Page 8 - Good News February 2016 paper

p in the mountains of North morning before sunrise, hitched me that way (thank God he never “Ashamed of you, Mother? Never.
Carolina lived a farmer who up the old team and started for the will), I think it would break my I owe everything I am to you and
Uhad a small farm with thin College town. heart. What do you think of a son you must come! What is more I
soil where, by hard work, he was like that? I think he should be will not graduate unless you
barely able to make a living for It was a long, tedious journey, but horsewhipped. The cowardly, come.” Finally she yielded.
himself, his wife and son. The it did not seem long to the farmer, ungrateful wretch!
son, however, was a remarkably for he was going to see his boy! When Graduation Day came, she
bright boy and easily surpassed As he drove along he would But stop before you condemn went with him in her plain calico
all the other boys in the district chuckle to himself, “I will soon him. Some of you are even more dress with her neat but faded
school. One day the father said to see my boy. Won't he be glad to ungrateful than that son! JESUS shawl and simple mountain
the mother, “Our son is a natural see me? He thinks I am at home on CHRIST has done more for you bonnet. He tried to take her down
born scholar and even if he is only the farm. Won't he be surprised than that father did for his son. the middle aisle where the richest
a poor farmer's son, he shall have when I walk into his room? Won't JESUS CHRIST has done more for people of the town, friends of the
as good an education as a he be glad?” Every hour of his you than any father ever did for graduating class, sat. But this she
millionaire's son.” dreary journey as he drew nearer his son. Yet you are so cowardly refused and insisted on sitting in
to the College, his heart grew and ungrateful that you won't the farthest corner under the
The father and mother econo- lighter and happier. At last as he stand up and confess Him before gallery. The son went up on the
mized and raked and scraped and drew near the town he said, “I am the world, because you are afraid platform and delivered his
got enough together to send the almost there. In a little while now I of what someone will say. You are graduation address. He was
boy off to College. The boy did will see my boy. Won't he be ashamed of Him! handed his diploma and received
well at College, and every little surprised? Won't he be glad?” his gold medal. No sooner had he
while sent a letter home telling I have never told this story received the gold medal than he
how well he was doing in his As he entered the town he tried to without its making my blood boil, walked down from the platform,
classes. When these letters came hurry the old team forward, but to although I suppose I have told it all the way to where his mother
the father and mother would read no avail as the team was tired and over one hundred times. Let me sat, and pinned the gold medal on
and reread them, and their hearts could not go any faster. As he tell you another true story. Thank her faded shawl. He said, “Mother,
were filled with joy! drove up the hill towards the God it is entirely different. this belongs to you! You earned
College, who should he see it!”
One day a letter came and after coming down the sidewalk but his In the mountains of Georgia lived
the father had read it, he said, boy with two friendly young a poor widow. She had a few acres That is a son worth having! Which
“Mother, these letters are all right. College companions. of ground where she grew berries of those two sons are you like -
They do cheer my old heart, but and made a little money keeping the cowardly, ungrateful wretch,
letters are not enough. My heart is “There he comes! There he chickens and selling eggs. She ashamed of his poor old father, or
lonely for the boy and I must see comes!” said the old man. “Won't also took in washing and did other the noble boy who was proud of
the boy himself. I cannot wait. I he be surprised to see me? Won't humble work for a living, but God his poor mother to whom he owed
must see him!” But the mother he be glad?” He whipped up the gave her a bright son. He too all he had become in the world?
was a canny woman and said, team, but it could not go any surpassed every one in the
“You must wait. You cannot see faster, they were tired out. He district school. The mother I have been told by the President
him. He cannot afford to lose a jumped off the wagon and ran up worked hard to get the money to of the College where this had
day from his studies to come to his boy who had not seen him. send him to Emory College. The happened that when the boy
down here, and you cannot lose a “My son,” he cried. His son was son worked hard to get himself pinned that gold medal on his
day from the farm to go and see surprised, but was not glad. He through College. He graduated mother's shawl, the whole
him. You must wait.” was ashamed of his father in his with high honours and won a gold audience burst into such
plain old homespun clothes medal for special excellence in prolonged applause that the
The father said, “I must see him. I before his College companions. study. ceremony could not proceed for
cannot stand it any longer. I must “There must be some mistake, five minutes!
see my boy. I have a plan. I'll load sir,” he said. “I am not your son, When the time came for him to
up the old farm wagon this you are not my father. I do not graduate, he went to the mountain You would want to applaud too!
afternoon and get up before know you. There must be some home for his mother, and said, Let me tell you a better way to
sunrise tomorrow and drive to mistake, sir.” “Mother, you must come down applaud: IMITATE HIM! You owe
town and sell my load and make and see me graduate.” all you are to JESUS CHRIST.
enough to pay expenses to see He might as well have driven a “No,” said his mother, “I have Come, pin all your honours upon
my boy. I cannot stand it any dagger into his father's heart. I am nothing fit to wear, and you would Him today. Come out and confess
longer. I must see him.” told that the father went home be ashamed of your poor old Him before the whole world!
with a broken heart to die. mother before all those grand
That afternoon the farmer loaded Whether that part of the story is people.” - RA Torrey (1856-1928), an
the wagon, went to bed with the true I cannot say, but I can well “Ashamed of you?” he said, with American evangelist, pastor,
chickens, got up early in the believe it. If my son should treat eyes filled with filial love. educator, and writer.