Tan - Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations

Bible Communications, Inc., 1996

ISBN 0-932940-02-1

 

Everyone appreciates a good illustration. The right illustration at the right time is half the battle for many preachers and teachers. Congregations have come to life, tears, or wholesome laughter, at an illustration fittingly given. Sunday School and Bible classes have become enthusiastic learning centers where wise usage of illustrative materials is employed. Even in the study, the discovery of a good illustration has opened up new avenues of thought and conviction for many a speaker.

 

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3615 Longest-Lasting Fragrance

 

It is said that an angel strolled out of heaven one beautiful day and found his way to this old world. He roamed through field and city beholding the varied scenes of nature and art, and just at sunset he plumed his golden wings and said, “I must return to the world of light; shall I not take with me some mementos of my visit here?

 

“How beautiful and fragrant those flowers are! I will pluck of them a choice bouquet.” Passing a country home where he saw through the open door a rosy, little crib into its mother’s face, he said, “The smile of that baby is prettier than these roses; I will take that too.” Just then he looked beyond the cradle and saw a devout mother pouring out her love like the gush of a perpetual fountain, as she stopped to kiss “Good-night” her precious baby. “Oh,” said he, “that mother’s love is the prettiest thing I have seen in all the world; I will take that too!”

 

With these three treasures he winged his way toward the pearly gates, but just before entering he decided to examine his mementos, and to his astonishment the flowers had withered until they were no longer things of beauty, the baby’s smile had changed into a frown, but the mother’s love retained all its pristine beauty and fragrance. He threw aside the withered roses and the departed smile, and, passing through the gates, was welcomed by the hosts of heaven that gathered about him to see what he had.

 

“Here,” said he, “is the only thing I found on earth that would retain its fragrance and beauty all the way to heaven. The sweetest thing in all the world is a mother’s love.”

 

—O. A. Newlin