_A Practical Illustration_
It will be a great day when the Church is aroused to the responsibility
and privilege of personal work.
In Swansea, Wales, with Mr Charles M. Alexander, I had the satisfaction
of conducting a mission in which I preached for an entire week on Soul
Winning. I then urged the people to go forth and labour, and asked them
to come back with their reports. These reports were thrilling. Often
ten or twelve people would be standing at the one time waiting to
speak. The following are only a few testimonies taken from the many:--
A minister said: "I spoke to a bright young fellow, under the influence
of drink, as I was going home in the car last night. He got off the car
when I did, so I stood at the street corner and talked with him for a
few minutes. He told me that he had been a follower of the Lord Jesus
many years ago, but had fallen away through bad company. I asked him to
pray for himself. He said he could not, but asked me to pray for him.
And there on that street corner I put my arm around his shoulder and we
prayed together, and he has promised to come to the meeting to-night."
"About three years ago," said another, "I came in touch with a man who
has been the biggest and most hardened scoffer I have had to contend
with. He had such a sarcastic way of ridiculing the Lord Jesus Christ.
But this last fortnight I have seen a distinct change in that young
man's life. Last week, as we were working near to one another, I spoke
to him and his eyes filled with tears. He said, 'I have decided to come
out and accept Christ.' I could hardly credit it, but it has proved to
be real, and when I see God moving in such a hard case as this, I have
hope for every sinner in this city."
Another said, "I came to the Lord three years ago, one of the worst
drunkards in Swansea. Since the Saviour found me, I have spoken to men
on their death-beds. I have spoken to drunkards all over Swansea, but I
neglected my own charge that God had given to me. Dr Chapman woke me up
to approach my own household and children. It was the greatest struggle
in all my life. I went to my two boys and put my hands on their shoulders
saying, 'I want you to do something for Jesus and for your father.' They
said, 'Father, we will do it.' Two of my boys came to the Albert Hall
yesterday and gave their hearts to Jesus. This has been one of the most
blessed weeks I have had since I was saved three years ago."
"On Thursday night I had been asking the Lord to lead me to the right
one to speak to. He led me to a young man of sixteen years of age who
was under tremendous conviction. He said, 'I think I will make a clean
breast of it. I have done something,' and he told me his story. This
young lad, in his employer's service for four years, last week, for the
first time, began to steal. He turned out his pocket and showed me what
he had. He said, 'What shall I do? I go to bed at night and I cannot
sleep, it is haunting me.' I said, 'Look here, laddie, do this. Go to
your master to-morrow morning, and make a clean breast of it and get
the victory.' 'What about my situation?' said the boy. 'I will pray for
you,' I said. 'If your master is so unkind as to dismiss you, come to
me and I will see what I can do.' It was a long time before he gave in,
but eventually he said, 'I will.' I prayed for him, and last night I
got this letter: 'Victorious! Devil conquered; overjoyed. I cannot very
well explain what I experienced so will be pleased to meet you on
Thursday next in the mission at Albert Hall.'"
A week later this gentleman said: "I have a lot to thank God for these
last ten days. I have had a glorious blessing. I can say with all
humility, I have been on fire for Jesus. I had a letter yesterday from
the young man whom I was talking about last Sunday. He says, 'Dear
Friend, My only regret now is that I did not accept Jesus as my Saviour
years ago. It would have saved me so much trouble. I explained
everything to my master and handed him the article back. Then he gave
me two-thirds of this particular article and burned the letter. So that
is what I got for owning up.'"
Another said: "I do thank and praise God this morning for the great
things He has done in my home. He has brought my children to trust in
the Saviour. I have great pleasure in reporting that a brother at the
works, to whom I spoke a week ago, has decided for Christ. One of the
workers presented me with a Testament to give to that brother, who was
in very poor circumstances, and he received it with joy. The following
day he came to tell me that he had read a chapter to his wife. His wife
is travelling the wrong way. They have five little children, and on
Thursday I took them to the meeting. On Friday morning he came to thank
me for taking them there, and told me that during his absence from the
house, his eldest boy, of about ten years of age, had got into a Bible
Reading Circle, led by a Christian boy, and he asked his father if he
could spare sixpence for him to buy a Testament. What joy filled my
heart and soul from the fact that I could present that little lad with
a Testament, and I sent my own lad back a mile, yesterday, with it.
"I spoke to a dear Christian brother last night at the works. I asked
him if his household were saved. 'I have one boy of sixteen not saved,'
he said 'Brother, will you promise me to speak to him when you go
home?' He went home and put his hand on the shoulder of the lad and
gave him the invitation. The boy gladly promised to accept Jesus."
Continuing with the reports, one said: "Last night, in one of our
public houses I spoke to a woman about Jesus. Years ago she had lost
her husband and instead of going to God for comfort she had turned to
drink. She became a drunkard and had separated from her children. When
I spoke to her she said, 'I know I am a sinner. I am the worst woman in
Swansea, but I want to be good.' 'Will you decide now?' we asked her.
'Yes,' she said. She came out into the cold biting wind and knelt in
the open air, and there she sent up this simple prayer: 'Oh, God,
although I am a bad woman, please make me good, for Jesus' sake.' Later
she arose in a crowded meeting and told her story, concluding with this
remark, 'By God's help I am going to be a child of God.'"
Another said: "On the second night of the mission I was led to speak to
a dear brother who was a back-slider. I plead with him that evening to
turn to Christ, but he did not come to a decision. The next night I
went in and talked with him. I asked him again at the close of the
meeting would he come back to the Lord Jesus Christ. He told me he
could not come back that night. On the following night I went up and
spoke to him again. When we got outside the building I said, 'I may not
ever have the privilege of speaking to you again. Will you kindly give
me your name? I will give you a guarantee that no one but God shall
know about it. I want your name that I may pray for you.' On Tuesday
night in the minor hall at the after meeting I searched for him. I had
been praying continually every night and morning, and sometimes during
the day. When I found him that night I said, 'You have withstood the
Spirit of God long enough. Make a definite decision to-night to return
to the Lord. If you do not care about coming to the front, fill out
this card, but make up your mind to give yourself to Christ.' He took
the card and filled it out. Then I said, 'You know the way of salvation
because you have been that way before. When you get home tonight, will
you kindly make a definite decision at your bedside?' And he told me he
would."
Another gentleman rose to give his testimony and said: "I belong, as
you know, to another city, but I want to speak a word to the glory of
God, and for the encouragement of those who have taken up personal work
for Him. Some two years ago in our city I spoke to one who was an
inspector in the Police Force, but who is to-day the Chief Inspector of
our Police, about the claims of Christ. He told me that I was the first
one who had ever spoken to him as to how he stood in relation to these
matters for a period of fifteen years. Having once broken the ice and
spoken to him, I never gave him up.
"About two months ago I had occasion to go to the Police Court to ask
his assistance on behalf of a woman who wanted an ejectment notice
against another woman who was living in the same house. When he heard
the name of the woman who wished to obtain the notice he refused to
have anything to do with the matter. She had been a bad character. He
said, 'I tell you candidly, she ought to be drowned for her cruelty to
her children.' I said, 'You knew her once, but you do not know her now.
How long is it since you saw her?' 'About nine weeks' he replied.
'Well,' I said, 'nine weeks ago she and her husband both came to Christ
in our mission hall. For the first time in thirteen years they entered
a place of worship. She had a black eye that covered over half her
face, but both her husband and she are now Christians, and are
faithfully following Christ to-day. And yet you call her a lost soul.'
He said, 'Certainly I do. If there is a lost soul she is one.' 'Then
Sir,' I said, striking him on the shoulder, 'Jesus came to seek and to
save that which was lost. Jesus has saved that woman. When she comes on
Monday night, Inspector, just look at her and see what Christ has
wrought. I ask you to grant her request.' He shook himself free. 'Wait
a moment, Inspector,' I said, 'I have never given up praying for you.
You have risen to the position of Chief Inspector, but I want you not
to forget Christ.'
"On the Thursday of the following week he came to my home. When I saw
him there I was glad, for he had kept away from me for a long time. I
said, 'I am glad to see you in my home.' He said, 'You will be more glad
when you know why I have come. In my room the other night I knelt down
and gave myself to Jesus Christ, and asked the Lord to save me.' I would
ask those of you who are working for souls not to get disheartened and
discouraged. When the mission ceases do not give up taking a personal
interest in those for whom you are concerned.
"Some months ago I was sitting in the Assize Court in your city. I sat
next to our Chief Inspector. The case that was being tried was one of
attempted murder. As I sat there following the case this Chief
Inspector turned to me and said, 'Why didn't they know Him on the road
to Emmaus?' I said, 'I suppose because their eyes were holden.' He
said, 'How did they know Him when they got to the home?' I said,
'Probably in the breaking of the bread.' 'Don't you think,' said he,
'that in the breaking of the bread they saw for the first time the
marks of the wounds in His hands and knew Him by them?' What a
difference Christ had made in the life of that Chief Inspector."
A man employed in the steel works rose in one of our meetings to say:
"I made my covenant with God last Saturday. The burden was laid heavy
on my heart on behalf of two souls. One of them was my own little girl.
I spoke to her about Jesus, and she told me she would accept Him as her
Saviour. I have been working this week on a shift that ran from ten
o'clock at night to six o'clock in the morning. On Tuesday night I
asked the Lord to pour out His blessing on our workmen. About one
o'clock in the morning I had an opportunity of speaking to a young man.
I asked him if he had accepted Jesus as his Saviour, and he said he had
not. Then I asked him to be honest before God, and I said, 'Will you
accept Him now?' With a smile he looked up at me and said, 'Tom, I will
accept Jesus as my Saviour now.' I have brought some of my mates with
me here to-day and I thank God for what He has done.
"Down at the works the other day there was a young man who came on duty
at three o'clock in the morning. I knew he was troubled about his soul,
and I spoke to him. I said, 'Are you in trouble about your soul?' He
said, 'Yes, I am.' 'Well,' I said, 'Jesus has died to save you. Will
you accept Him now?' He said to me, 'But, Tom, I have done this and
that,' 'Well,' I said, 'Jesus has died for you, will you accept Him?'
As he looked me straight in the face he said, 'Yes, I will.'
"I asked these men who had accepted Jesus and one or two others, to
come up to my home at six o'clock when we finished work. As we went
through the yard there was a boy about fifteen years of age standing
there and we got him to come along with us. In my home we had a small
meeting. I asked God to pour down His blessing upon us. I asked one
friend who was drifting, if he had ever accepted Christ, and he said at
one time during a revival. I said, 'Praise God for that. He is willing
to receive you back. Will you come?' and he said, 'At three o'clock
this very morning, I came back to the Lord Jesus.' And then I turned to
the boy of fifteen and said, 'Are you willing to accept the Saviour?'
And he said he didn't think he was ready. I said, 'Well, my boy, if you
don't, what will become of you?' He said, 'I will go to hell, I
suppose.' Not long afterwards he accepted the Saviour.[1]
[Footnote 1: This man worked at night and slept during the day.]
"Yesterday I could not sleep. I went home from my work. I was up in the
morning with a burden on my heart because of the poor souls who were
going to eternity without a Saviour. A young woman came to our house
and started to sing 'Lord save Swansea,' and the words kept ringing in
my ears. I went back to bed but could not sleep. I had no peace. I
said, 'Well, Lord, I believe Thou hast surely started the work.' I went
to the works last night. I did not feel very well as I had been up all
day. I asked some of the men if they would come to a prayer meeting for
the mission. We did not have much time before work commenced, but we
went in and I asked one of the young fellows if he would accept Jesus.
He replied, 'I must have time to think of it.' The next night I said to
him, 'Johnnie, have you thought of what we spoke on last night?' and he
said, 'I have been in trouble about my soul.' Before we had tea I asked
him if he would accept Christ now. He said, 'I cannot do it now.' I
said, 'God will give you strength.' We went into a little shop and I
prayed for him. At three o'clock this morning I spoke to him again.
'Johnnie,' I said, 'can you see the way clear?' 'Yes,' he said, 'I can
see the way clear now. I will accept Jesus as my personal Saviour.'"