All graphics, unless otherwise stated, 
copyrighted by Sabrina Smith.

September 1st edition

This is a new section of the Herald, that I hope will grow as time allows. It was created for all those "miscellaneous" ideas, tips, articles, information, and humorous tidbits. 

Doubtful Things: A boy was dressing to go out for the evening. He asked his mother, "Mother, is this shirt dirty?" Without so much as looking, she replied: "Yes, it's dirty; put on a clean one." When the boy had dressed, he entered his mother's room and asked how she knew the shirt was not clean when she had not even looked at it. "If it had been clean," she replied, "you would have known it and not asked me. Remember, Son, if it's doubtful, it's dirty." This applies to our spiritual lives as well. If you are doubtful about whether something is right or wrong, it is probably wrong.

Christmas Eve: It was Christmas Eve 1875, and Ira Sankey was traveling on a Delaware River steamboat when he was recognized by some of the passengers. His picture had been in the newspaper because he was the song leader for the famous evangelist D.L. Moody. They asked him to sing one of his own hymns, but Sankey demurred, saying that he preferred to sing William B. Bradbury's hymn, "Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us." As he sang, one of the stanzas began, "We are Thine; do Thou befriend us. Be the Guardian of our way."

When he finished, a man stepped from the shadows and asked, "Did you ever serve in the Union Army?" "Yes," Mr. Sankey answered, "in the spring of 1860." Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlit night in 1862?" "Yes," Mr. Sankey answered, very much surprised. "So did I, but I was serving in the Confederate army. When I saw you standing at your post, I thought to myself, 'That fellow will never get away alive.' I raised my musket and took aim. I was standing in the shadow, completely concealed, while the full light of the moon was falling on you. At that instant, just as a moment ago, you raised your eyes to heaven and began to sing..."

"'Let him sing his song to the end,' I said to myself, 'I can shoot him afterwards. He's my victim at all events, and my bullet cannot miss him.' But the song you sang then was the song you sang just now. I heard the words perfectly: 'We are Thine; do Thou befriend us. Be the Guardian of our way.' Those words stirred up many memories. I began to think of my childhood and my God-fearing mother. She had many times sung that song to me. When you had finished your song, it was impossible for me to take aim. I thought, 'The Lord who is able to save that man from certain death must surely be great and mighty.' And my arm of its own accord dropped limp at my side. ~Author Unknown