[Faith-talk] {Spam?} One Glass of Milk

[Paul Smith]

Hello and greetings once again to most of you.  Hope this time of day 
finds you well as you read this message, by God's matchless grace and 
His providential care.

This is a story that not only illustrates what God can do with one of 
the most insignificant actions at first, but that He watches over all 
of us.  Although I have no proof, I believe that this story has a 
Baltimore connection.  Just check at the end of this post to find out.  
But now here's the story of what one glass of milk accomplished.

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his 
way through school, found that he only had one thin dime left, and he 
was hungry.  He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house.  
However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.  
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water.

She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk.  He 
drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied.  "Mother has taught us never 
to accept pay for a kindness."

Then he said, "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left 
that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God 
and man was strong also.  He had been ready to give up and quit.

Years later that young woman became critically ill.  The local doctors 
were baffled.  They finally sent her to the big city, where they called 
in specialists to study her rare disease.  Dr. Howard Kelly was called 
in for the consultation.  When he heard the name of the town she came 
from, a strange light filled his eyes.  Immediately he rose and went 
down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her.  He recognized her 
at once.  He went back to the consultation room determined to do his 
best to save her life.  From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the 
business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.

He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent 
to her room.  She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the 
rest of her life to pay for it all.  Finally she looked, and something 
caught her attention on the side of the bill.

She read these words, "Paid in full with one glass of milk." Signed:  
Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed:  "Thank You, 
God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

And there you have a truly heartwarming story, just as yesterday's was. 
This story had previously been posted twice on one of these lists, but 
I just felt led to let you all read it.

And now for the Baltimore connection.  When Johns Hopkins Hospital in 
our city opened in 1879, on staff were four outstanding doctors:  Dr. 
Councilman in pathology, Dr. Halsted for surgery, Dr. Sir William 
Ostler and, you probably guessed by now, Dr. Howard Kelly.  By the way, 
for those of you who may be trivia buffs, how much money did it cost 
patients to spend the night at this health-care institution when it 
opened? Just one dime.  Healthcare has surely come a long way since 
then, both in improving it but also in the ever-rising costs, and I'm 
sure no one would object to that in terms of what I just said.

And there you have it for today.  Until tomorrow when, Lord willing 
another inspirational article or story will be posted, may the God of 
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and 
collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian 
friend and brother, Paul