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 They
were cushioned in tissue, and carefully preserved in a beautiful
gilded box. Three tightly rolled balls of gray hair? — no, on
closer inspection I saw they were spirals of feathers. The
largest was about two inches in diameter, and the others were
little more than an inch across.
“I
wanted you to see my brother’s crowns,” the little lady
said; and she handled the box with obvious concern — almost
reverence. “They were found in his pillow after he died.”
She
must have noticed the puzzled look which crossed my face, for
she continued, “You know, most men never make a ‘profession’
but, well — his wife waited for some time before she would
open his pillow. Then, when she did, this is what she found!”
The drawn, questioning look, was now replaced with a look of
confidence.
The
implication was obvious. Although her deceased brother had never
“professed” Christ, she based her hopes for his eternal
well-being on the fact that these balls of feathers — likely
from the washing of the pillows, or drawn into place by the
curve and weight distribution common to each feather — had
been found in the pillow on which he had slept.
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I
suppose I was speechless at the absurdity of the whole matter,
and I did not wish to hurt the dear little woman’s feelings;
but when her husband said, somewhat apologetically, that he had
his doubts about such a thing, I hastened to “back him up”.
The
lady fingered the feathers lightly, smoothing them into place,
and slowly closed the lid over them. I could not help but feel a
deep compassion for her as she put them away. Grasping at straws
— or feathers!! It is so common, and so hopeless..
It
made me sad — it made me angry! Looking back on the whole
affair. I realize that a catalogue of mixed emotions raced
through my system, and I can’t help but wonder if the desire
to teach people the way of life in Christ — one of those
feelings most certainly present — will be a strong and
enduring one, and push me on to DO something about such
superstition.
That
woman believes, or thinks she believes, that the Bible is
the Word of God. What a commentary on the affect of emotional,
social religion, that rejects plain objective teaching.
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