He answered: "Oh, I do not think of those things! I leave that to my
wife and daughters! I and my sons read different things from that! We
do very well with our lives, and leave them to theirs!"
The lady hardly knew what to answer. She felt she was not "up" in all
these unbelieving questions of the day.
But then she bethought herself: "I wish I could think of some word
of God that would suit his case! For the Word of God is living and
powerful."
And like a flash, she remembered the parable of the Pharisee and the
Publican, and she said, "Did you ever hear this?" And found herself
able to repeat it to him word for word:
"Two men went up into the Temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the
other a Publican.
"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank Thee
that I am not as other men are . . .
"And the Publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his
eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful
to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified
rather than the other."
[Illustration: HE SPREAD THE ONE TALENT OUT BEFORE HIM.]
As the lady finished that parable, which God had so wonderfully helped
her to repeat, the train began to slow down at the next station. The
man gathered up his things, came to her side and shook her hand warmly.
"Thank you very much," he said earnestly, "for what you have said!"
And then he jumped out, and the train took the lady on to her
destination.
All of us are given Talents, according to our several abilities.
Whatever it is—let each one of us do what we can to tell others of
God's love in giving us a Saviour; and if we do, surely—yes, surely—God
will say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servants, enter into the
joy of your Lord!"