IN the town of H— six godless young men were sitting smoking and playing cards, when one of them said, “I went to T— yesterday to see my brother, and, after talking to me awhile, he told me he was saved, and then he asked me if I believed in the Lord Jesus. So says I:
“‘O, yes, I believe all that.’
“But then he went on:
“‘Do you know Him personally?’ Now, mates, I can’t make out what he meant.”
One of the six, familiarly known as Joe, replied, “Why, that’s what them folk in Quay Street says, that they are saved. What do you say to going and hearing the preaching down there tomorrow?”
Tomorrow came, and the two friends went off with their dogs for a Sunday morning stroll, but the words repeated lightly enough the night before, “Do you know the Lord Jesus personally?” kept coming back to Joe’s mind, and so, instead of the usual style of conversation, they began discussing the characters and ways of those who said they were saved —Satan’s usual wile to oppose the work of the Spirit. That evening the two men found their way down to the Quay, where the Mission Room is, and spent the time till the door was opened in throwing bricks to try their strength!
The speaker took for his subject that night “Eternal Life,” and the two, who had gone in merely to see what was going on, were arrested by God’s Spirit, and said to each other:
“Mr. — could never stand up and speak in that way unless he was quite sure what lie said was true.”
That night they were both saved, and their translation from Satan’s kingdom to that of God’s dear Son, was so apparent to all their boon companions, that the card-playing parties were broken up, and these two, who were the dread of their wives and friends on a fair-day, are now “living epistles,” known and read of all in H—. They have so consistently testified for Christ for more than two years, that now another of the six is saved also, and will with them by and by cast his crown at the Saviour’s feet.
In man’s estimation, three of the most unlikely subjects in H—have been converted. That question faithfully put, “Do you know the Lord Jesus personally?” has resulted in the salvation of three souls. What an encouragement to God’s people to speak even one sentence for the Master!
ML 10/20/1918