IT was not an argument after all, though it I was more effectual than the most carefully thought-out argument.
George Graham impressed one in two ways —a child of nature and a child of grace. In appearance he looked as if he had been carved out of a rough block of freestone from his native Cheviot hills. Made on a big scale, physically powerful, he was as gentle as a woman and as simple as a child—a man of prayer and faith.
The hall belonging to the heir to an earldom, near Graham's home, had a large masonry job on hand. It was an important job, and a master-mason from London was secured to superintend the work. He was a smart, dapper little man, with intellectuality stamped upon his broad forehead. Alas! he was an infidel of the aggressive Hyde Park type, who ventilate their pestilential opinions on Sunday evenings in that historic spot.
Very soon after arriving north he began to air his views among the Border workmen. They said to him, "Wait till you see George Graham," as if he were some doughty, hardheaded champion, well versed in Christian apologetics. So the London foreman's curiosity was aroused, and he waited with impatience for his antagonist.
At last they met. The Londoner opened out the attack, directing his remarks against the Lord Jesus Christ. Then he waited for the answer. It came in a most unexpected and convincing fashion.
The big, rough man put his arm round the foreman's neck, looked at him with eyes glowing with love and filled with pity, and said, in his rich north country accent, "Man, if you only knew HIM you couldn't have talked like that about HIM.”
Then he told the foreman how he knew HIM. How He had saved him from his sins and made him supremely happy. The sincerity, the earnestness, the tenderness, the reality of the man fairly overcame the smart London infidel. Arguing with a man like that seemed fairly out of place. George Graham knew the Savior. He had saved him. He had died for him. He was living for Him. He walked in communion with Him and talked with Him. It was no wonder that Graham got no answer. He silenced his foe in a very happy way.
This encounter made a deep impression on the Londoner, and when leaving the job he invited Graham to his room to pray with him. "Behold! he prayeth!" was said of Christ's chief antagonist centuries ago. Blinded by the light above the brightness of the sun, behold Saul of Tarsus on his knees. No wonder a messenger was sent to give him his sight and his commission as a servant of the Lord, whose followers he had heretofore persecuted, but whose faith he was now to preach.
So the foreman sought Graham in prayer, thus declaring his faith in a God who could hear and answer prayer, and long and earnestly did Graham pray for the blessing of the infidel.
They parted, the foreman to return to London, we trust a changed man; Graham continuing to live in his native parts till a few years ago he was called up higher, and passed into the presence of HIM whom he knew and loved and served so well.
Reader, shall this incident have no voice for you? "What think ye of Christ?”
What think ye of Christ?" is the test,
To try both your state and your scheme.
Ye cannot be right in the rest
Unless you think rightly of HIM.”
He died for you. You cannot afford to ignore Him. He will either be your Saviour or your Judge. Which shall it be? God “will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself A Ransom for All.” (1 Tim 2:4, 5)
"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation." (Heb. 2:3.)
Oh! be concerned about your soul's salvation. Delay matters no longer. Trust such a Savior NOW. A. J. P.