FOR the encouragement of the tract distributor, and of those who so kindly contribute of their ability and substance to the proclamation of the gospel, by means of tracts, I wish to tell how real cheer was brought to me recently by the testimony of a sailor who some two years ago had been given a tract in the Naval Barracks at —.
This tract spoke of two things that God had joined together which no man could put asunder, viz:— “BELIEVE” and “HATH.”
He related how he had read the tract through again and again—that he had believed what the tract had set forth from the word of God, and therefore he could now say he had eternal life, and would not be brought into judgment, for so the Lord Jesus had declared in John 5. God thus had graciously blessed the reading of this tract to his salvation.
This was indeed joy to me, for many hundreds of tracts had been distributed in these barracks during the past sixteen years, and I had often wondered whether the results justified the effort. Here then was the first testimony that had reached my ears of any of these tracts being the means of blessing to the readers of them.
Often had I been despondent and at times almost inclined to withhold my hand from distributing them, but I praise God for this sailor’s testimony. It has re-kindled fresh desire to serve in this little way our blessed Lord and Master who would have us to “occupy” till He come.
The day following I related the circumstance to a fellow Christian, telling him of my cheer, and he also shared my joy, inasmuch as he had contributed to the “Tract Fund.” Strange to say, the very next Lord’s Day, he heard another sailor recount a similar circumstance. He said that, six months ago, whilst about to enter the canteen in the Naval Barracks, he was given a tract, headed “Stop and Think.” This he did, and instead of entering the canteen to have his pint of beer he read the tract, which was the means of blessing to his conversion. A double joy was this to me; may the reading of this magazine be also a joy to you!
Dear unsaved one, the time is short, and God speaks in various ways through His beloved Son, who said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment; but is passed out of death into life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)). Just believe it as the sailor did and you will be saved.
C. H. C.