Wonderful Healing Power. 19 the wonderful power of certainly healing all kinds of diseases. Suppose it could cure all kinds of wounds and sores; could make the lame walk, and the blind see, and the deaf hear: suppose it could cure all sorts of fever, agues, consumption, rheumatism, and gout; aches and pains; head diseases and heart diseases, croup and measles, and scarlet fever and smallpox, and every form of sickness that people are troubled with. What a wonderful fountain that would be! How people would go from all the ends of the earth to wash in that fountain. But there never was such a fountain for bodily diseases, and there never will be. Yet, if there were such a one, it would only be doing for the bodies of men just what this best fountain is doing for their souls. The blood of Jesus forms such a fountain. Its healing power is wonderful. It cures every disease from which the souls of men suffer, or by which they are made sick. It makes dead souls live. It makes blind souls see. It makes deaf souls hear. It makes lame souls walk. It makes weak souls strong. It makes wicked souls good. And then it heals the sorrows as well as the diseases of the soul. This is God's fountain, and He is called in the Bible (2 Cor. i. 3), “The Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort." What a sweet and beautiful title for God this is! In one of the precious promises in the Bible, God says to His people-"As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you." (Is. lxvi. 13.) In old times people used to believe that there was a river, somewhere, called Lethe, which it was thought had the power of making those who washed in it or drank of it forget their sorrows. But that was all a fable. It was not true. But this fountain is better than the water of Lethe. It does not make people forget their sorrows; but it helps them to bear those sorrows, and takes away the pain of them. We may stand beside this fountain and repeat, slightly altered, the words of that beautiful hymn which says. "Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish, Come, at this fountain pure, fervently kneel; Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish— Some years since, a Christian gentleman, who was passing a Sabbath in a retired village, made the acquaintance of a poor orphan boy. Kind friends had provided him with a comfortable home, with comfortable · food and clothing; but all their kindness could not take away the sorrow which lay like lead on the poor boy's heart. He always looked sad. There was no lightness in his step. He seldom wore a smile, or joined in the sports of his schoolfellows. All his family were in the silent grave, and he was sad and sorrowful. The gentleman of whom I speak had heard of the boy's sad The Gentleman and Orphan Boy. 21 history, and he felt as if he would like to have a little conversation with him, and try to lead him to the best fountain, for comfort under his sorrow. When the ser vices of the church were over, and the congregation were going home, he saw the boy walking slowly by himself towards that part of the graveyard where his parents lay buried. He walked quietly towards him, and when he came up to him he laid his hand upon his shoulder, and said in a kind way-"You have no father, John?" "No, sir," he replied. "Nor mother?" "No, sir; nor brother, nor sister;" and the tears began. to flow down his cheeks. "Did you ever think, John," inquired the gentleman, "how kind a Father God is to the orphan, and what a Friend Jesus is to the friendless?" John knew something of these matters. His dear mother had often whispered them in his ear when he was a little child; but he knew not what to say to this question. "John," said the stranger, "do you know any one who has more need than you have of God for a Father, and Christ for a Friend?" "No, sir," he replied, "I do need such a Friend." "And have you never yet,' I continued," says the gentleman, asked God to make up for the loss of father and mother by giving you Himself?' "I have prayed to God every day,' he answered; 'my mother taught me to pray, but I fear I have never prayed aright.'" His voice trembled with emotion; he looked earnestly into the gentleman's face, as if as to say, What must I do? "I invited him to my room. He willingly accepted the invitation. In a few brief words I told him of God's promises to every returning and penitent sinner. He listened to every word with deep attention: he was evidently anxious to be saved. 66 6 Do you think, sir,' he asked doubtfully, 'that I can become a Christian now?' "No doubt of it,' I replied; for God says, "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."! I turned to the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah, and read those precious words 'Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. *** Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.' "His eye kindled with hope, and with great earnestness he asked: "Do you think, sir, that God means that for me?' "He means it for you, John,' I replied, ‘if you are thirsty." The invitation is addressed to every one who wants to be happy.' "At his request I offered to pray that God would show him the path of life; would help him to drink of the best fountain and be happy. When I had concluded we both remained on our knees, waiting for a blessing. "You must pray for yourself, John,' I said. "He burst into a flood of tears, and said-'I can't pray, sir; I'm too great a sinner.' "Then you're just the one whose prayer God will love Wonderful Preserving Power. 23 to hear. Do you not remember the prayer of the publican?' "He paused a moment, and then, with his voice choking with sobs, he cried-' God be merciful to me a sinner.' Thus the good gentleman took John by the hand, and led him, in all the sorrows of his orphan state, to the best fountain. John drank of its waters, and felt how wonderful was their healing power. They healed his sorrow. They comforted his heart. From that hour his life was changed. He became peaceful and happy. Before he drank of this fountain, his mind was like a landscape on a dark and cloudy day. Afterwards it was like the same landscape with the bright sunshine beaming all over it. This fountain has a wonderful healing power. It has a WONDERFUL PRESERVING POWER. Some time ago a ship came into port. She belonged to gentleman of my con gregation. He kindly in vited me to go down to the wharf and see her. She was a new vessel, being only about three years old. She had been to the East Indies, and it was necessary to make some repairs in her before she went to sea again. But when put into the dry-dock and the shipwright examined some of the planks, they found the worms had got into them and had done a great deal of damage. They had eaten their way through the hard oak wood, making great holes through and through it in |