When David Livingstone, the African missionary and explorer, was on his last trip to England, he spoke to many school children. He told them stories of the cruel slave trade in Africa and of the great need among the poor people there.
In his audience sat a little fellow named Frederick Stanley Arnot and his mother. Frederick was only six years old, but he listened eagerly to Livingstone and the missionary became his hero. Then and there he decided that when he grew up, he wanted to go to Africa and help his friend. All through his boyhood the idea of going to Africa was uppermost in his mind.
But Frederick had to learn that before the Lord could use him he must be saved. The Lord drew him to Himself, however, and when ten years old, Frederick was converted. It came about this way.
One day he and his friend, Jimmie, went to a neighbor’s orchard and helped themselves to some plums. Jimmie’s older brother saw them from the window and shouted, “Thief! Thief!”
These words so troubled Frederick that the next day, when he had to pass the town prison, he was terrified as he thought he might be taken to prison as a thief. When he saw a policeman bringing a boy to prison who had stolen a pair of boots, Frederick rushed home and hid until bedtime.
When everyone else in the house had gone to bed, Frederick got up saying to himself, “I must tell God about my sin. I must ask Him to forgive me.” While on his knees, he began to cry, feeling he was too bad for God to forgive him. Then he thought about Jesus dying on the cross for his sins. “Jesus had to die for me because I am wicked,” thought Frederick; and there came into his mind the verse his parents had taught him when he was a tiny boy: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
At that moment Frederick suddenly knew that he believed on Jesus as his Saviour. He also knew that his sins were forgiven. He went to sleep and the next morning he awoke with a happy heart. The burden of his sin was gone.
Frederick’s desire to take the gospel to the Africans now grew. He felt he had a wonderful message to tell the people of God’s salvation and of God’s forgiveness of sins. When 15, he began to fit himself for his work as a missionary. He learned to be a blacksmith, to repair watches, and how to find his way with a compass. He also preached the gospel with his father in the open air.
When 23 years old, he sailed for Africa. For the next 32 years he spent his life for the Lord and in helping others. When 55, the Lord took him home to heaven. His life was not long, but it was filled in service for his Saviour whom he had learned to love when just a boy.
ML-09/05/1976