THE WORKER'S DREAM

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	!THE WORKER'S DREAM 

	I sat down in an arm chair, wearied with my work.  My toil had been severe
and protracted.  Many were seeking Him.  As for myself, I was joyous in my
work.  My brethren were united.  My sermons and  exhortations were evidently
telling on my hearers.  My church was crowded. 
	Tired with my work, I soon lost myself in a sort of halfforgotten state. 
	Suddenly a stranger entered the room, without any preliminary "tap" or "come
in."  He carried about his person, measures, chemical agents, and implements,
which gave him a  very strange appearance. 
	The stranger came toward me, and, extending his hand, said: "How is your
zeal?" 
	I supposed that the query was to be for my health, and was well pleased to
hear his final words; for I was quite well pleased with my zeal, and doubted
not that the stranger would smile when he should know its proportions. 
	Instantly I conceived of it as physical quantity, and putting my hand to my
bosom, brought it forth and presented it to him for inspection. 
	He took it, and placing it in his scale weighed it carefully. Then I heard
him say; "One hundred pounds." 
	I could scarcely suppress an audible note of satisfaction; but I caught his
earnest look as he noted down the weight; and I saw at once that he had drawn
no final conclusion, but was intent on pushing his investigation.
	He broke the mass to atoms, put it into his crucible, and put the crucible
into the fire. 
	When the mass was fused, he took it out and set it to cool.  It congealed in
cooling, and when turned out on the hearth exhibited a series of layers of
strata; which all, at the touch of the hammer, fell apart, and were severally
tested and weighed, the stranger making minute notes as the process went on.
 When he had finished he presented the notes to me, and he gave me a look of
mingled sorrow and compassion, as without a word, except "May God save you,"
he left the room. 
      The "notes" read as follows:       
	@                                         
    ANALYSIS OF THE ZEAL OF JUNIUS       
    A candidate for a Crown of Glory     
      Weight, en masse, or total weight, 100 lbs.  
	Of this, on analysis, there proves to be---:     
      Bigotry--------------------------11 parts      
      Personal Ambition----------------22 parts      
      Love of Praise-------------------19 parts      
      Pride of Denomination------------15 parts      
      Pride of Talent------------------14 parts      
      Love of Authority----------------12 parts      
      (Wood, Hay, and Stubble.)  1Cor 3:10                    
                                         
      Love of God-----------------------4 parts      
      Love of Man-----------------------3 parts      
        (Pure Zeal)                      
	@                                         
      I had become troubled at the peculiar manner of the stranger, and
especially at his parting look and manner; but when I looked at the figures,
my heart sank like lead within me. 
      I made a mental effort to dispute the correctness of the record. But I
was startled into a more honest mood by an audible sigh from the stranger
(who had paused in the hall).  I cried out, "Lord, save me," and knelt down
at my chair, with the paper in my hand, and my eyes fixed upon it. At once it
became a mirror, and I saw my hear reflected in it.  
      The record was true.  I saw it!   I felt it!  I confessed it!  I
deplored it!  And I besought God with many tears to save me from  myself.
 With a loud cry of anguish I awoke.  
      I had once prayed to be saved from hell, but prayer to be saved from
myself now was immeasurably more fervent; nor did I rest or pause till the
refining fire came down and went through my heart, searching, probing,
melting, burning, filling all its chambers with light and hallowing my whole
heart to God.  
      When the toils of my pilgrimage shall be at an end, I shall kneel in
heaven, at the feet of the alchemist and bless Him for the revelation of that
day.    --Anon  
          (copied from S.S quarterly, 56 years ago, 1939)