Southern Christian Advocate

NOT REMEMBERED. YET NOT LOST

I have heard of one who, returning from an affecting sermon, highly commended it to some and being demanded what he remembered of it, answered, "Truly, I remember nothing at all; but only, while I heard it, it made me resolve to live better; and so, by God's grace, I will." To the same purpose, I have somewhere read a story of one who complained to an aged holy man that he was much discouraged from reading the Scriptures, because he could fasten nothing upon his memory which he had read. The old hermit (for so I remember, he was described) bade him take an earthen pitcher, fill it with water. When he had done it bade him empty it again and wipe it clean that nothing should remain in it. Which when he had done, and wondered to what purpose the other had done, "Now" said he, "though there be nothing of the water remaining in it, yet the pitcher is cleaner than it was before; so, though thy memory retain nothing of the Word thou readest, yet thy heart is the cleaner for its very passage through."—Bishop Hopkins.