He was a brilliant young man and had but recently returned from abroad where he had been sent to complete his education. While attending a famous university there he had listened to and been sadly influenced by infidel lectures. Through these he had been led at the beginning to wish, and in the end to affirm, "There is no God. 'God' is only an empty word.”
Shortly after this young student's return to his home, he was a guest among other local intellectuals at the residence of one of his former teachers. After the formalities of introductions were accomplished, each visitor was free to join any group whose topic of conversation appealed to him, whether it was world news, current local events, science, or literature.
Feeling somewhat awkward as a newcomer, the young man glanced around the large room in search of a kindred spirit. Finally his eyes rested on a couple of young men seated in the partial seclusion of a bay window. They were apparently earnestly discussing a book one of them held and comparing its contents with another on the window-seat between them.
Joining them, the young man smilingly asked: "Is the book under discussion fact or fiction?”
"Indeed it is fact, sir," came the answer; "and as such, we find it much stranger than fiction. It is the history of the Jews, God's chosen people; and it is a joy to corroborate each statement by the facts as revealed in God's Word.”
"You believe then that there is a God?" So questioned the returned student.
Surprised, the young men answered: "Sure! don't you?”
Airily their questioner replied: "Oh, I once did. But after my years abroad, studying advanced science, modern philosophy, and so forth, I am convinced that `God' is an empty word.”
Very solemnly the elder of the two young men undertook to answer: "I, sir, have never been abroad. Science, philosophy, and so forth I study as the thoughts of man, and as man's thoughts, I find them constantly changing.
"My Bible I know as the Word of God, and as such I find it has withstood all the infidel attacks launched against it since Satan questioned it in the garden with `Hath God said?' In Psa. 138:22I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2), the Psalmist David asserts his belief in and upholds its authenticity by saying: 'Thou past magnified Thy Word above all Thy name.'
"Of course you will admit, sir, that one cannot believe the Bible without accepting the God of the Bible. I have set to my seal that God is true, and am happy to confess Him as the author and finisher of faith. I repudiate what you might call 'the higher criticism' and cling with all my heart to God and His truth as revealed in His holy Word.
"But, sir," continued the young man, "I have a question for you. Since you are so learned, and say there is no God, you can easily tell me whence the egg comes?”
"An odd question, truly," the student answered; "but of course we know the egg comes from the hen.”
"Which existed first then: the egg or the hen?”
"I really can't see where your question leads―nor your hen," was the jocular answer; "but I say that which existed first is the hen.”
"There is a hen, then, which did not come from the egg?”
"Beg your pardon! I did not take notice that the egg existed first.”
"There is, then, an egg that did not come from a hen?”
"Oh, if you―beg pardon―that is―you see―you see―”
"I see, sir, that you do not know whether the egg existed before the hen, or the hen before the egg." "Well, then, I say the hen.”
"Very well; there is a hen which did not come from an egg. Tell me now who made this first hen, from which all other hens and eggs come?”
"With your hens and your eggs, it seems to me you take me for a poultry-man!”
"By no means, sir; I only ask you to tell me whence the mother of all hens and eggs came?" "But what is your object?”
"Well, since you do not know, you will permit me to tell you. He who created the first hen, or, as you would rather have it, the first egg, is the same who created the world; and this Being is God. Do you, who cannot explain the existence of a hen or an egg without God still maintain that this world exists without God?”
The young philosopher was silent, all his arguments squelched and his mind a whirlpool of doubts. At last he spoke seriously to those two defenders of the truth of God, saying, "You do have a point there, and I promise you I shall ponder it well. If your Bible is true, there is a God, and may He have mercy on my unbelieving soul.”
Without further words the returned student took his hat and, full of shame, departed―if not convinced of his folly, at least confounded by the simple questioning of a believer in God.
How many there are who, like him, professing to be wise, prove themselves to be very foolish, speaking evil of things they know not, and denying things they never have investigated.
Dear young friend, in this day when Satan's chief attack is on the truth of God's Word, I beg you always to accord it the reverence due the faithful utterances of a holy God. By it over the past ages, and through His grace, souls have been converted, enlightened, quickened, saved. Many of these have received the acclaim of the world because of their brilliant minds, high position, great possessions; yet, in spite of worldly renown and attainment their dearest object in life has been to exalt and glorify God, the Source. In His blest ways and in His sight they, every one alike, whether rich or poor, high or low, have come to Him on one basis alone―by simple faith in His dear Son Jesus. Will you not also take the low place, and in true humility submit yourself to God, the all-wise, and receive eternal life through His Son?
"Woulds't thou go up? Go down!
Content to do thy Master's will;
But go as low as e'er thou canst,
The Highest hath gone lower still.”