MIGHTY TO SAVE
RETURNING to London when sufficiently recovered to resume my studies,
the busy life of hospital and lecture-hall was resumed; often relieved
by happy Sundays of fellowship with Christian friends, especially in
London or Tottenham. Opportunities for service are to be found in every
sphere, and mine was no exception. I shall only mention one case now
that gave me great encouragement in seeking conversion even when it
seemed apparently hopeless.
GOD had given me the joy of winning souls before, but not in
surroundings of such special difficulty. With GOD all things are
possible, and no conversion ever takes place save by the almighty power
of the HOLY GHOST. The great need, therefore, of every Christian worker
is to _know_ GOD. Indeed, this is the purpose for which He has given us
eternal life, as our SAVIOUR Himself says, in the oft misquoted verse,
John xvii. 3: "This is [the object of] life eternal, [not _to_ know but]
that they _might_ know Thee the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST, whom
Thou hast sent." I was now to prove the willingness of GOD to answer
prayer for spiritual blessing under most unpromising circumstances, and
thus to gain an increased acquaintance with the prayer-answering GOD as
One "mighty to save."
A short time before leaving for China, it became my duty daily to dress
the foot of a patient suffering from senile gangrene. The disease
commenced, as usual, insidiously, and the patient had little idea that
he was a doomed man, and probably had not long to live. I was not the
first to attend to him, but when the case was transferred to me, I
naturally became very anxious about his soul. The family with whom he
lived were Christians, and from them I learned that he was an avowed
atheist, and very antagonistic to anything religious. They had, without
asking his consent, invited a Scripture reader to visit him, but in
great passion he had ordered him from the room. The vicar of the
district had also called, hoping to help him; but he had spit in his
face, and refused to allow him to speak to him. His passionate temper
was described to me as very violent, and altogether the case seemed to
be as hopeless as could well be imagined.
Upon first commencing to attend him I prayed much about it; but for two
or three days said nothing to him of a religious nature. By special care
in dressing his diseased limb I was able considerably to lessen his
sufferings, and he soon began to manifest grateful appreciation of my
services. One day, with a trembling heart, I took advantage of his warm
acknowledgments to tell him what was the spring of my action, and to
speak of his own solemn position and need of GOD's mercy through CHRIST.
It was evidently only by a powerful effort of self-restraint that he
kept his lips closed. He turned over in bed with his back to me, and
uttered no word.
I could not get the poor man out of my mind, and very often through each
day I pleaded with GOD, by His SPIRIT, to save him ere He took him
hence. After dressing the wound and relieving his pain, I never failed
to say a few words to him, which I hoped the LORD would bless. He
always turned his back to me, looking annoyed, but never spoke a word in
reply.
After continuing this for some time, my heart sank. It seemed to me that
I was not only doing no good, but perhaps really hardening him and
increasing his guilt. One day, after dressing his limb and washing my
hands, instead of returning to the bedside to speak to him, I went to
the door, and stood hesitating for a few moments with the thought in my
mind, "Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone." I looked at the
man and saw his surprise, as it was the first time since speaking to him
that I had attempted to leave without going up to his bedside to say a
few words for my MASTER. I could bear it no longer. Bursting into tears,
I crossed the room and said, "My friend, whether you will hear or
whether you will forbear, I _must_ deliver _my_ soul," and went on to
speak very earnestly to him, telling him with many tears how much I
wished that he would let me pray with him. To my unspeakable joy he did
not turn away, but replied, "If it will be a relief to you, do." I need
scarcely say that I fell on my knees and poured out my whole soul to GOD
on his behalf. I believe the LORD then and there wrought a change in his
soul.
He was never afterwards unwilling to be spoken to and prayed with, and
within a few days he definitely accepted CHRIST as his SAVIOUR. Oh the
joy it was to me to see that dear man rejoicing in hope of the glory of
GOD! He told me that for forty years he had never darkened the door of
church or chapel, and that then--forty years ago--he had only entered a
place of worship to be married, and could not be persuaded to go inside
when his wife was buried. Now, thank GOD, his sin-stained soul, I had
every reason to believe, was washed, was sanctified, was justified, in
the Name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST and in the SPIRIT of our GOD.
Oftentimes, when in my early work in China circumstances rendered me
almost hopeless of success, I have thought of this man's conversion, and
have been encouraged to persevere in speaking the Word, whether men
would hear or whether they would forbear.
The now happy sufferer lived for some time after this change, and was
never tired of bearing testimony to the grace of GOD. Though his
condition was most distressing, the alteration in his character and
behaviour made the previously painful duty of attending him one of real
pleasure. I have often thought since, in connection with this case and
the work of GOD generally, of the words, "He that goeth forth _weeping_,
bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing
his sheaves with him." Perhaps if there were more of that intense
distress for souls that leads to tears, we should more frequently see
the results we desire. Sometimes it may be that while we are complaining
of the hardness of the hearts of those we are seeking to benefit, the
hardness of our own hearts, and our own feeble apprehension of the
solemn reality of eternal things, may be the true cause of our want of
success.
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