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"THE
cow and the bear shall feed" read Mr. Hewitt, in the Sunday morning service,
"their young ones shall lie down together."
Chubb turned in amazement, and looked at the reader.
His attention had been arrested when he had heard the
preacher say ‘wolf’ and ‘lamb,’ but the connection escaped him. He caught
the above words of Isaiah’s glowing prophecy, and they photographed their
images instantly upon his mind.
Chubb was a shy boy, and always sat near the door. He liked
the preacher well enough, but he felt safer when the door to the woods was
open. He was a child of the forest, and at the slightest sign of danger he
would fly to his leafy home. It was his refuge; his strong tower. In fact,
any little excuse, a dog barking or a horse neighing, caused him to leave
the preaching service. Mr. Hewitt had often noticed this, and was several
times about to reprove; but he wisely checked himself, his better spirit
telling him that his present hearers were not to be won by reproof. The
first notes of that harsh spirit might steel their shy natures against him,
perhaps for ever.
To-day, however, Mr. Hewitt noticed the intent face and eager
eyes of Chubb. They always met him squarely when he looked towards the door.
The preacher was thankful, and prayed that the Holy Spirit would give him a
special message for Chubb, that sturdy, but shy child of the woods. His
theme was the incoming of Christ’s kingdom of righteousness, peace and love,
and the overthrow of fear, and hate, and sin. He finished without any
further references to bears and cows, and in this Chubb was greatly
disappointed. But having been once aroused he was going to find out more
about what he had heard. Was it true that a man had seen a bear and a cow
feeding, and cubs and calves lying down together?
Chubb waited for the preacher that day. When Mr. Hewitt had
shaken hands with his parishioners, and was hurrying along the path through
the bush, he heard some one behind him. He turned and saw Chubb. He
remembered again Chubb’s eager eyes, and his own prayer on the boy’s behalf,
and so he was very glad to see the little fellow coming to talk with him.
"Good
morning, Chubb," he said heartily. "How are you to-day?"
"Pretty
good. You are going to Bethel?"
"Yes;
my boat is down here at the landing. Would you like to row over with me?"
"Dunno.
Say!" he exclaimed, plunging directly into the subject that was on his mind,
"wasn’t the man crazy who wrote what you read in the book to-day?"
"What
man?"
"Why,
the chap that said, “The cow shall feed with the bear, and their young ones
shall lie down together.”"
"That
man was Isaiah, one of God's prophets. He was not crazy. He was sound as an
oak."
"But
that’s a funny idea of a cow and a bear feeding together.’"
"Yes, Chubb, the whole is a wonderful prophecy of good times
to come. Some of them have come, and who knows," added the optimistic
preacher, "but we may see the grand fulfilment of what this godly man
foreshadowed!"
Chubb was greatly impressed, and walked along almost in
silence. The day was warm and beautiful. The aroma of the woods was rich,
almost heavy in its sweetness. Mr. Hewitt spoke of the trees, flowers,
birds, lakes, God’s day and His word. Chubb heard it all, and while
believing it was all right, because Mr. Hewitt said so, he comprehended but
little. His mind was really absorbed by a plan to test the prophecy he had
heard. If he could only get a bear and her cub and a cow and her calf
together!
When they reached the lake, Chubb abruptly said, "Good-bye,"
and turned into the woods. |
