BLIND PETER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 74, 21 May 1943, Page 2

BLIND PETER

By James. Grieve

It is a long time since II wais: a young lad. about twelve years old. At that time there lived next door to us Blind Peter. He was a big burly man. clean shaven and of ruddy countenance. Although stone blind and up in years—to me at that time lie was an old, old man —he carried himself with erect bearing and was interested in all that went on in our little country village. But most of all was he interested in his kirk, and seldom was lie absent from the Sabbath services, morning and afternoon, the usual times of Scottish church "ordinances" of these days. This exemplary habit—he would have said, "Not a habit, "my laddie"'—laid, a burden on his wife, for she almost invariably had to go with him, and she "poor old buddy" was practically stone deaf, and never heard a word of the service. As I look back and think of these I two old folks who never grumbled or complained of their "thorn in the flesh,"' it. brings, home to me what "keeping in touch" means. Occasionally at first, to give his wife a half-day off, 1 was deputed to escort Blind Peter to the Kirk. When I set out with him the first Sabbath morning, his first -words were, "Jnoo, ma laddie, ye dinna need tae lead me. Jist let me rub shouthors wi' ye, keep in touch Avi' ye, and I'll manage fine." So Blind. Peter kept in touch with hi# church, and, inferentiaily, with his God. Later, I accompanied now and then both Peter and the old lady to the kirk. And. oh! how manifestly pleased was: she when I took her Bible—she always carried out Avith her —and turned up the psalm, the leading lesson, and the text all in their turn. She too was keeping in touch Avith her God. During the sermon she never heard, she Avould read the chapter from Avhich tho text Avas taken, read it twice OA T er and then return to the reading lesson and read it again, hearing rio< thing, only seeing. Avith her lifecompanion sitting beside her seeing nothing but hearing—hearing and joining in the singing of the psalms, for, given the first line, he knew most of them ♦ by heart—"learnt most, oif them at sawbath schulef"' so he told us. Thus they Avere "as a nail fastened in a sure place" keeping in touch with their God. We arc all, individually, collectively and nationally, "in touch" with each other in these days of Avar; but are we. in as close touch with God as Ave might be? Blind Peter went out nearly every Ave ok

day, wrather permitting. with his two friends. John and George. Hi? always, walked between them to keep in touch. Since, the war began, we have hud our intermittent Days of Prayer, yet this is the fourth year. Draw your own conclusions. We are in close touch "with, our Allies, we are. and must be in close, touch \\ith our enemies. Aiq we keeping in as close touch with God, as our one great and eternal Ally, in our light for Truth. Righteousness, and Eternity? r J hink it over.