grown in pots that hung out in the alleys of the worst section in London; all the roses and the jonquils being victorious over soot and grime. And heaven is an exhibition where souls will receive recognition and reward for their victories, the flowers of faith and prayer and hope that bloom resplendent midst unfriendly conditions. For time's sweetest flowers are rooted in earth, even while they borrow their bloom from heaven.—N. D. Hillis.
(854)
EARTHEN VESSEL, THE
The author of this poem is unidentified:
The Master stood in His garden
Among the lilies fair,
Which His own right hand had planted
And trained with tenderest care.
He looked at their snowy blossoms,
And marked with observant eye
That His flowers were sadly drooping,
For their leaves were parched and dry.
"My lilies need to be watered,"
The heavenly Master said.
"Wherein shall I draw it for them,
And raise each drooping head?"
Close to His feet on the pathway,
Empty and frail and small,
An earthen vessel was lying,
Which seemed of no use at all.
But the Master saw and raised it
From the dust in which it lay,
And smiled as He gently whispered,
"This shall do my work to-day.
"It is but an earthen vessel,
But it lay so close to Me.
It is small, but it is empty,
Which is all it needs to be."
So to the fountain He took it,
And filled it to the brim,
How glad was the earthen vessel
To be of some use to Him!
He poured forth the living water
Over the lilies fair,
Until the vessel was empty,
And again He filled it there.
He watered the drooping lilies
Until they revived again,
And the Master saw with pleasure
That His labor had not been vain.
His own hand had drawn the water
That refreshed the thirsty flowers,
But He used the earthen vessel
To carry the living showers.
And to itself it whispered
As He laid it aside once more,
"Still will I lie in His pathway
Just where I did before.
"Close would I keep to the Master,
Empty would I remain,
And perhaps some day He may use me
To water His flowers again."
(855)
Earthly Treasures—See Treasures Laid Up.
EARTHQUAKES, SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT
Some Chinese attribute the latest earthquake
shocks to the water-dragon of Canton,
whose anger has been raised by the
reclamation works. Coolies are dumping
daily boatloads of sand and stone on the
poor dragon's back, and the beast naturally
feels hurt.
It appears, however, that the real causes of the earthquakes were the Macao crabs! Here is the story:
Close by the hot springs in the neighborhood of Macao stands a small village where-*in lives an old woman who has the misfortune to be the mother of an unworthy young man whose sole occupation is fishing. A few days previous to the first earthquake shock experienced in Macao the young man returned home with a couple of crabs and a few small fish.
Nothing extraordinary was noticed at first, but when the crabs had been boiled, one of them presented a peculiar appearance, as on the red background of its shell stood in bold relief a design in white which resembled a Chinese character.
Neighbors were called, and the wise man of the village soon explained that it was the king of the crabs that had found its way into the old woman's kettle.
Thereupon the village prophet predicted that some great calamity would visit the unfortunate village.
Meanwhile the crabs of Macao and the neighborhood, having learned the fate of their king, assembled in great numbers, filling up every available hole, and started to shake the earth. Thus was their displeasure at the death of the king crab clearly shown.
(856)
