Room in Heaven by James Clarence Harvey

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Aug 8, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 31.

Room in Heaven

By James Clarence Harvey

SHE was a little, old woman, very plainly dressed in black bombazine that had seen much wear. Her bonnet was very old-fashioned; and people stared at her tottering up the aisle of the church, evidently bent on securing one of the best seats, for a great man preached that day. The house was filled with splendidly dressed people who had heard of the fame of the preacher, of his learning, his intellect, and his goodness; and they wondered at the presumption of the poor old woman. She must have been in her dotage, for she picked out the pew of the richest and proudest member of the church and took a seat. The three ladies seated there beckoned to the sexton, who bent over the intruder and whispered something; but she was hard of hearing, and smiled as she said gently, "O, I'm quite comfortable here, quite comfortable."

"But you are not wanted here," said the sexton pompously; "there is not room. Come with me, my good woman; I will see that you have a seat."

"Not room?" said the old woman. "Why, I'm not crowded a bit. I rode ten miles to hear the sermon to-day, because —"

But here the sexton seized her arm, shook it in an underhanded way, and then she took the hint. Turning quietly to the ladies, who were spreading their rich dresses over the space she left vacant, she said gently, "I hope, my dears, there'll be room in heaven for us all." Then she followed the pompous sexton to the rear of the church, where in the last pew she was seated between a girl in threadbare garments and a shabby old man.

"She must be crazy," said one of the ladies. "What can an ignorant old woman like her want to hear Dr. — preach for? Those people are so persistent! The idea of forcing herself into our pew! There's Dr. —. Is he not grand? What a stately man! You know he has promised to dine with us while he is here."

He was a commanding looking man; and as he looked over the vast crowd of worshipers gathered in the vast church, he seemed to scan every face. His hand was on the Bible when he beckoned to the sexton, who mounted the steps, to receive a mysterious message. And then the three ladies in the pew were electrified to see him take his way the whole length of the church, to return with the old woman, whom he placed in the front pew. The great preacher looked at her with a smile of recognition, and then the services proceeded.

"Who was she?" asked the ladies as they passed the sexton at the door. "The preacher's mother," was the reply.—James Clarence Harvey.