Apostrophe
Author Unknown

Ye venerable scriptures. The senior of all books. I see you coming down the ages: most hated, most loved, most printed, most prized.

Ye began your march when time was young, and, like your Author, without variableness or shadow of turning, right on amidst falling empires and dying kings. I see you crossing the old Roman Empire, which was 300 years in dying, and ye still live!

I see you crossing revolutions, and changes which destroyed other books and the greatest temples and works of man. Clear through the Dark Ages ye came without trace or strain of heathen bias on your brow.

I see you give luster to the morning star of the Reformation, sending light to Reuchlin’s pen and putting thunder in the voice of Luther.

I see you in all ages with your hundred lighted lamps of original doctrine, revealing the deformities of idols, until before you, they are broken and banished.

And poor, chattelized woman, crushed for ages…I see you take her up, tear away the veil of caste, straighten her feet, and set her rejoicing by her husband.

And after this, I see uncounted and untold benefits to the little children, to the sick, the aged, and the suffering; providing asylums for the poor and provisions for the needy.

I see you making friends of the best intellects and adorning of great host with your virtues as witnesses in all the earth to thy mighty transforming power. I see you enthroning your great Author in the hearts and stirring up love, that mighty sovereign of all the passions, and revealing a kingdom that cannot be shaken, that has no end.

Old Bible – let me go where thou goest, and stay where thou stayest; and never let my sad fate consign me to a place where thou canst never come.

And now, having known something of thy wonderful teachings, I would see whither thou leadest, and mansions thou dost promise, the crown of life thou dost offer. Joseph H. Creighton.
(Note: The above was found in the flyleaf of the Bible of an aged Methodist minister of the Gospel many years ago.)

Storms – Do you have them in your life? It is strange if you don’t. The Psalmist David had many of them-and he said concerning God “He maketh the storm calm.” Once there was a great storm at sea. The raging of the sea finally caused the passengers to become greatly worried. Finally one of them, against orders, made his way laboriously along the slippery deck and on up to the bridge of the ship where he saw the Captain.

Upon noticing him, the Captain gave him a reassuring smile to calm the anxiety which showed in the passenger’s face. He went back to the rest of the passengers and said “I have seen the Captain and he smiled and reassured me.”

Many are the storms which face each child of God in this life but the smile of the Captain will calm the troubled heart and give courage and strength to face “all things”. Author Unknown

This article “Apostrophe” is excerpted from The Pentecostal Herald January 1947.