A farmer with a large acreage of beautiful grain was “hailed out” before harvesttime. His crop was a total loss. After the hailstorm was over, father and son walked out into the devastated fields. The boy could not keep the tears back, and he expected some violent reaction from his dad. Imagine his surprise when he heard his father begin to sing, “Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.”

That son went out into the world, where he met trials and disappointments himself. Years later, looking back to the time of the hailstorm and his father’s reaction, he said, “That was the most powerful sermon I’ve ever heard.”

By C. L. Paddock, Signs of the Times, January 1, 1952. With permission from Dale Galusha dalgal@pacificpress.com