The minister said, 'under God we were
indebted to Mr. Bowen for this revival, and there's already nigh unto
fifty converted.' He couldn't have come to the meetings if you hadn't
clothed him; and now, you've done still more, and got him his eyesight,
he's twice as useful. 'Twould have done you good to see him in meeting
the first Sunday after he come back. He'd look up at the pulpit, and then
he'd look at the people; and it seemed as if he could hardly sense where
he was--he was that glad and happy. The preacher said, in the evening,
we'd have a praise meeting after the sermon; and sure enough we had; for
when Mr. Bowen got talking about what the Lord had done for him, and what
he had been to him in sorrow and blindness, before I knew it, I was
crying like a baby--me that had my eyesight, and health--and never
thanked the Lord for them. When I got my eyes wiped I took a look around,
and there sot Dan'el a blowing his nose, and mopping his face, as if it
was a sweltering day in August; and then when I looked further, there was
nothing much to be seen but pocket-handkerchiefs. That was the beginning
of the revival; and if you hadn't got Mr. Bowen out to meeting, there
mightn't have been any. So, after the Lord, I lay it all to you."
"No, Mrs. Blake. I was scarcely equal in this matter to those poor souls
who helped Noah build the Ark and were drowning for want of its shelter.
They labored harder than I; for what I gave was more from impulse, and it
was a pleasure.
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