Finally, let me tell you a simple story. The Keswick Convention is a big gathering in England, a somewhat international conference. Every year approximately five or six thousand people from all over the world gather there for a week. I think that God has greatly used these conferences. Andrew Murray and F. B. Meyer, both of whom had a deep knowledge of the Lord, have been among the speakers at these conferences. During this period of time, Stock Meyer was in Germany, Melton was in France, Andrew Murray was in Holland, and Evan Hopkins was in England. Hopkins was known as the Theologian of Keswick. He was the first person to see the truth of the believers’ crucifixion with Christ. He was the husband of Hannah Whitall Smith, the author of The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life. Mrs. Penn-Lewis would not have been able to propagate the truth of crucifixion with Christ without the help of Hopkins, because Britain could not quite accept a female preaching. Hopkins was a very proper person before the Lord. Yet he had a hobby; he loved to draw whenever he was free. At first he drew serious subjects. Later when he had a granddaughter, he began to draw rabbits for her. When he came back from giving a sermon, he would draw rabbits for his granddaughter. During his lifetime, he drew thousands of rabbits. Later some publishers put out a book on Hopkins’s rabbits. Hopkins was an intelligent man. He made the face of every rabbit look different. He also liked to print fine calligraphy. He wrote the whole of the Lord’s prayer on a shilling note. I am not saying that you should imitate him. I am merely saying this to show you that recreation does not affect one’s spirituality. On the contrary, one touches the human element of a person through his hobbies. Please remember that God’s servants are not staid people; that is Catholicism, not Christianity. Christians are plain, simple, and natural people.
George Müller was a person who was experienced in prayer. Once a girl named Abigail asked him to pray for colored woolen yarn. He prayed about this and she received the yarn. The girl grew up to become one of the best Christians in England. In reading her biography, one is impressed by the lessons she learned in the Lord. Recreation will not drag a person down if it is done properly. If you keep the proper principle of recreation before the Lord, recreation will uplift you and restore your body and mind to proper health.