The Land Owner and His Tenants.

From: Messages of God's Love: 1918

A LAND-OWNER who had been converted to God, sought to preach Christ, and to tell of a full and free salvation through simple faith in the finished work of Christ among his tenantry. He found them very unwilling to believe in salvation through grace alone, or to receive, as a free gift from God the forgiveness of all their sins for Jesus’ sake. (1 John 2:12¹²I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (1 John 2:12).) Some of his tenants through adverse circumstances and bad crops, had fallen considerably into debt. With a desire to help them in temporal things, and at the same time to illustrate in a manner they were likely to understand how God forgives the poor lost sinner, he caused his land-steward to have posted upon the walls of his office, and in several prominent places through the village, where the tenents would be sure to see it as they passed to and fro, a notice which caused great excitement, and not a little merriment among the crowds who soon began to gather around the land-steward’s office, and the other places where it appeared. The following is the sum of what it contained:

“The owner of the estate will be at his office in the village on Thursday the 14th instant, between the hours of nine and twelve o’clock in the morning, and will clear all debts, to whomsoever due, of any who cannot discharge their obligations. Applicants must present their accounts, containing the exact amount and nature of the debts owing to each creditor, and they must also give a statement of their own means and of whatsoever property they have.”

As the date mentioned on the notice drew near, the curiosity of the people increased, and various opinions were passed concerning it. Some laughed it to scorn. Others thought it a trick to find out how much they possessed. A few made up a full statement of their affairs, but resolved to wait until they saw how others succeeded before presenting it, in case it should turn out a “sham”.

A few minutes before nine on the morning of Thursday, the 14th, the landowner drove up in his carriage, and entered his office. The people looked at each other, but none would enter in, lest they should be laughed at by the rest. At last an old man and his wife appeared, and after reading the notice over, as if to again assure themselves of its genuineness, and of the land-owner’s signature at the foot of it, they walked into his office.

“They’ll find themselves fooled,” said one of those who stood outside, but all the time he had a hope it might be true and waited eagerly for the old couple to return. The old gentleman produced his accounts and said,

“I was so glad to see your notice: I have always tried to keep my accounts squared up, but in my later years, I cannot work as I could once, and some due bills have accumulated that have made me feel very bad.”

“But why should I pay your debts?” inquired the land-owner.

“I do not know: but it says so on the notices.”

“And so it does, my good friend: It is just like the promises of God; it means just what it says.” Whereupon he proceeded to look over the accounts, and then gave the delighted couple a check on the bank. They had all their debts paid off, and as much more given them as would carry them through the hard times. The happy pair started for the door, eager to tell others the good news, but they were requested to wait a few minutes until the hour expired.

As the clock rang out twelve o’clock, the door opened, and the old couple appeared. They were at once surrounded by an eager crowd asking, “Is it true?” The old man held up his check, and just then the land owner stepped from, the door into his carriage and drove off, while the office was besieged by excited men crushing to get inside, but the steward’s reply to each and all was,

“Too late, the time is past. and my master is gone.”