say what the Lord +had done for him, how He had found him in his sins and misery, and +taken hold of him when hardly any one else would look at him, except a +policeman, who felt as if he had a sort of right to him, and often +found him board and lodgings for a few weeks. At the time of his +conversion he was almost naked, and absolutely destitute; said he, "I +had popt" (pawned) "my coat, and popt my shoes, my vest, my shirt, and +everything on which I could raise money, and I was almost in hell." +This was more than Abe could sit under; he sprang to his feet and +exclaimed, "It's a rare job th' devil didn't pop thee and all, my lad! +Praise th' Lord!" The young man fell on his seat and vented his +gratitude in a fresh burst of tears, and many an eye in that meeting +ran over as well. + + +RELIGION ALL HUMBUG. + +Little Abe once got up in a lovefeast. "Friends," said he, "a man +asked me what I made so mich noise abaat religion for; he said, 'It's +all humbug,' and I said, 'Thaa'rt roight for once, mon; it's th' +sweetest humbug that iver I tasted. I have been sucking it for mony a +lang year, and it is sweeter than iver.'" (Humbug is the Yorkshire +name for sweets and goodies). It was just in Abe's way to turn the +tables on his assailant, and certainly in this case the Little Bishop +had the best of the encounter, and the joy of the humbug as well. + + +PENITENT PHYSIC. + +The Bishop was leading a lovefeast in Shelley Chapel (where it is said +that the Rev. John Wesley once preached), and one of the speakers had +been a backslider, but had determined to return to the Lord. This man +was telling the meeting his bitter sorrow, and how he had drunk of the +wormwood and gall of repentance, and as he spoke tears ran chasing each +other down his face. "Bless th' Lord," said Little Abe, "I see my +Father has been giving the' some penitent physic, and it's made the' +'een" (eyes) "run. Ne'er moind, lad, He'll heal thee heart, and wipe' +away all tears from thee 'een.'" + + +HONLEY FEAST MONDAY. + +The Honley feast is one of the remaining relics of byegone times, and +is tenaciously kept year by year throughout the parish as a holiday. +It begins with Sunday, and extends over the greater part of the week, +during which time the people enjoy themselves in ways suited to their +varied tastes, too many of them indulging in the cup which brings +aching heads and empty pockets. What a pity it is that men, and even +women, too, are so infatuated as to think that pleasure can only be +found in drunkenness and public-house brawling! Thank God there are +many who know the folly of this, and have other and better ways of +finding pleasure. Ever since Salem Chapel was first built it has been +the custom to hold a lovefeast there on Honley Feast Monday, and this +is perhaps the most popular meeting in the whole year, and is always +looked to with great interest. People come to this lovefeast from many +miles around, and the chapel is invariably filled to overflowing. + +This was always a great occasion with Little Abe--a real red letter +day. I remember attending this annual meeting some years ago. Abe was +there, and he certainly monopolised a good share of my attention. He +was very happy, and kept on ringing changes with clapping, stamping, +shouting, and sometimes, when under strong feelings, he pealed a clash +altogether, with hand, foot, and voice. "Hey, lads!" he said, "it's +grand! it gets better and better, bless th' Lord!" His face was +covered with smiles from his smooth chin to his bald forehead; he never +ceased smiling during all that service,--for no sooner had his joyous +countenance spent itself on one pleasant thing, and the light, dancing +ripples begun to subside, than something else presented itself to his +notice, and another smile passed across his face like a playful breeze +over a clear pool, shaking up the waves again; and so on he went, +through all that service, with a face as bright as a sunbeam. + +At length Abe rose to his feet, still smiling, and his hands clasped +together; every eye was on him in a moment, and smiles and tears of joy +mingled all over the chapel; the women wiped their eyes, and the men +shouted, "Glory, Abe! God bless the', lad." "Friends," he began, "I +am happy, I mun spaike naa, or I'st brust mysen." "Go on, Abe," came +from all parts of the chapel. "Hey, my lads, I mean to go on; I'm noan +going to turn back naa; it's heaven I set aat for, and heaven I mean. +I've been on th' road aboon fifty years, and I'st get t' th' end afore +lang." And then he went on to say how glad he was to see them there +once more, and to see the place full of earnest worshippers. "You knaw +it warn't always soa. I can remember when we wor just a few, but we +agreed to pray for a revival, and gie th' Lord no rest until we should +mak' His arm bare amang us. We started a prayer-meeting on Sunday +mornings at five o'clock to th' minute, and they that worn't there at +time should be locked aat. Well, yo' know, I wor' baan to be at that +meeting. So I telled aar Sally on Saturday noight I mun be up i' th' +morning at half-past four. Well, wod yo' believe it, I waked abaat +five minutes to five. I wor aat o' bed in a wink, and shoved my feet +in my stockings, and then on wi' my breeks, scratted up my booits" +(boots) "i' my hand, and off I ran in my stocking feet. When I gat +hoalf-way up th' Braa th' clock struck five, and I pushed one fooit in +my booit, fastened up my gallasses, and ran on agean panting up th' +hill, and just as I came t' th' gate I saw th' chapel door shut in my +face, so I wor locked aat; but I wor noan baan to looise my meeting. +While they insoid wor getting ready, I finished dressing mysen. +By-and-bye I hears one on 'em give aat a hymn, and I clapped my ear t' +th' key-hoil and listened for th' words, and then I put my maath to th' +hoil and sang with 'em, and so I kept on until they began to pray. +Then I listened, and shaated Amen through th' hoil, and kept on while +iver they prayed. At last my owd friend Bradley stopped in th' middle +of his prayer,--'Oppen that door,' he said, 'I canna pray with that +chap shaating in at th' key-hoil that road;' so they oppened th' door, +and I went in and had my meeting after all,--but yo' moind I wor niver +late agean." + +Our little friend will be remembered as a lovefeast man for many years +to come. His name had quite grown to be associated with the Conference +lovefeast of the Methodist New Connexion, and many are the affectionate +references to our brother in these grand annual gatherings even to this +day. His voice is not now heard as it once was, along with that of +Thomas Hannam, John Shaw, and men of like spirit and notoriety; but his +name is still fragrant in the affectionate memories of those who are in +the habit of attending our Conference lovefeast. + + +"BREED 'EM YOURSENS." + +Although Little Abe was no narrow-minded sectarian, he still loved to +foster in the minds of his own children a preference for the people +that had, under God, saved his soul, and made him what he was, and he +tried to bind his family to the Church of his choice. Spending a +Sunday in the town of Dewsbury, in company with a devoted brother and +local preacher who is now in heaven, they were led to converse about +the Community to which they both belonged. Abe said, "I was born in +th' New Connexion, never aat of it, and by God's help I'st die in it, +and I hope my children after me." And then, taking up an incident +which his own words had called to mind, he said, "My lad went by a +cheap trip to Hull t'other day, and what dost ta think wor th' first +thing he axed for when he gat there?" "Don't know," replied his +friend. "Why, afore he gat aat at station yard, he goes up to a man +and says, 'Can yo' tell me th' way t' th' New Connexion Chapel?' Naa," +he added, looking across at his friend; "if yo' want th' roight soort, +yo' mun breed um yoursens;" a saying which, put into other words, +simply means that if we are to have reliable members in the Church, +pious parents must bring in their own children, and let them grow up in +the fear of the Lord and love of His people, and the maxim is correct. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +Patient in Tribulation. + +Abe Lockwood had to encounter many troubles arising from a variety of +causes but that which seemed to harass him most was poverty. Having a +large family to bring up, and earning but moderate wages by his +employment, his head was seldom above water; he just managed to keep +above the drowning point. Only the brave, honest, and godly poor who +have struggled through similar difficulties, can really know what that +good man and his wife had to contend against in this way. + +Yet how often do we find poverty and piety yoked together in one house. +What a mercy it is that piety will condescend to dwell with poverty; +sit down at the same dry crust, or sit without it; wear the same +patched and threadbare raiment, and not complain; stay in the same +circle, endure the same hunger, cold, sickness, and suffering with +unmurmuring constancy, and taking more than half the load of trouble on +her own neck will sit the long night through, and "sing of mercy" till +the day breaks, and the light comes, and the sun shines again. +"Godliness with contentment is great gain." + +How many of the Lord's jewels have been ground, cut, and polished on +the wheel of poverty; polished, but not set, for poverty is neither the +gold nor silver for the setting. No matter, God does not care for the +setting, it is the diamonds He loves, "and they shall be mine, saith +the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels." + +When, however, industry, economy, and patient courage had done all, +poor Abe was sometimes almost overwhelmed by hardships,--almost, but +not altogether. He had a firm faith in God, and used to say, "My +Father knows haa mich I can carry to a grain, and He wean't lay a straw +too mony upon me, bless Him." In the midst of all the little Bishop +maintained a happy heart and a cheerful countenance; he made as little +of his poverty as some people do of their luxuries, and an ordinary +observer might have supposed he never had a sorrow, or felt a care. +The fact is he did not hoard his troubles as some persons do; he did +not like them well enough for that. They hung very loosely about him +at any time, and he shook them off as soon as he could; instead of +buttoning them up in his breast, and keeping them until they rankled, +festered, or turned sour, he loosened his bands, bared his bosom to the +first healthy breeze of joy that blew, and laughed the moment his +sorrows were gone. + + +"WATTER GRUEL." + +He was one day walking several miles to a preaching appointment, in +company with another brother who was going to the same place. On the +way his friend's nose began to bleed, and they had to stop, though the +man's nose still kept on bleeding. Abe tried to stop it: he put a cold +stone to the man's neck, held his arms up over head, and resorted to a +variety of acknowledged remedies, but with very little effect. "What +mun I do, Abe?" said the man. The little Bishop thereupon proceeded to +give him his advice. "I'll tell the' what to do," said he; "thaa mun +strike at th' rooit" (root) "o' th' evil; thaa lives o'er high; thaa +should try watter gruel for six weeks, and thaa'd cure that nose, +that's haa I do." A burst of laughter from both hastened the cure, and +on they went again with the journey. There was in this quaint remark +of his just the slightest reference to the poor fare on which he had +many a time set out on a long journey and a hard day's work in the +cause of his Divine Master; often enough dear old Abe was like brave +Gideon of old, "faint, yet pursuing." + +He used to say when he met people who carried their troubles in their +faces, "Yo' ha' no need to pull such lang miserable faces, raand 'um up +a bit! What! are yo' gotten on dark soid o' th' hedge? Yo' mun flit +into th' sunshine, there's plenty o' room." And what a blessing it +would be if people who nurse their sorrows would begin to count and +cherish their joys instead; the world, and especially the Church, would +be full of bright faces and happy hearts. + + +THE HALLELUJAH COAT. + +There was a time when Little Abe was badly provided against the cold, +wet, inclement weather which he had to encounter in the work of the +Lord, and coming out of the chapels on winter nights exposed him to +many a dangerous chill. His only extra covering was a thick woollen +muffler around his neck, yet in this way he bore uncomplaining the +brunt of storm and pelt of rain. One Sunday night after the little +Bishop had been preaching, a man came and invited him to supper before +starting for home, and he went. Supper over, Abe prepared to be off; +it was a bitter night, cold and wet. On seeing him about to start, the +good man said, "I've got something for you, Bishop." Abe looked round +and saw him standing with a big, thick overcoat open, ready for him to +put on. Without a word of remark he thrust his arms into the coat, and +his host proceeded to button it up from his throat to his heels, +smiling all the time; this done, he stood back to look at him. Abe +clapped his hands together, and shouted "Hallelujah! hallelujah!! I +can say now't else--hallelujah! a top coit! a hallelujah coit!" And +away he went out into the darkness and rain shouting, "A Hallelujah top +coit!" That garment was always known after as "the hallelujah coit." + + +TEMPTED OF THE DEVIL. + +Every Christian knows something of the wiles of the devil, and how +busily he goes about to tease, annoy, and break the peace of the Lord's +people. Abe had many a tussel with this enemy, but in the strength of +faith and prayer he conquered him. During the early years of Abe's +Christian life the devil often endeavoured to raise doubts in his mind +on fundamental truths; but Abe was not to be moved from the faith. +What he could not understand nor explain, he yet believed with all his +heart, so that in time the enemy yielded every point of dispute up to +him, and Abe kept his heart in perfect peace, so far as these things +were concerned. If Satan came to him, it was generally on some +unimportant thing which might harass and divert from better things. +Abe would say "Th' owd enemy 's ge'en o'er playing 'th' roaring lion,' +and turned into a flee, running and hopping all o'er me." And thus the +devil would sometimes assail him, rousing his feelings, exciting his +imagination and anger, and kindling his resentment to a pitch that +sometimes made Abe almost ashamed of himself, especially as it was all +about nothing. + + +ACCUSED OF SWEARING. + +After preaching one Sunday at Wellhouse, a place about four miles from +where he resided, he was making his way home in the cool of the summer +evening, and had got within a very short distance of Berry Brow. +Following on the same road was a man that knew Abe very well, who was +trying to overtake him. As this man drew nearer he heard the Bishop +talking rather loudly, and giving expression to some very extraordinary +language, accompanied by sundry violent flourishes of his walking-stick +and stamping of his foot, and the man was amazed as he heard Abe break +out, "Thaa 'rt a liar, thaa owd devil!" A few moments' silence +followed this outburst, during which the little man was walking like a +champion racer; then suddenly he broke out again, "I tell the' thaa 'rt +a liar, and I will n't believe a word on 't." Then followed another +brief silence, and then another excited explosion, which brought Abe to +a standstill. "Didn't I tell the' I don't believe the'? Away with +the', thaa lying old devil!" + +By this time the man came up to him and said, "Why, Abe, whatever art +ta swearing abaat soa on a Sunday noight?" + +"Swearing! me swearing!" exclaimed Abe. "I'm noan swearing, my lad." + +"But I yeerd the' mysen." + +"When?" + +"Naa, this minute; thaa called somebody a lying owd devil, and sich +loike." + +"Oh," said the little Bishop kindling at the sudden recollection of +what had been passing in his mind, "I've left my Sunday +pocket-handkerchief in th' pulpit at Wellhaase, and th' owd devil wor +telling me aar Sally wod scold me, and I told him he wor a lying +owd devil, and so he is; but I didn't knaw onybody could yeer me." In +this way the enemy assailed him on his way home from his pious work, +grudging him the peace of mind which a good man has in the service of +his Master. Satan would not raise any vital point of faith or duty +with Abe, because he knew he would be beaten, and Abe would be blest, +and would rise high on the wings of his faith out of the devil's reach; +but he could spring a snare upon the good man about his +pocket-handkerchief, and gradually worry and tease him into a conflict +until he forgot altogether the thought of better things. + + +COUNTING THE ORGAN PIPES. + +Another amusing story is told of Little Abe, showing how Satan +sometimes succeeded in trailing a false scent across his path, and +leading his mind astray for a time, or, so to speak, shunting him on to +a siding, and keeping him there until he discovered the snare. He was +sitting in Berry Brow Chapel listening, or endeavouring to listen, to +the preacher; it was soon after the new organ was introduced into that +place of worship. Abe sat just opposite the organ, so that he could +not avoid seeing it. Several times during the service the little +Bishop had fidgeted about, and indicated signs of impatience from some +cause or another; when all at once, to the astonishment of preacher and +people, Abe exclaimed, "I tell the' there's soa many pipes in that +organ, I've caanted 'em a dozen times already; if thaa doesn't believe +it, caant 'em theesen, devil." + +We may imagine the effect produced by Abe's outburst of indignation, +that the devil should doubt the accuracy of his counting in a matter so +trivial, as well as the annoyance and shame he felt that he had allowed +his old enemy to make a dupe of him again. Yet it is only an +illustration of the insignificant things that serve to call off our +minds from the pursuit of holy studies. The devil would dispute +through a whole service about a couple of flies, rather than permit a +saint to wait upon God without distraction. It shows that we need to +be very watchful against the influence of that arch enemy, even in the +Lord's house. + +Little Abe, with all his excellences, had his infirmities like other +men, and he felt them keenly. It was a cause of great grief to him +when, through unwatchfulness, he was led into folly. "Could ye not +watch with me one hour?" was said to the weary disciples of old, and +might often be repeated to the Lord's people to-day. "Watch, +therefore, lest ye enter into temptation." + + +AN EVIL TEMPER. + +One source of temptation to Little Abe was his temper; and yet here few +would think he had any trouble at all. If people who knew him were +canvassed on this question, the uniform testimony would be that he had +a most even disposition; few could be found to testify that they ever +saw him overcome by anger. He was, however, naturally of a quick, +sensitive temper, and had to keep a jealous watch upon himself, in +order to hold this tendency in subjection; the consequence was that it +seldom gained the mastery over him after his conversion. Grace turned +the lion into a lamb, and subdued the evil spirit within him, and as he +grew in grace, the marks of the old Adam became less distinct. Still +it was always an occasion for prayer and watchfulness with him; he +would not allow himself to be tempted from this side of his character, +if he could avoid it. Should anything transpire which was likely to +rouse the evil spirit, Abe would take his hat and run away, rather than +let the enemy gain ascendancy over him; he felt that it was often +better to "hide than 'bide." + +All our readers may not be troubled with a fiery temper, but they who +are should watch it closely, or they will burn themselves. If you have +fire about, keep powder and petroleum out of the way, or there may be +an explosion; he that tempts the fire with combustibles must surely pay +the penalty sometimes. The safest and wisest policy is to put the fire +out altogether; get the evil temper destroyed by Divine grace, and then +this "sin shall have no dominion over you." + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +"The Liberal Deviseth Liberal Things." + +Little Abe was endowed with a generous heart, but with very limited +means. He could generally say as the Apostles did to the lame man, +"Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee;" yet he +often devised means whereby he could enjoy the luxury of giving to +others. His own children, and even those of the village, knew they +could get a penny from Abe if he had one in his pocket, although it +might be the last he had in the world, and many a time he might be seen +surrounded by a swarm of children in the street, all begging sweets or +some other little trifle of him; and you want no better proof of a +man's habitual kindness than to see him often beleaguered by little +children: they only beg where they get something. + +If any poor neighbour was in want, and Abe had any means of assisting +him, he would not wait to be asked. Many a time he has gone home to +Sally and told her of some poor creatures who had no bread in the +house, and then he would wind up his tale of sorrow with, "Naa, lass, +we'll be loike to tak' 'em a loaf," whereupon the good woman would go +to the cupboard and take out a big family loaf, and hand it to him, and +he would hurry away to gladden the hearts of the hungry children. + +People do not need to be rich to exhibit the spirit of true generosity, +because it is not so much in the amount given, as in the spirit in +which it is done, and the sacrifice involved in the act. It is a truly +noble thing for a wealthy man to bestow of his abundance on the needy +around him, and he who does so is sure to gain a place in the +affections of the people. Everyone admires a liberal man; indeed, it +is questionable whether admiration for this quality may not sometimes +blind us to other things in the same persons which are actual faults, +and hence a man may be intemperate or profane or worldly, and people +say, "Well, but he is such a generous fellow," and that is taken as +mitigation of his faults: thus he is allowed to indulge in many wrongs, +because he has one excellency in his character. Men are not often +impartial judges; their minds are warped by unduly regarding one virtue +more than another, and consequently their verdict on character is not +always reliable. Give a benevolent man his full meed of honour, but +let not his liberal gifts become the purchase price at which he may +obtain indulgence for other sins, or he makes morality only a mockery. + +Generosity is an essential mark of the Christian character, and should +display itself in every follower of our Lord. This is the spirit which +prompted the poor of the Lord's flock to share their scanty means among +their poorer brethren, and therefore, though Abe Lockwood was never in +his life worth many shillings at one time, he was one among a multitude +of humble and generous spirits moving in the lower walks of life, who +often enjoy the pleasure of relieving the wants of sufferers around +them. + + +"A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN GREAT RICHES." + +Among the people in his own locality no one stood in better repute than +Little Abe. If any sick person wanted spiritual direction or comfort +they would send for Little Abe. He was quite at home in the sick-room; +the sight of his bright genial face would be sure to cheer the +sufferer: and then he knew so well how to lead the penitent sinner to +the Saviour, that the gloom of many a bedside has been dispelled by his +humble ministrations in this way. + +He loved this work, and gave a great amount of his spare time in +visiting the sick. He was ready to go anywhere, any time, night or +day, that he might help to sustain the soul in the last trial of faith; +and many an hour has he sat by the bedside of some dying neighbour, +talking, singing, praying, and trying to cheer him through the valley +of death. + +The little Bishop was general religious factotum in his own village, +and especially among those who were in any way connected with Salem +Chapel. In baptisms and burials he was held by many in as high repute +as the regular ministers. Often it happened that he was fetched by +some troubled parent to baptize a dying child, and he would perform the +rite with as great satisfaction to the friends, in his blue smock and +clogs, as he could have done had he worn the white neckcloth, and +passed through ordination honours. + + +"WILT TA KNUG?" (KNEEL). + +A man came one evening to Abe's house, knocked at the door, then opened +it a little way, thrust in his face and said, "Is Abe in?" It was a +most unusual thing to see that man there, for he was a wicked, drunken +character, a trouble to the neighbourhood where he lived, and often a +terror to his poor wife and children. Many a time Abe had tried to +induce him to go to the Lord's house and begin to lead a new life; but +sin had such a hold upon him that he only made light of everything +good, and, in his ignorance and hardihood, professed to disbelieve in +God and His Word. + +"Is Abe in?" asked the face at the door. + +"Yes, I'm here," replied the little man in question, looking up from +his Bible, and peering over the lamp on the table to see who the +speaker was, "Come in, mon; open th' door and come in." + +And in a little further came the face and head, followed by a pair of +broad shoulders and a huge body, whereupon Abe saw who they belonged +to, and rising from his seat he noticed that the great hard face was +clouded and softened with sorrow. Ah, it is a hard heart that does not +melt sometimes. + +"What's ta want?" asked Abe, in a kind tone. + +"Arr bit bairn 's badly," replied the big man, "and th' missus wants +the' to come and sprinkle it." + +"Th' missus want me does she,--and what does thaa want?" said Abe, +looking meaningly at him. "Does thaa want me to come?" + +"Ay," responded the man, looking rather humble, and feeling that Abe +had obtained his first victory by that confession. + +"Well, I'll goa wi' the'," and, putting on his hat, they went out +together, and betook themselves to the dwelling of the visitor. +Arriving there Abe beheld a painful yet by no means uncommon picture. +A room miserably furnished, and not the ghost of comfort anywhere; +several little ragged children stood grouped together, and in the midst +of them was the saddest figure of all--"the missus," the wife, the +mother, in tears, and on her lap, wrapped in an old faded shawl, was a +dying infant. The woman tried to smile amid her tears as Abe came in, +just the shadow of a smile, and then her poor face settled again to +that look of anguish it had before, as if all her meagre joy were +slowly dying with that little creature that lay feebly gasping on her +lap. It was so like a woman to remember amid her grief, to give a sign +of welcome to her visitor. + +"Aye, my lass, I'm real sorry for the'; thaa has a mother's heart, I +see, and thaa'd loike to keep thee bairn, I knaw thaa wad; but thaa mun +remember God has first claim on 't, and if He wants it, thaa'll be +loike to let Him ha' it. He can tak' better care on 't nor thaa can; +bless it, it'll sooin be better off nor ony on us--don't fret, my +lass--th' Lord comfort the'." And so in this way Little Abe went on +talking, softening, comforting, and strengthening the bitter heart of +that poor woman; at length he said, "Thaa wants me to baptize th' +little un, I reckon." + +"If yo' pleeas," she replied. "Jack," added she turning to her +husband, who stood all the time with his back to the table, trying hard +to keep his eyes dry and swallow down a lump that was continually +rising into his throat, "get a basin o' watter, my lad." It was said +so sadly and yet so kindly, that if Jack had had to go through fire to +fetch that basin of water he would have got it. In a minute or two he +came with the basin in his big broad hand and stood close up to his +wife's side, looking down on his dying child. + +"This is a religious service," said Abe, "and I want yo' to understand +that." He had his doubts about the man, notwithstanding his evident +effort to control his emotions; he knew the man's sinful character, +knew his hostility to everything religious, and now that he had him to +something like an advantage, he wanted to make the most of it. "I'm +baan to baptize that bairn in God's name, and we mun kneel daan and +pray for it;" and then looking at the father he said, "Wilt ta knug" +(kneel) "daan with us?" + +The man made no answer, but still kept by his wife's side, looking down +on the infant. + +"Wilt ta knug with us, Jack?" he repeated; "it's thy bairn, and it'll +sooin be gone." Still there came no reply; a conflict was going on in +the breast of that strong man, the wicked man of the world was +contending against the father. + +"If thaa will n't knug beside the' wife and bairns, I'll go haam +agean," said Abe. + +The man was conquered; the devil was strong in him, but the father was +stronger. He could not bear the thought of paying a slight to his +dying child. "I'll knug," said he, and that instant he full on his +knees. Abe baptized the child, and then all of them knelt together, +while he poured out his soul in earnest supplication to God for the +child and the family; but especially for the father who was now, almost +for the first time in his life, found humbly kneeling at the throne of +grace. It would have been very gratifying if we could say that this +was the turning-point in that man's life; but here our knowledge of the +case ends. It is, however, not too much to hope that the memory of +that sad night, coupled with the loss of the little child, would have a +good influence on the subsequent life of the man, and perhaps be the +means, under God, of leading him to seek that grace which alone could +afford him hope of meeting his child again in the kingdom of glory. + +Whether this was so or not, the incident shows the high esteem in which +Little Abe was held by the people among whom he lived. We see that he +gained a decided advantage over the hardened sinner when he constrained +him to kneel before the Lord; and it also shows that when scoffers and +so-called unbelievers are brought into the shadows of death, their +unbelief forsakes them, and like devils, "they believe and tremble." + +It was no uncommon thing for Abe to be called out of the mill to +conduct the burial service at Salem, in place of the minister, who +perhaps had never been informed of the funeral, or even of the death. +No matter, poor man, he has sadly lowered himself in the opinion of the +family and friends by not being present. He might have known he would +be wanted, and at what time of the day, and in what place, and it is +very unkind of him not to be there. Where is he? Poor innocent, he is +tramping off to a distant country appointment in simple ignorance of +the misdemeanour of which he is guilty. A minister ought to know +everything--know who is well and who is not; ministers are different +from all other people, and more is expected from them. If, for +instance, any one is ill, the doctor must be sent for; but the minister +is expected to come without being requested. It is his duty to attend +to the sick of his flock. It is no matter whether he knows of the +illness or not, he ought to know of it; a pretty shepherd he must be +not to know if any of his sheep are ill; he should make inquiries for +himself among the people. Are any persons dead here, or any sick? any +to be prayed for? or are there any disaffected parties waiting to be +coaxed into a good humour? any croakers in want of a good subject to +vent their bile upon? or anything at all in the general ministerial way +that wants doing? A man could easily find out what is going on, and +what is going off, with a little ingenuity and perseverance; and it +would save all the trouble and expense of a post card to the minister +asking him to call. Let us hope, therefore, that in future there will +be no misunderstanding upon these important matters, because every +place in the land is not favoured with such an able, willing, and +acceptable substitute as the people of Berry Brow had in Little Abe. + +Reference has already been made to the esteem with which he was +regarded by his fellow-work-people. As years went on this regard was, +if possible, intensified, and it was beautiful to see how the younger +men in the mill would strive to lighten his work, and make his duties +as easy for him as possible. Nor was this kindly feeling confined to +the mill operatives; his masters, gentlemen of high position in the +locality, held him in great esteem, for they knew him to be a honest, +upright man, and a faithful servant. He had, in his latter days, many +liberties and favours which could not be permitted to their employes +generally; often one or another of his masters would come into the +mill, and have a few minutes' conversation with him about his work as a +preacher, and his religious zeal, enlivened by his irrepressible +humour, almost invariably sent the master away with his face covered +with smiles, and his good opinion of the Little Bishop confirmed. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Used Up. + +As time went on, and year after year was added to his age, Little Abe +began to show, by unmistakable signs, that he was becoming an old man; +and although his lively temperament enabled him to hold up against his +infirmities for some time, the day came when he confessed he was an old +man and stricken in years; he began to speak of himself as being "used +up," "worn aat," "done for," and the like. All the marks were upon +him; his hair was snowy white, his face was furrowed with age, his +sight was dim, his step was slow and feeble, his voice tremulous, and +the signs were plainly seen that the Little Bishop was drawing near the +end of his journey. + +One day he was unexpectedly called to go into his master's office, and +immediately he made his way there, when something like the following +dialogue took place. "Well, Abe," his master began, "I am sorry to +observe that you are getting so infirm that you cannot do a day's work +now. I have seen this for some time, yet did not want to turn you +away, but now I am sorry to say you will have to leave the mill, and I +must put another man in your place." + +This coming so suddenly from the master was enough to stagger a +stronger man than Abe, and certainly he felt a little troubled at what +he had heard, but he could put his trust in God. + +"I'm vary sorry to laave, maaster, but I knaw I am gettin' owd and used +up." + +"And what will you do for a livelihood, Abe? I'm afraid you would not +be likely to get employment anywhere else at your age, what will you +do?" + +"Well, I don't knaw what I mun do, but I'm sure my Father will niver +see me want; 'I have been young and now am old, yet have I never seen +the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.'" This beautiful +triumph of simple faith in God was soon followed by its reward; his +master had carried the test far enough, he saw once more his old +servant was a man of God, his face broke out into a smile which showed +he had only been playing with Abe: "We have arranged to give you a +weekly allowance sufficient to keep you and your wife as long as you +live." + +"Praise th' Lord!" exclaimed Abe, "I knew my Father would not see me +want." So from that time our old friend received his weekly allowance, +and was kept from want. The Lord takes care of His own children that +trust in Him, and He often does so through the agency of some other +individual, yet whomsoever he be, he shall have his reward. "Whosoever +shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water +only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no +wise lose his reward" (Matt. x. 42). + + +OUT OF HARNESS. + +When our old friend became so infirm as to be unable to work for his +daily bread, we may naturally conclude that his labours as a local +preacher also necessarily terminated. It was a great trouble to him to +have to put off the harness; he struggled against it as long as he +could, until indeed it was no longer safe for him to go to his beloved +work; so he was compelled to stay at home, but never man left a calling +with greater regret than he did this, for he loved it with all his +heart. + +Nor was he alone in his regrets. Many shared in them when it was known +up and down that Little Abe was "out of harness," and would come no +more. Some friends sitting together in one of the country places of +the Circuit were talking about the preachers they had heard in that +place, some of them in heaven, and some remaining till God should call +them home; reference was made to Abe Lockwood, or as he was often +called in the latter days of his life, "Old Abe!" "Ah, there's dear +'Old Abe!' he'll never come again." A fine little fellow that sat +listening to the conversation rose to his feet, with his eyes full of +tears, and exclaimed, "Why won't they let him come? If he only came +and stood in the pulpit for us to see him, it would do." Old Abe was a +great favourite with children, and he was always fond of them; +sometimes old age turns folks sour, crabby, and snarlish with children, +but age only mellowed him, and made him more loving and loved. + + +"WHERE'S 'T YOUNG PRAACHER?" + +An amusing incident came under my notice during the time I was minister +at Wellhouse in the Huddersfield Circuit. I was in the front garden +one windy morning, attending to a few plants, and endeavouring to +protect them against the gusty wind, when I thought I heard someone +calling my name, but on looking up and seeing no one I resumed my task. +In a moment or two I heard someone say, "Bless th' Lord! I've managed +it at last, hurrah!" and on looking up, I saw Little Abe struggling +along the steep pathway in a field just in front of my house, his head +bare, his hat in his hand, his white locks tossed in wild confusion by +the gale, yet holding on by their roots, refusing to part from their +place of nativity. + +"Well, I declare, here's Little Abe tipping about in the wind like a +shuttlecock." Out I ran, and getting hold of his arm towed him into +dock. + +"Whatever has brought you here in such a gale of wind, Abe?" + +"Hurrah! I'st see him naa," was his only response. + +"See who?" + +"Why, th' young praacher to be sure; ha'nt ye gotten a young praacher +in your haase? I've come to see him." So laughing heartily at Abe's +way of installing new members into the ministry, I opened the door and +pushed him into the house. My wife was as much astonished at his +arrival as I was, yet very glad to see him, especially when he inquired +"Where's t' young praacher? Let's see him. Come, hold him up; there, +naa, put him on my lap and let me have a bit of talk to him." And down +he sat, and the "young praacher," at that time having advanced to the +age of eight or ten weeks, was placed in the old man's lap, where he +lay complacently winking his eye at Abe while he told him how he had +left home after breakfast and walked over the hills about five miles in +a storm of wind on purpose to make the acquaintance of this "young +praacher" whose name was already on the Circuit plan. And there he +stayed for the day, talking, singing, and communing with his young +friend till evening, when we sent him home by the train. + +Well, the time came when dear old Abe visited his friends nor stood in +the familiar pulpits any more; then everyone, young and old, felt they +had sustained a loss. Yet this is the natural course of things all the +world over; the scenes of life are continually changing, so are the +most familiar and most beloved faces in those scenes; they come, and +come, and come again, until we unconsciously acquire the habit of +expecting them, but when at length they do not reappear as formerly, we +realize an unexpected loss. + +How many grand and familiar faces have disappeared from our pulpits and +sanctuaries since we first began to remember things! In running the +mind's eye back into byegone years, what a number we can call into +recollection who are gone, never to return; while the truth is forced +upon us, we are daily hurrying after them, and ere long some others +will miss our faces from among the familiar scenes, and let us hope, +will regret our absence. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +"Better is the End of a Thing that the Beginning." + +It was known by Little Abe that his infirmities were premonitory of the +end which was not far off. He knew that though he might be permitted +to linger for a while in the border land, he must soon receive command +to march over the boundary, and enter the eternal world. Just as a +shock of corn remains in the field to dry and ripen after the shearing, +so our old friend remained in his place here for a short time, ripening +for the heavenly garner. + +He had just sufficient strength to go quietly about among his old +friends in the village, and talk over the good things of his Father's +kingdom; or he could get as far as the chapel, which was ever dear to +him, and the more so now that he felt the time was fast approaching +when he should enter it no more. He knew that before long his happy +spirit would be called up to worship in a grander temple, among a +multitude of those "who had washed their robes, and made them white in +the blood of the Lamb;" and as he sat in old Salem, and listened to the +sweet notes of the organ, his thoughts were oft carried away to the +great temple above, where day and night the harpers are striking their +joyous strings to the Redeemer's praise. Often when the choir chanted +the solemn words:-- + + "What shall I be, my Lord, when I behold Thee, + In awful majesty at God's right hand; + And 'mid th' eternal glories that enfold me, + In strange bewilderment, O Lord, I stand? + What shall I be? these tears,--they dim my sight, + I cannot catch the blisful vision right," + +he was like one enraptured, as with tearful eyes, quivering lips, and +clasped hands he listened to the soul-stirring hymn. Little Abe was +ripening for the end. + + +"ARISE! LET US GO UP TO BETHEL." + +A touching little incident is told of him about this time. He always +retained an affectionate regard for the old tree on Almondbury Common, +where many years before he had made his peace with God, and now a +strong desire was felt by him to visit the consecrated spot once more +before he died. It was his Bethel pillar; against that old tree he had +rested his weary head on the dark night of his desolation; there the +Lord God had appeared to him, and filled his soul with the joys of his +salvation; there the morning of a new life first broke upon his +troubled spirit; there he had made a covenant with the God of Jacob. +That old pillar was anointed with the first tears of sanctified joy +which ever fell from his eyes; it was the altar on which he offered his +broken and renewed heart to God, and he felt as if the Lord had given +it to him as an inheritance and a monument of His pardoning mercy. + +He must see it once more and renew his vows to God; so one day they +wrapped him up in his great coat, and gave him his stick, and sent him +forth alone to his first sanctuary. Feebly and slowly the old man made +his way to the spot, and standing on the very ground, and with his hand +upon the same old tree, he saw how the locality was altered. Men had +been busy during these years, population had increased in the +neighbourhood, houses were built in different places, and many changes +had taken place. But there still remained the little running stream +close by,--figure to him of the stream of Divine grace, that had never +been cut off, never dried up in the drought of summer, never stopped by +the chill of winter, never lost in the wild growth of the wilderness +world; but on and on it flowed, down the incline of the moral world, +winding and turning from side to side, as if to gladden all in its +course, away down the hill among the gaps of the rocks, and over the +gravelly ground of human life, until it finds its way again into the +river of God's eternal love. And there too, stood the tree, the +monument; but both man and tree bore unmistakable marks of age. The +unwearying fingers of time had planted innumerable mosses against its +bark; some of its old branches had withered, its foliage was scantier +than of old; it was ripe, too; man and tree were both ripe and ready to +fall. + +What a sympathy there was between them, what a friendship, what a +secret! How many storms had both those old trees encountered since God +first threw them together! The old elm had shaken, bent, and groaned +under the violent grasp of the tempest, which hundreds of times had +swept across that common. But it still stood, patiently and bravely +waiting, amid the rolling years, for the end. Brave old elm! There is +no sympathy in a tree, or this final meeting would have awakened it; +but what matter? There is enough in man for the tree and himself too, +enough to kindle regard in his heart for every square inch of timber in +that old trunk; enough to make him see eyes in every joint--loving +eyes, looking at him in mute affection; enough to transform every limb +into strong arms stretched out to protect the old man in his +feebleness, and enable him to see a smile in every wrinkling crack and +fissure in thy hard, weather-beaten bark. Dear old elm, there needs no +apology if a man love thee. + +Who could wonder if Old Abe felt something like this for that tree? we +should wonder if he did not. There, Old Abe, dear trembling old man, +rest thy white, honoured head against the breast of that elm, and weep +if thou wilt, and never mind whether man understand thee or not, God +does. Weep, old man, but not in fear; thou hast nothing to fear, God +is with thee, and "the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." It +is the natural vent for those feelings which come crowding in upon +thee, some from the long past, and some from the approaching future, +now rapidly drawing on, with all its revelations of wonder and delight. + +And thus old Abe stood with his head resting against the tree, his eyes +closed, his tears running, and his lips silently moving in prayer to +God; so he paid his vows once more, and gathered strength for the few +remaining days of his pilgrimage; then he retraced his steps towards +home, and by the time he arrived there he was entirely himself again, +and no one would guess the emotion he had felt at Bethel. + +"Well, Sally," he exclaimed, as he re-entered his cottage, "I've been +to th' owd spot! They have hewn all abaat it, but th' owd tree stands +yet God 'll keep that tree while I live, and then they may do what they +like wi' it." + +So Abe went on, quietly severing himself from one tie after another +which bound him to this world, and getting ready for his departure to +another and a better. His mind was now steadfastly turned towards the +future, and he was continually looking for his promised rest. The +nearer he got, to the end of his life, the clearer his prospects of +heaven became; he enjoyed a most unclouded hope of glory. Often he +would say, when talking with his friends, "You'll be hearing some +mornin' before lang that Abe is gone, and yo' needn't ask where. Tak' +my word for it, I'll be in glory. If you should hear I'm dead, you may +set it daan that I'm in heaven." + +A brother local preacher had lain ill for some time, expecting every +day to be his last. Abe thought he would like to see him once more +before he passed away, and accordingly he went, and the two old +veterans spent a happy time together, conversing about the joys which +were before them. "We're both aat of harness naa, thaa sees," said +Abe, "and we'll sooin be at haam. I want the' to tell them I'm coming, +and shall n't be long after the'." + +Everyone thought that Abe would live the longer of the two, but he +gained his prize first, passing away a little before his brother, and +now they both "rest from their labours, and their works do follow them." + +Abe's remaining strength rapidly failed him at the last, so that he was +unable to leave his room; yet he was always happy in prospect of the +immortal life before him. "No aching bones or tottering limbs there," +he would say; "Glory to God! I shall sooin be young agean." The Bible +and hymn-book were his constant companions now, and in peaceful +expectation he waited for the signal that would open to him the portals +of the skies. + +The annual lovefeast was held during the time when he was a prisoner in +his room, and it was a privation to him not to be able to get there +once more, but it was not to be. They would hear his voice no more in +Salem, but before long he would have to relate his enrapturing story +among listening angels and saints before the throne. Several of the +friends came down from the chapel to see him. He said, "Aye, lads, I +could loike to ha' been amang yo' once maar, but th' next toime I cross +Salem doorstep I shall be carried over; but ne'er moind, I have seen a +door opened in heaven, and I shall sooin go through--hallelujah!" + +At last he took to his bed never to rise again; the time of his +departure was at hand. As, however, his body lost strength, his spirit +seemed to gain it; the words of the psalmist were ever on his lips, +"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear +no evil, for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." + +"Listen," he said one day, "when I can't spaike to tell yo' haa I feel, +I'll lift my hand, and yo'll knaw all's weal." This was for their +sakes. He wanted to leave a token with his dear wife and children that +should antidote their sorrow when he was gone. + +A friend came one day from a distant town to see him; he felt very sad +at finding him so near his end, and could not refrain from tears, but +when the old man saw him weep, he began to repeat as well as his feeble +voice would allow-- + + "Break off your tears, ye saints, and tell + How high your great Deliverer reigns; + See how He spoiled the hosts of hell, + And led the monster Death in chains." + + +And then he took the part of comforter: "Aye, my lad, what art ta +looking so sad abaat? Thaa mun't be cast daan, thaa mun come up aat o' +th' valley; bless th' Lord!" he ran on, "I'm on Pisgah, and my soul is +full of glory. I'm in soight o' th' promised land, hallelujah! I'll +sooin be at haam." + +In this happy frame he continued to the last. As long as he could +speak at all, words of exultation and praise rose to his lips, and when +he could no longer articulate, he fell back upon the signal, and lifted +his hand, in token that all was well. Dear old Abe, he was come to the +end of his course, the shades of death were upon him, he was crossing +the narrow strip of neutral ground that divides the two worlds; friends +stood in the margin of the shadow-land, watching him feebly lift his +hand as he went over, till he could lift it no more, and when the +signal dropt mourners knew that Old Abe was safe through. + +He died in the Lord in November 1871, and left a memory behind that +grows more fragrant as years go on. His dust lies buried in the +graveyard in front of Salem Chapel, where, five years later, the +remains of his devoted wife, Sally, were laid beside him. There let +their dust sleep until that day "when they that are in their graves +shall hear His voice, and come forth." + +"Oh," said a good woman one day when talking over the subject of these +pages, "I should just like to have an odd look into heaven, to see what +Little Abe is about." What is he about? He is praising God in the +glorious temple above: "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, +What are these arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I +said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they +which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and +made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before +the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in the temple. They +rest not day and night saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, +which was, and is, and is to come." + + + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Abe, by F. 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