Article September 8, 1917 Issue

Love's Reward

ANNA J. HUDSON SMITH

On page 454 of Science and Health we read, "Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way." This wonderful truth was sweetly and simply proven to me over two years ago, when I called to see one who was apparently a very sick man. I found him trying to sit up a few minutes on a hard, wooden chair, and when leaving I thought there surely must be some way to provide a more comfortable chair for him.

It was a very hot day, but I decided to go on down town and price canvas chairs. Upon inquiry, I found they were five dollars, which was quite beyond me at that time. I then recalled a practitioner who had an office close by, and on going there I found that he had the frame of just the kind of chair I wanted, but it needed a new canvas. Returning to the furniture store to ask the price of a new canvas, I was told it would be a dollar and seventy-five cents; but on the way home I passed a tent and awning shop, and stepping in to ask what they would charge to put a new canvas in the chair, was told it would be a dollar. When I gave the order, strong in the assurance that Love would provide the needed sum, the clerk said: "Oh, yes, we know the man who lives in that tent. I do not think he will need any kind of chair very long."

The chair was to be finished in a few days. In the meantime a lady came to see me who said she would like to give me a dollar, because I had given her such a helpful thought one day in regard to her glasses that she had been able to lay them aside permanently. I told her I did not desire to take a dollar for that. Then she said, "Will you take it for a little love offering?" I hesitated a moment, then said, "Yes; and I will tell you what this dollar will pay for." I told her of the sick man and the chair I was having repaired for him. It was the afternoon of the day that the chair was to be finished, so I took the dollar and went to the shop. The clerk said, "You know, we found a bit of canvas that just covered the chair, and it will cost you only fifty cents." For a moment I was quite overpowered, then I silently thanked God for the loving thought which had come to me to help a suffering man that hot summer day.

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