ALL in the workshop saw the change.
Truly B. was an altered man. Formerly he would be among the foremost in the rough coarseness of their words and ways, but now all was changed. He not only joined with them no longer, but rebuked the evil of their speech and conduct, owning, in simple and yet earnest words, that, by grace, he was saved through faith, and pressing, too, upon them their need of being born again.
Now his fellow-workmen all turned against their former companion, and, agreeing together, sought in every way to provoke him, and thus show that he was not the changed man he said he was.
One evening he was about to leave to attend a prayer-meeting, when he found his hat missing from its usual place. It had been hidden by some of his shop-mates. Without saying a word he quietly went to the meeting without it.
On another occasion they hid his coat, but this did not keep him away, for, seeing he had no time to get to his home first, he went to the meeting coatless.
The severest test was yet to come.
On one of the hot days of summer, a youth put some pitch into B.’s hat. Without noticing it, B. put it upon his head when he left the shop, and, being rather late, hurriedly ran home to his dinner.
The pitch was melted by the warmth, and, when B, attempted to take off his hat, he found it adhering closely to his forehead.
In the endeavor to remove it, the skin of his forehead was at last torn off with the hat, leaving a most painful wound. His father was very angry, and said, “I shall call a policeman, and inquire into it.”
“O! father,” was B’s reply, “and, you have been a Christian so many years. I am surprised at you.”
His mother cried to see her son suffering so much pain; but he quietly answered her by quoting the words, “When He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not.” 1 Peter 2:2323Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1 Peter 2:23).
On returning to his work, his shop-mates said,
“Who did it, B.?”
“God knows,” he answered, “and I know what I shall do to the culprit.” After some time the youth who had done it went to him, saying, “What will you do to the guilty one? O! B., I am sorry I did it, but don’t tell the foreman, for I am an orphan, and should be discharged, and then what should I do?” In a few minutes B. said,
“Now I will tell you what I shall do, my boy.”
“O! what?” was the eager inquiry.
“I shall forgive you,” was the answer.
Thus he sought to follow in the steps his Saviour and Lord had trod, remembering that He, even when taunted, jeered, mocked, scourged, and crucified, had prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know riot what they do,” and who has directed us how to act towards those who illtreat us, saying,
It is as we look up to the Lord Jesus, where He now is, that we are conformed to His image; as we read of Stephen, who, while his body was being battered with the stones of those who hated him for “Christ’s sake,” looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and, thus occupied, reflected the spirit of his Lord and Master, for whom he was now suffering, saying, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” Acts 7:6060And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:60).
To you, young Christians, I would say, Look off unto Jesus, and, as your eye, in faith, is taken up with His beauties and glories, you will, by the Holy Spirit, be enabled to act like Him, who would have us walk here even as He walked.
“What glory is it, if, when ye be buffed for your faults, ye take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” 1 Peter 2:2020For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. (1 Peter 2:20).
ML-10/20/1935