A few years ago, in a town somewhere in this state, a merchant died, and
while he was lying a corpse I was told a story I will never forget. When
the physician that attended him saw there was no chance for him here, he
thought it would be time to talk about Christ to the dying man. And
there are a great many Christians just like this physician. They wait
till a man is just entering the other world, just till he is about
nearing the throne, till the sands of life are about run out, till the
death rattle is in his throat, before they commence to speak of Christ.
The physician stepped up to the dying merchant and began to speak of
Jesus, the beauties of Christianity, and the salvation he had offered to
all the world. The merchant listened quietly to him, and then asked him,
"How long have you known of these things?" "I have been a Christian
since I came from the East," he replied. "You have been a Christian so
long and have known all this, and have been in my store every day. You
have been in my house; have associated with me; you knew all these
things, and why didn't you tell me before?" The doctor went home and
retired to rest, but could not sleep. The question of the dying man rang
in his ears. He could not explain why he had not spoken before, but he
saw he had neglected his duty to his principles. He went back to his
dying friend, intending to urge upon him the acceptance of Christ's
salvation, but when he began to speak to him the merchant only replied
in a sad whisper, "Oh, why didn't you tell me before?" Oh, my friends,
how many of us act like this physician? If we don't practice in every
particular the professions we make, and try to influence the lives of
others, and lead the lives of Christians according to Christian precept,
the world will go on stumbling over us.
The Missing Stone.
I remember hearing of a man's dream, in which he imagined that when he
died he was taken by the angels to a beautiful temple. After admiring it
for a time, he discovered that one stone was missing. All finished but
just one little stone; that was left out. He said to the angel, "What is
this stone left out for?" The angel replied, "That was left out for you,
but you wanted to do great things, and so there was no room left for
you." He was startled and awoke, and resolved that he would become a
worker for God, and that man always worked faithfully after that.
Sad Lack of Zeal.
Two young men came into our inquiry room here the other night, and after
a convert had talked with them, and showed them the way, the light broke
in upon them. They were asked, "Where do you go to church?" They gave
the name of the church where they had been going. Said one, "I advise
you to go and see the minister of that church." They said, "We don't
want to go there any more; we have gone there for six years and no one
has spoken to us."
A Zealous Young Lady.
I was very much interested some time ago in a young lady that lived in
the city. I don't know her name, or I have forgotten it. She was about
to go to China as the wife of a missionary on his way to some heathen
field. She had a large Sabbath-school class in the city and succeeded in
getting a blessing upon many of her scholars through her efforts. She
was very anxious to get some one who would look after her little flock
and take care of them while she was gone. She had a brother who was not
a Christian, and her heart was set on his being converted and taking her
place as leader of the class. The young man--perhaps he is in the
audience to-day--refused to accept of Christ, but away in her closet
alone she pleaded with God that her brother might be converted and take
her place. She wanted to reproduce herself and that is what every
Christian ought to do--get somebody else converted to take up your work.
Well, the last morning came, and around the family altar as the moment
drew near for the lady's departure, and they did not know when they
should see her again, the father broke down, and the boy went up stairs.
Just before she left for the train the boy came down, and putting his
arms around his sister's neck, said to her, "My dear sister, I will take
your Saviour for mine, and I will take care of your class for you," and
the young man took her class, and the last I heard of him he was filling
her place. There was a young lady established in good work.
How Moody Treated the Committees.
I remember when I was in Chicago before the fire, I was on some ten or
twelve committees. My hands were full. If a man came to me to talk about
his soul I would say I haven't time; got a committee to attend to. But
now I have turned my hack on everything--turned my attention to saving
souls, and God has blessed me and made me an instrument to save more
souls during the last four or five years than during all my previous
life. And so if a minister will devote himself to this undivided work,
God will bless him. Take that motto of Paul's: "One thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those
things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Fourscore and Five.
When we went to London there was an old woman eighty-five years old, who
came to the meetings and said she wanted a hand in that work. She was
appointed to a district, and called on all classes of people. She went
to places where we would probably have been put out, and told the people
of Christ. There were none that could resist her. When the old woman,
eighty-five years old, came to them and offered to pray for them, they
all received her kindly--Catholics, Jews, Gentiles--all. That is
enthusiasm. That is what we want.
[Illustration: Saul's Conversion. GUSTAVE DORE. Acts, ix.]