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Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

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F<strong>in</strong>ally, after much deliberation, I submitted. Archie gave me <strong>the</strong>deposit to give back to him, and he paid all <strong>the</strong> legal fees. I bought<strong>the</strong> house without hav<strong>in</strong>g raised my little f<strong>in</strong>ger, still pay<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>equivalent of what I had been pay<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> rent for 15 years.Tent Meet<strong>in</strong>gs for <strong>the</strong> ChildrenDur<strong>in</strong>g those years <strong>in</strong> Paddock Wood, I <strong>in</strong>vited Bro<strong>the</strong>r JimPart<strong>in</strong>gton from Lancashire to come to jo<strong>in</strong> me <strong>in</strong> tent meet<strong>in</strong>gsfor children. We had a wonderful time as many children weresaved and delivered. We had a big coach, a bus, which I used todrive around <strong>the</strong> villages, trawl<strong>in</strong>g for children like ships trawlfor fish. I had a loudspeaker on <strong>the</strong> top and played music, attract<strong>in</strong>g<strong>the</strong> village children like a spiritual Pied Piper of Hamlet. Thechildren, who called me Uncle <strong>Arthur</strong>, would come to our meet<strong>in</strong>gs,40 to 60 at a time. We would preach, s<strong>in</strong>g choruses, haveblackboard illustrations and Bible quizzes. I loved those children.As I look back on that day…I magnify not <strong>the</strong> law of God, but <strong>the</strong> grace of God.One night just before <strong>the</strong> meet<strong>in</strong>g started, a policeman broughtmy son Steven to me. “I want to talk to you about your son,” heannounced. “He has been rid<strong>in</strong>g his bicycle without any brakeson <strong>the</strong> pavement, and he has collided with <strong>the</strong> Girl Guides mistress.The Brownies were all hold<strong>in</strong>g hands, and he knocked twoor three of <strong>the</strong>m flat on <strong>the</strong>ir faces. The Girl Guides mistress isfurious and is go<strong>in</strong>g to take legal action aga<strong>in</strong>st you.”This, before <strong>the</strong> meet<strong>in</strong>g, leaflets all over <strong>the</strong> district, and here Iam, <strong>the</strong> man of God who had been teach<strong>in</strong>g: “Get <strong>the</strong> child right,you get <strong>the</strong> man right. Get <strong>the</strong> man right, you get <strong>the</strong> worldright.” I was a m<strong>in</strong>ister of grace, but now, here was a m<strong>in</strong>ister of<strong>the</strong> law br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g my own boy around.“That isn’t all,” <strong>the</strong> policeman cont<strong>in</strong>ued. “He has been us<strong>in</strong>g acatapult and has broken somebody’s glass greenhouse.”As I look back on that day, I magnify not <strong>the</strong> law of God, but <strong>the</strong>grace of God. The law was our schoolmaster to br<strong>in</strong>g us to Christ.So it was, when <strong>the</strong> police brought my son to me, that God wasconfront<strong>in</strong>g me as to what I really did believe. I see when <strong>the</strong> lawfails and doesn’t have <strong>the</strong> remedy <strong>in</strong> itself, what <strong>the</strong> wondrous135

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