art thou, Simon Barjonas." Yes, He blessed him right there
because he confessed Him to be the Son of God. He was hungry to get some
one to confess him. Let everyone take his stand on the side of the Lord.

The Blind Beggar.

Here is a whole chapter in John (ix) of forty-one verses, just to tell
how the Lord blessed that blind beggar. It was put in this book, I
think, just to bring out the confession of that man. "The neighbors,
therefore, and they which before had seen him which was blind, said, Is
not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he; others said, He
is like him; but he said, I am he." If it had been our case I think we
would have kept still; we would have said, "There is a storm brewing
among the Pharisees, and they have said, 'If any man acknowledges Christ
we will put him out of the Synagogue.' Now I don't want to be put out of
the Synagogue." I am afraid we would have said that; that is the way
with a good many of the young converts. What did the young convert here?
He said, "I am he." And bear in mind he only told what he knew; he knew
the Man had given him his eyes. "Some said, He is like him; but he said,
I am he." So, young converts, open your lips and tell what Christ has
done for you. If you can't do more than that, open your lips and do
that. "Therefore, said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He
answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed
mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash; and I
went and washed, and I received sight." He said, "He anointed my eyes
with clay, and I went to the pool and washed, and whereas I had no eyes,
I have now got two good eyes." Some skeptic might ask, "What is the
philosophy of it?" But he couldn't tell that. "Then said they unto him,
Where is he? He said, I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that
aforetime was blind. And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay
and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had
received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes and I
washed and do see." He wasn't afraid to tell his experience twice; he
had just told it once. "Therefore, said some of the Pharisees, This man
is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, How
can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? and there was a division
among them." Now I am afraid if it had been us, we would have kept still
and said, "There is a storm brew