SOME YEARS ago a boy of fifteen wandered into his father’s library in search of something interesting to read. His attention was drawn to a basket containing some pamphlets, from which he selected a gospel tract containing an interesting story.
His mother had decided to spend this particular afternoon in prayer for her son. He had come under the influence of infidel friends and was binning to hold doubtful views about the Christian faith and the sincerity of those who professed it.
The boy sat down to read the little folder, firmly believing that if there was such a thing as salvation it was not for him.
In telling of his experience later with the tract, he wrote, “While reading it I was struck with the sentence, ‘The finished work of Christ.’ The thought passed through my mind, ‘Why does the author use this expression? Why not say the atoning work of Christ?’ Immediately the words ‘It is finished’ suggested themselves to my mind. What was finished? And I at once replied, ‘A full and perfect atonement and satisfaction for sin: the debt was paid by the Substitute; Christ died for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.’ Then came the thought, ‘If the work was finished and the whole debt paid, what is there left for me to do?’ "
With this there dawned the joyful conviction that there was nothing further to be done but to fall down on his knees, accept this Saviour and His salvation, “and praise Him forevermore.”
Joyfully, the young man whose name was Hudson Taylor did this, and later, he began a work for God in China. That work was blessed of God to the salvation of a great many natives in that land. Years after Hudson Taylor went home to be with the Saviour he had served so long.
ML-01/13/1963