Sermons & Devotionals by Timothy Shay Arthur

A Scene from Real Life (author unknown) "My wife feels as though she were laboring very hard for the benefit of others." This was spoken by a man who considered himself a good husband; but if he had been one in reality, would his wife have been troubled with such feelings? Let us consider the subjec... Read More

Match-making Timothy Shay Arthur, 1853 "You are a sly girl, Mary." "Not by general reputation, I believe, Mrs. Martindale." "Oh no. Everyone thinks you a little paragon of propriety . But I can see as deep as most people." "You might as well talk in High Dutch to me, Mrs. Martindale. You would be eq... Read More

The Two Homes Timothy Shay Arthur Two men, on their way home, met at a street crossing, and then walked on together. They were neighbors, and friends. "This has been a very hard day," said Mr. Freeman in a gloomy voice. "A very hard day," echoed Mr. Walcott, almost sepulchrally. "Little or no cash c... Read More

Look at the Other Side Timothy Shay Arthur "I don't like Mr. Monto at all," said Mr. Jones. "Nor I," replied Mrs. Mayberry. "Take him for better or worse," added Mr. Lee, "and I think he is the strangest and most inconsistent man I ever saw." "Inconsistent!" resumed Mr. Jones. "He is worse than inco... Read More

The Poor Debtor Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 "There is one honest man in the world, I am happy to say," remarked a rich merchant, named Petron , to a friend who happened to call in upon him. "Is there, indeed? I am glad to find you have made a discovery of the fact. Who is the individual entitled to th... Read More

Making Haste to Be Rich Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 "Adding cent to cent, and dollar to dollar, slowly and steadily, like the progress of a mole in the earth! That may suit some, but it will never do for Sidney Lawrence. There is a quicker road to fortune than that, and I am the man to walk in it. 'En... Read More

Home at Last! Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 "We're home at last, and I am so glad!" exclaimed a little girl, not over ten years of age, as she paused at twilight with her mother before a small and poor-looking house, one evening late in the month of November. The mother did not reply, but lifted the lat... Read More

Going Home Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 "It's nearly a year, now, since I was home," said Lucy Gray to her husband, "and so you must let me go for a few weeks." They had been married some four or five years, and never had been separated, during that time, for twenty-four hours at a time. "I thought you... Read More

Mrs. Winterford and Her Servants (author unknown) "Crash! There, I wonder what Bridget has broken now!" exclaimed Mrs. Winterford, as she raised her head, listening, from the bed where she had been lying crumpled miserably up, under one of her attacks of nervous headache. "I think it must be the oth... Read More

Little Bill By Timothy Shay Arthur, 1853 In a miserable old house, in Commerce Street, north of Pratt Street, Baltimore, (there are fine stores there now,) lived a shoemaker , whose wife took a particular fancy to me as a doctor, (I never felt much flattered by the preference,) and would send for me... Read More

Will it Pay? By Timothy Shay Arthur "I need an hour of your time this morning," said Mr. Smith, as he entered the counting-room of his neighbor, Mr. Jones. "Will it pay?" inquired Mr. Jones, smiling. "Not much profit in money ," was answered. Mr. Jones shrugged his shoulders, and arched his eye-brow... Read More

The Circuit preacher Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 The Methodist circuit-preacher is in the way of seeing human nature in many rare and curious aspects. Under the itinerating system, the United States are divided into conferences, districts, and circuits. The conference usually embraces a State, the dis... Read More

The Newspaper Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 Not many years ago, a farmer who lived a hundred or so miles from the seaboard, became impressed with the idea that unless he adopted a close-cutting system of retrenchment, he would certainly go to the wall. Wheat, during the preceding season, had been at a h... Read More

Taking Toll Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 Mr. Smith kept an drug-store in the little village of Preston, which was situated a few miles from Lancaster. It was his custom to visit Lancaster every week or two, in order to purchase such articles as were needed from time to time in his business. One day, he... Read More

Coals of Fire Timothy Shay Arthur, 1856 "I am sorry, Mr. Granger, that you should have felt it necessary to proceed to extremities against me," said a care-worn, anxious-looking man, as he entered the store of a thrifty dealer in tape, needles, and sundry small wares, drawing aside, as he spoke, the... Read More

Faith and Patience Timothy Shay Arthur, 1869 "I have no faith in anything!" said a poor doubter, who had trusted in human prudence, and been disappointed; who had endeavored to walk by the light of self-derived intelligence, instead of by the light of divine truth — and so lost his way in the world.... Read More

John Mason Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 "What kind of people have you here?" I asked of one of my first acquaintances, after becoming a resident of the pleasant little village of Moorfield. "Very clever people, with one or two exceptions," he replied. "I am sure you will like us very well." "Who are th... Read More

Out of the Frying-pan, and into the Fire! Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 "Hadn't you better give your landlord notice today, that we will move at the end of the year, Mr. Plunket?" "Move! For heaven's sake, Sarah, what do we want to move for?" "Mr. Plunket!" "Mrs. Plunket!" "It's a very strange way for y... Read More

The Hours of Life Timothy Shay Arthur, 1856 [Editor's note: The following article seems to be a poetic journey that Arthur took through various human philosophies — and finally coming back to the truths of Scripture.] TWILIGHT. The dewy morning of childhood has passed, and the noon of youth has gone... Read More

The Duel Timothy Shay Arthur, 1851 Two young men, one with a leather cap on his head and military buttons on his coat, sat in close conversation, long years ago, in the bar-room of the town hotel. The subject that occupied their attention seemed to be a very exciting one, at least to him of the mili... Read More