The Random Thoughts of Henry Holloway
Many years ago now a young English boy on a visit to Scotland set out to swim in a small lake. He was seized with cramps while he was some distance from the shore. His cries for help were heard only by a young farm boy. The country lad plunged into the lake, towed the drowning swimmer to the shore and administered first aid. Years passed and the two boys met again. The city lad wanted to know what the farm boy’s plans were for the future. He confided that he had always wanted to study medicine. The city lad told him that his parents were anxious to pay for his education.
More years passed. The farm boy went to medical school. He graduated with high honours and began scientific research. In 1928 he made a discovery that was to save millions of lives. He discovered penicillin. The one-time farm boy became Sir Alexander Fleming, internationally known scientist.
The London lad got on well too. In 1943 he took pneumonia while he was on a visit to Roosevelt and Stalin. His condition became alarming. Back in England, the drug invented by the one-time farm boy was flown out to the sick man. It performed its mission. For the second time Alexander Fleming had saved the Londoner’s life. Yes! It was Winston Churchill who went swimming in that lake.
A London washerwoman had one son who ran away to sea. She had hoped that he would be her strength in the years ahead, but now he was gone. She mixed her hopes with prayers that he would continue in the Christian path. One day while passing a church when he was on leave, the lad went in and dedicated himself to the service of Christ and the church. Later he became a preacher and his message inspired Thomas Scott to enter the ministry. Scott, in turn, inspired Cowper who wrote many of the hymns we sing. Cowper inspired Wilberforce in his fight to free the slaves.
There is just one question on my mind. Have you ever done anything that is likely to start a chain of events like that? The first verse of the Acts of the Apostles speaks of all that Jesus ‘began’ to do. The chain which He began goes on endlessly. The great joy of life is that we are links in the chain. Tell me! Are you just a weak link in the chain? Or have you, in turn, loved and served and given help to somebody else?
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