Keeper of the Spring 

     The late Peter Marshall U.S. Senate Chaplain from 1946-48 loved to tell
the fanciful story of the "Keeper of the Spring." Perhaps you have read
the story, if not here is a condensed version.
     There was a forest dweller that lived high in the hills above a town. His
job was to clear away the debris from the pools of water up in the
mountain that fed the spring flowing through their town. With regularity,
he patrolled the hills, removed leaves and branches, and wiped away the
slime that would otherwise have choked and contaminated the fresh flow of
water. The village below soon became a popular attraction. Swans floated
along the clear spring, millwheels turned day and night, farmlands were
irrigated, and restaurants along the banks were picturesque beyond
description.
     One evening the town’s budget was being reviewed and someone noticed a
salary figure and asked the question, "Who is that old man? He isn't
necessary any longer." It was decided that they would dispense with the
old man's services.
     By early autumn, the trees began to shed their leaves. Small branches
snapped off and fell into the pools, hindering the flow of sparkling
water. Someone noticed a slight yellowish-brown tint in the spring.
Within weeks, a slimy film covered sections of the water and a foul odor
was detected. The millwheels ground to a halt. Swans left, as did the
tourists.
     Quickly, the town realized their error in judgment. They rehired the
“Keeper of the Spring”, and within weeks, the spring began to clear up.
The millwheels started turning again, and new life returned to the town.
What the “Keeper of the Spring” meant to the village, churches mean to our
community. Have you attended lately?

     See you in church Sunday! 

Pastor Larry Bishop