Rev. A.J. Ogden

Fond memories of the old blacksmith shops linger in my mind today. Much water has gone under the bridge since we have seen one of those buggy and wagon repair shops in this part of the county. There are a few left but they are not around here, and many of us miss them.

The one in my town when I was a boy was about the best I’ve ever seen. Joe, the blacksmith, could take a pile of scrap iron and wood and make some fine things from nothing! He could heat his fire hot, and make that iron do anything he wanted. In nothing flat he could build or repair a buggy or wagon that was all to pieces. He just seemed to have the feel for shaping iron. He could build the finest wagon or buggy wheels you ever saw. Joe had no formal training, but the same one who taught Joe and gave him great skill, taught the mocking bird to sing in many languages. God enables us to do what we do!

Every one of us need to let the Master Craftsman save our lost souls and shape, mold, and remake us into something useable in God’s hands. One wonderful day down by the little Sea of Galilee, God called four fisherman into service. Matthew 4:18-20, “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left the nets, and followed him.” The Bible goes on to say that James and John were also called for the same great service and they also obeyed.