A YOUNG man was hunting deer in the mountains of Virginia one day when he heard a sweet voice singing an old hymn.
There is a happy land,
Far, far away,
Where saints in glory stand,
Bright, bright as day.
Oh, how they sweetly sing!
Worthy is the Saviour King!”
Loud let His praises ring,
Praise. praise for aye!
Curious to see who the singer was, he turned in the direction from whence the voice came. There in the clearing was an old log cabin. Outside with her hands in her washtub was Auntie, an old negro lady, her hair white as snow, and singing away for sheer joy of heart. The young college student stood enchanted at the sight.
But then he found out that old Auntie was also blind. Nevertheless she turned her sightless eyes heavenward and the hills and valleys rang with her joyful voice. Now she was singing:
We are feeding on the Living Bread,
We’re drinking at the Fountain head;
“And whoso drinketh,” Jesus said,
“Shall, never, never thirst again.”
We’re marching through
Immanuel’s ground,
And soon shall hear the trumpet’s sound,
And then we shall with Jesus reign,
And never, never part again.
“Auntie,” said the young student to her at last, “You are blind!”
“No sir,” she replied. “I’m not blind. I can’t see you nor these trees, nor the rocks nor the mountains, but I can see on into the kingdom. I can see that ‘happy land, far, far away.’ "
Impressed with what he saw and heard, the young student from then on became deeply concerned about the needs of his soul and about heaven and hell. He became convicted of his sin and he didn’t rest until he found peace through trusting in the Lord Jesus as his Saviour. Later on he became a preacher of the gospel and he often told the story of how the echo of the old blind lady’s song still followed him.
“He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God.” Psalm 40:2,32He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:2‑3).
“And they sung a new song, sang, Thou art worthy...: for Thou wast slain, and Nast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”
ML-12/01/1974