The blessed man picked up the
empty pail and stool and went over to the cow, which stood
trembling, awaiting the usual kicks and beating; but instead he
patted her gently, and said, "You may kick over that pail as
often as you please, but I am not going to beat you any more";
and the cow seemed to understand, for she dropped her head and
quietly began to eat, and never kicked again! That story is good
enough to be true, and I doubt not it is, for certainly when the
Comforter comes a great peace fills the heart and overflows
through all the life.
There is an overflow of _joy_. It makes the face to shine;
it glances from the eye, and bubbles out in thanksgiving and
praise. You never can tell when one who has the blessing will
shout out, "Glory to God! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Amen!"
I have sometimes seen a whole congregation wakened up and
refreshed and made glad by the joyous overflow from one clean-
hearted soul. A Salvation Soldier or Officer with an overflow of
genuine joy is worth a whole company of ordinary folks. He is a
host within himself, and is a living proof of the text, "The joy
of the Lord is your strength."
There is an overflow of _patience_ and _long-
suffering._ A man got this blessing, and his wicked wife was
so enraged that she left him, and went across the way and lived
as the wife of his unmarried brother. He was terribly tempted to
take his gun and go over and kill them both.
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