WE had completed our legal business one spring morning of the present year when I turned to our client, George C—, a miner, and asked him the date and circumstances of his conversion. His face became a study.
Radiant joy lit up his countenance. It was evidently an unfeigned pleasure to him to turn to the topic of grace. He then told me a little of how it came about.
“I was a rough un," said he. “Nothing too bad for me in them days. I scarcely ever spoke without an oath; I was fighting pretty well every day of me life, and spent most of me time in the pub'. Many's the time on a Sunday I've started out with a golden sov'rin in my pocket and come home by midday wi' scarce a copper—I'd gambled it most all away.
“I used to 'do the garden' for a crippled man, who was a Christian, and him and his wife 'od have a word with me if they could get me into the house about my soul and my sinful ways. I used to watch 'em and I knowed somehow as how they'd got a something I hadn't. I could see they was happy. I used to think a lot about it. Well, one day I was a fightin' in the pub' and was so bad that the publican got four men to chuck me out. So they gave me the frog's march into the road. It was my last time in the pub'. I saw my folly and I gave myself to Christ.
“A few days later, with some Christians, I stood outside on the green facing the public-house, and I told the folk (they all knew me) what God had done for my soul. Said they, O he a' got a tile off.' Yes, friends,' I said, it's quite true, I 'aye got a tile off, but since I've had the tile off it's let the sunshine in.'”
Happy George! Has the reader a share in his joys? Hast thou fled from sin's delusive and disappointing pleasures to the satisfaction and sunshine of a Savior’s love? Oh! bright exchange! "He calleth thee" is still true.
From the smoky Midlands (the scene of the first incident) let us travel in mind to sunny Devon, and reaching the south of that lovely county we will enter the mansion of a millionaire. He has called his secretary to his room, and there by his master's side he stands with everything ready to take his instructions down. All that money could buy lay within his reach—a wish expressed and the thing was done. Says this prince of fortune:
"John, I want—”
“Yes, sir," replies the secretary.
“John, I want—”
Another pause.
“John, I want—”
“Yes, sir," again says the secretary, all ready to do his master's bidding.
“John, I don't know what I want.”
Poor rich soul! Money, with all it can buy, bath yielded thee no abiding gratification. Thou art still wishing, still wanting, still stretching forth the hand of unsatisfied desire for a something, thou knowest not what, wherewith to fill the yawning emptiness of thy poor heart. The wise will not envy thee.
Reader, unto which of the two art thou like? Art thou still seeking, like the miner and the millionaire? Running in ardent search after the pleasures of time? We would be thy friends in this matter, and hasten a speedy and happy conclusion to thy search.
Yea, we know of a certain issue for good. Lend us thine ears. We tell thee of "a giving God." And for the asking thou mayest receive of Him living waters. Waters to overrun in floods of satisfaction thy poor heart.
Oh! if thou did'st but know. If but the veriest dream of what thou shouldest find in drinking of the waters that God gives should be conveyed to thee, then thou wouldest haste thee away to Christ now.
Say, then, to Him ere thou layest this paper aside, "Give me this water." Henceforth and forever it shall be thine to say, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”
The fountain of divine love has found a way by which to flow to the sons of the dust. And when the last obstacle had been removed that hindered love's down-flow there arose from the parched lips of the Son of God to the heights of glory the joyous cry, "It is finished!" The floodgates of God's love and grace were opened, and the long-pent-up love flows even to thee. The gigantic obstruction to the love of God reaching us was sin; but, hearken! Christ has "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Heb. 9:2626For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26).) Hallelujah! Listen again: "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Heb. 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17).)
Reader, trust Him, for He died for thee!
E. W. W.