Warrior Brown
From Sawiki
Old Mother Brown was sharp of tongue,
And sharp in her temper too,
And all the neighbours who lived in her street
They called her ill-tempered Sue.
She was always ready for a fight,
And her face wore an angry frown,
So the children ran away from her,
And they shouted out, `Warrior Brown!'
One day Mrs. Brown walked down the street
With her shopping bag in hand,
And she heard at the corner some music loud -
A Salvation Army band.
Now Mother Brown just adored a band,
And she marched to the tune down the street,
She had no idea as she went along
Of the One she was going to meet.
The music ceased as Mother Brown
Reached the edge of the little crowd,
And she stopped a moment to listen there
To some one reading aloud.
And her thoughts went back to her childhood's days,
As she listened to what was read,
How the Shepherd went to seek for the lost -
It was just what her mother had said!
And there and then she heard the call
Of the One who had come to save,
And into His keeping, so strong and safe,
Her soul and body she gave.
But as she walked back through the dreary street,
She still heard the children say,
'There's old Mother Brown a-coming along!
And they jeered her and ran away.
But `Warrior Brown' from that day on
Had another fight to win,
And win it she did with the help of One
Who had died to conquer sin.
But neighbours teased, and the children laughed
As with the Army she'd stand,
And hold the banner aloft and firm,
And sing with the rest of the band.
One day, as the banner high she held,
And the Army sang with cheer,
The hostile neighbours gathered round
To laugh, and joke and jeer;
And a lad a large potato flung,
Which caught `Warrior Brown' on the head,
For a moment she angrily glared around,
But never a word she said;
For she thought of Him who had borne for her
Far more from a mocking crowd,
So she stooped and picked the potato up,
And in silence her head she bowed.
And a prayer went up from her heart that day
To the One who can save from sin,
That she, in the name of the Lord of hosts,
Might fight the evil within.
The months went by, and the Army hall
With flowers and fruits was gay,
And many brought offerings small and large
On Harvest Thanksgiving day;
And 'Warrior Brown,' among the rest,
Brought potatoes large and fine;
'I growed them all,' she said with pride,
'In that small garden of mine;
You mind that potato fine and large
They throwed that day at me head,
I almost throwed it back again,
But I took it home instead;
And I cut it in bits, and planted them,
And it growed all these that you see,
And here I offer 'em all to the Lord,
Who has done so much for me.'
For `Warrior Brown' had fought a fight
Against her wrath and pride,
And in lowly love had followed Him
As her Saviour and her Guide.
She had proved once more that the glorious Lord
Can change a life of sin,
And can reign as King with a rule of love
O'er the heart that will let Him in.
Theodora Horton
