Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 06, Issue 96, 6 August 1943, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

(Supplied by the WhaUatn

THE STORY OF THE ANGELUS

In many of our homes a little picture entitled The Angelus is found. Ft is a picture we prize—a picture we like to give as a wedding present. Following is the story attached to it: — Tn a little village in France every evening after sunset the old bell in the steeple, chimes out to all in the village and those in the fields around. No one quite knows what the bell sings', but the. tone is so- beautiful that people stand still and listen. Many people have said that the bell really has no message at all and that it is nothing but the clang- | ing of brass and iron, but there are many who listen to the sweet tone and believe that it docs have a message for them. There "was once an old shoemaker who always listened to the. .sweet song of the ; bells;, and while he listened lie stopped, h;s work and a wonderful smiling light shone in his face. But whenever his little grandson asked him what the bell said to him the old man only shook his head, and pulled the stitch through and sewed on and on. For this reason the little, boy began tbi think that the bell was .singing something about work. He thought of it often when he sat. on his doorstep listening to the song and watching the people. Some gave no heed to it at all, but many stopped and bowed their heads, and stood quite still while the bell pealed out its message. But the strangest thing of all was that no one ever could; tell the other just what the bell had sung to them. It was a very deep mystery, especially to the little boy. Now there was a painter who loved all the sweet mysteries that, are in the world, and he loved the be'il's song., and he, too, wondered * what message it sang. One evening he went alone beyond the village and through the wide, brown fields. He sfaw the liglit in the suy, the birds going home, and the steeple far off. It was all very still and wonderful, and as he looked around him he saw a man and woman working together in the dim light. They were digging potatoes. Sometimes they

Nt- Ministers' Association).

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

WITH US IS PRAYER

moved about slowly, or stooped with tlieir hands in the brown earth. And as they worked the sou ml of the evening bell came faintly to them. When they heard it thej- rose up. The mother folded her hands on her breast and said the words of a prayer and thought of her 'little ones. The father held his hat in his hand- and looked down at their work. The painter forgot all the wonder of the sky and the wide field as lie looked at them, for suddenly the mystery of the message of the bell was made clear to him. He knew that it was singing to people of their very own work, of every loving .service and lowly task of the day. The bell sang on and on and the peace of the song seemed, to liM the earth. The artist, had seen a thing of beauty which, he wanted to share with the world, so lie put it down on canvas and called it "The. Angelas."

Lord, what a change within us one short hour Spent in Thy presence will avail to make ;' Whati heavy burdens from our bosom take,, What parched grounds refresh as with a shower. We kneel, and all around us seems to lower ; We rise, and all the distant and the near Stand, forth in sunny outline, brave and clear ; We kneel—how weak; we risehow full of power. Why therefore should we do ourselves this, wrong, Or others, that Ave are not always strong, / That we are ever overborne with care, That we should ever weak or heartless be, Anxious or troubled, when with us is prayer, And joy and strength and courage are with Thee. ! Archbishop Trench.