One day a little baby was born in a village near the sea in South China. As it was a little boy, his mother was very proud and happy, and felt that a name must be chosen for him that would bring him good fortune throughout his life. Probably many names were considered, but in the end he was named “Peace and Glory” as, no doubt, his mother thought that if he had peace and glory he was sure to be happy.
Often, however, boys and girls have very different characters from the names they bear, and so it was with little “Peace and Glory.” He had never heard of the “Prince of Peace,” the “King of Glory,” in whose service alone true peace and glory may be found. As he grew up, his only thought was to serve his own will and do his own pleasure. He did not know that in doing this he was really serving Satan, who would try to keep him from ever getting either peace or glory.
Like many thousands in the world, he did not know the “way of peace” and there was “no fear of God before his eyes”; so when an opportunity came for him to join a band of robbers who lived a wild, adventurous life in the hills near his village, he readily threw in his lot with them.
As he was a strong, bold man, he soon rose to a high place in the band, but though the life seemed a free and easy one, he had no peace, for that can never be found in the bondage of Satan. He always had the knowledge before him that if caught by the soldiers, he would be put to death without mercy. Certainly there was not much glory in that way of living!
At this time the government of the province in which he lived wished to get many more soldiers for the army, and so a proclamation was issued, offering a pardon for all the past crimes to any robbers who would give themselves up and join the army.
“Peace and Glory” heard of the offer, and the thought of pardon was very sweet. How tired he was of living night and day in the fear of being captured and punished for his crimes! Certainly it would be much nicer to be a soldier, even if he did not make as much money! And with this thought in his mind he gave himself up to serve the government.
When he became a soldier, the same strength and boldness caused him to rise rapidly, and before long he became the officer of the guard which was stationed in his own village as a protection against robbers. On more than one occasion he proved himself without fear of man by attacking strong forces of robbers, and he soon became a leading man in the village.
However, “Peace and Glory” was still far from the “way of peace.” Although he had changed his position in the world, he was still going on in the service of Satan, and was just as far from God as he had been when a robber. To add to his pay as a soldier, he would spend much of his spare time gambling, at which he was very clever. He also built a large house where men could buy and smoke opium, and he himself became an opium smoker.
While he was in charge of the guard, a native Christian came to preach in the village. He stirred up the hatred of “Peace and Glory” by teaching that gambling and opium smoking, which were so common in the village, were sins against the true God and would meet with His punishment, unless the people repented and turned to the Saviour that God had provided.
Though some in the village believed and turned to God, confessing the Saviour, “Peace and Glory” would not listen to the teaching. Following his bad example, the majority of the villagers turned against the gospel, and made fun of the preacher, wishing to go on with their sinful pleasures rather than to accept the pardon that God was offering in the gospel.
When the preacher was leaving the village, he called together the few Christians and encouraged them not to fear the sneers of their enemies, but to keep on serving the Lord, praying that He would cause some others to believe through their words.
ML 04/08/1956