A RICH man had a son, whose heart had been won for Christ, and he was holding meetings among the young. In barns and in schoolrooms, in the green fields, and by the river side, he preached Christ to crowds of attentive and deeply interested schoolboys and schoolgirls.
At the close of his address one evening, he invited all the boys and girls who wanted to be saved to stand up. For a long while none of the children moved, although many were in deep anxiety of soul, only they were afraid of their companions’ sneers.
Pat and Dick, the sons of two neighboring farmers, sat next to each other. They were close friends and school companions, nearly the same age, and very much of the same disposition. They were both anxious to be saved, but shy to own it before so many. When the young evangelist gave a second invitation for any who were “desirous of being saved to stand up,” Pat slowly rose to his feet, and in a moment more, Dick was standing by his side. What a sea of faces were turned toward the two boys! Yet no one laughed. Many were glad, for now the ice was broken, others less courageous followed; and many, both boys and girls, decided to be the Lord’s that night. Pat first saw the light, put his trust in the Lord Jesus, and had left the meeting to return home. Now he was anxiously looking behind him in the direction of the schoolroom for Dick, who soon overtook him, rejoicing that the Lord had saved him also.
Next morning Pat and Dick were walking along the road that leads from their country homes to the village school, both saved and happy. The glen through which they passed rang again, as their voices blended in singing.
“I know my sins are all forgiven,
Hallelujah to the Lamb;
And I am on my way to heaven,
Glory to the bleeding Lamb.”
As they drew near the village Pat said to Dick, “Shall we tell the boys we’ve been converted, Dick, when we go into the playground or wait till dinnertime?”
Dick hesitated. The desire to tell them at once was uppermost in his mind, but to wait until dinnertime might be the easiest way, he thought; and Satan was of that opinion too. The whispered suggestion was almost adopted, when there crossed Pat’s mind the lines of the hymn,
“Now I will tell to all around,
What a dear Saviour I have found.”
“No, we must confess Christ at once, Dick; it won’t do to leave it till dinnertime. Come and let us ask God to give us courage not to be ashamed of Jesus.” Drawing Dick by the arm to the roadside, they knelt down together by the mossy bank, and asked the Lord to strengthen them to confess His name, and to give them courage among their schoolmates. And the God who heareth the raven’s cry, heard the prayer of the two schoolboys that first morning of their Christian life. They arose strengthened and happy.
When they reached the playground quite an ovation awaited them. “Here come the two converted fellows,” shouted a dozen voices, as Pat and Dick made their appearance. Nothing daunted, they made their reply, “Yes, here we are, saved, and on our way to heaven; how many of you are going with us?”
The other boys hardly expected an answer like this; they thought “the two converted chaps” would blush, or more probably deny that they had been converted, to escape their sneers. But there they were, openly confessing themselves the Lord’s; and their faces beaming with joy. At playtime quite a circle gathered around Pat and Dick, to hear the story of their conversion.
“It’s as simple as A B C, boys,” said Pat. “You have nothing to do at all. Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ You have only to believe on Him, and He says you are saved, and have everlasting life. That’s how Dick and I have been converted; and it’s the same for you.”
That was the beginning of days of grace in the village school. Many of the boys and girls were saved; some of them are now in heaven; while others are on earth, following Jesus “in the way.”
Reader, the gospel by which Pat and Dick were saved is all-powerful to save you. It will, if you believe, for there is no respect of persons. If you believe the gospel in your heart this day, it will be the power of God to your immediate salvation as surely as it was that day, long ago, to Pat and Dick, the happy schoolboys.
ML-04/08/1962