THE TRIAL OF FAITH

A minister from Lancashire* used to preach at Newcastle once a year and the time had come round in October 1950 for the engagement to be fulfilled. This Pastor had a large family and when it came to the Saturday morning for him to set out for Newcastle he had only sufficient money to pay the single fare on the railway and absolutely no money to leave his wife to make purchases for the weekend. This he felt to be a great trial both for her and the children.

Most of the way to Newcastle he was sad at having to leave his loved ones in this state and worked himself up into a state of displeasure with the Lord for leaving him in this position. This remained with him until the morning even while suffering a feeling of reproof for his rebellious feelings.

On the Sunday morning he preached, under a cloud of condemnation, from the text “And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me.”

In the congregation that morning was a male member and three adult children whose mother was lying dead at home. It was obvious that this text was for them. The minister had to suffer so that he could bring that text to them.

At the end of the morning service a man in the congregation
gave the minister an envelope, which eventually proved to contain £1 notes. On reaching home on the Monday he learned from his wife that on Saturday evening a kind friend had brought her a huge parcel of everything she would have bought if she had had the money.

Communicated by W. Neville

* The late F. L. Rowell (Ed.)