Annals of the Poor by John Kendrick Bangs
THE COTTAGE CONVERSATION
As I journeyed late on a summer evening, meditating on the beauties ofthe prospect around me, while they gradually faded from my sight, throughthe approach of darkness, it grew suddenly quite gloomy, and a blackcloud hanging over my head threatened a heavy shower of rain. The bigdrops began to fall, and an open shed, adjoining to a labourer's cottage,offering me a seasonable shelter, I dismounted from my horse, and foundit large enough to protect him as well as myself.
The circumstance reminded me of the happy privilege of the believingsinner, who finds a "refuge from the storm, and the blast of the terribleones, in the love of his Redeemer," which prepares him "a covert fromstorm and from rain." I went in unperceived: the door of the cottage washalf open, and I heard the voices of a poor man, his wife, and somechildren within.
I was hesitating whether to go into the house and make myself known, orto enjoy in solitude a meditation on the foregoing comparison, which mysituation had brought to my mind, when these words, spoken in a calm andaffectionate tone, struck me with mingled pleasure and surprise, anddetermined me not to interrupt the conversation:--
"Indeed, wife, you are in the wrong. Riches would never make us happier,so long as the Lord sees it good that we should be poor."
"Well," replied the wife, "I can see no harm in wishing for more moneyand better living than we have at present. Other people have risen inthe world; and why should not we? There's neighbour Sharp has done wellfor his family, and, for anything I can see, will be one of the richestfarmers in the parish, if he lives; and everybody knows he was once aspoor as we are: while you and I are labouring and toiling from morning tonight, and can but just get enough to fill our children's mouths, andkeep ourselves coarsely clothed, and hardly that."
"Wife," answered the man, "having food and raiment, let us therewith becontent. And if it please God that even these things should fall short,let us submit ourselves to God in patience and well-doing, for he givesus more than we deserve."
"There, now you are got to preaching again," said the woman; "you nevergive me an answer, but you must always go to your Bible to help you out."
"And where can I go so well?" replied the husband. "Is it not God's ownword for our instruction?"
"Well, that may be, but I don't like so much of it," answered she.
"And I do not like so little of it as I see and hear from you," returnedthe man.
"Why, that book has taught me that it is an honour and comfort to be apoor man, and, by the blessing of the Spirit of God, I believe and feelit to be true. I have, through mercy, always been enabled to get thebread of honest industry, and so have you; and though our children feedupon brown bread, and we cannot afford to buy them fine clothes, likesome of our vain neighbours, to pamper their pride with; yet, bless theLord, they are as healthy and clean as any in the parish. Why thenshould you complain? Godliness with contentment is great gain!"
"An honour and a comfort to be a poor man, indeed! What nonsense youtalk! What sort of honour and comfort can that be? I am out of patiencewith you, man," the wife sharply cried out.
"I can prove it!" replied he.
"How?" returned his partner, in no very pleasant tone of voice.
"My dear," said the good man, "hear me quietly, and I will tell you."
"I think it an honour, and I feel it a comfort, to be in that verystation of life which my Saviour Jesus Christ was in before me. He didnot come into the world as one that was rich and great, but as a poorman, who had not where to lay his head. I feel a blessing in my poverty,because Jesus, like me, was poor. Had I been a rich man, perhaps Ishould never have known nor loved him. 'For not many mighty, not manynoble, are called.' God's people are chiefly found among the base thingsof the world, and things which are despised. This makes my poverty to bemy comfort.
"Besides, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, andheirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? Thisthought makes my poverty also to be my honour.
"Moreover, to the poor the gospel was and is preached, and to my heart'sdelight I find it to be true, every Sunday of my life. And is it notplain, all the neighbourhood through, that while so many of our richfarmers, and tradesmen, and squires, are quite careless, or set theirfaces against the ways of God, and are dead to everything that isgracious and holy; a great number of the poorest people are converted andlive? I honour the rich for their station, but I do not envy them fortheir possessions. I can not forget what Christ once said, 'How hardlyshall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!'
"Oh! my dear wife, if you did but know how to set a right value upon theprecious promises which God has made to the poor, how thankful should Ibe!
"The expectation of the poor shall not perish. He delivereth the poorand needy from him that spoileth him. He has prepared of his goodnessfor the poor. The poor among men shall rejoice in the holy one. For hebecame poor, that we, through his poverty might be rich; not in gold, butin grace.
"These promises comfort my soul, and would make me happy, even if I weredeprived of that which I now enjoy. I can trust my Saviour for thisworld as well as for the next. He that spared not his own Son, butdelivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely giveus all things?
"The Lord of his mercy bless you, my dear Sarah, with the grace of acontented mind!"
Here the gracious man stopped: and whether affected by her husband'sdiscourse, or by any other cause, I know not, but she made no reply. Hethen said, "Come, children, it is our time for rest; shut the door, andlet us go to prayer."
"Forgive me," said I, laying hold of the door, as the child was obeyingher father's orders, "if I ask leave to make one in your familydevotions, before I travel homeward. I have heard you, my friend, whenyou knew it not, and bless God for the sermon which you have this nightpreached to my heart."
The honest labourer blushed for a moment at this unexpected intrusion anddeclaration, but immediately said, "Sir, you are welcome to a poor man'sdwelling, if you come in the name of the Lord."
I just looked round at the wife, who seemed to be startled at my suddenappearance, and the six fine children who sat near her, and then said,"You were going to pray; I must beg of you, without regarding me, to goon as if I were not here."
The man, whom I could not but love and reverence, with a simple,unaffected, modest, and devout demeanour, did as I requested him. Hisprayer was full of tender affection and sincerity, expressed with greatScriptural propriety, and was in all respects such as became the preacherof those sentiments which I have overheard him deliver to his wife justbefore.
When he had finished, each of his children, according to the good oldpatriarchal custom of better days, kneeled down before him in turn toreceive a father's blessing.
It was now late, and the rain was over. I gave the poor man my blessing,and received his in return. I wished them good night, and went onwardsto my own home, reflecting with much self-abasement of heart, what anhonour and comfort it is to be a poor man, rich in faith.