It was a day of rejoicing for the missionaries as well as for the native Christians in a Chinese village years ago. They were gathered together for the opening of a new little mission hall. A missionary was coming from a distance for the occasion and the little congregation waited to hear with joy the message he would bring.
It so happened that there was present an old blind man who had lately come to town. No one had ever told him about Jesus, and no missionary had ever visited him. He was seventy-five years old. When he heard the people hurrying by and speaking to each other so excitedly, he inquired what was going on; when they told him, he begged them to take him along to the hall where they would hear about Jesus.
So it came about that this old blind man was seated in the little gospel hall when the missionary arrived and the service began. The old man listened attentively to——the Scripture reading and to the prayer, and the singing delighted him. But when from the pulpit the missions read the words: “God so loved the world, that He gave His own begotten Son, that whosever believeth is Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” the old blind man could not restrain himself for joy He clapped his hands and cried: “Many thanks, dear Sir; that’s just what I need; for that I have been praying many years.”
That was an unusual disturbance, and some of the people got up and wanted to get him out of the hall. They thought he had lost his mind. But he said, “No, I have not lost my mind; I only know what I need and I have been searching for all these years.” So quiet was restored, and the preacher continued with his message without further interruption. Right after the service the missionary had to leave in order to keep another appointment.
It was a large mission field and much of the work was done by native Christians. Six months passed before the missionary returned to this same town. In the meanwhile, seven souls had confessed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and desired to be baptized. And what do you think? One of the seven was the old blind man.
Now it was the custom in that mission, that at the baptismal service each one who was to be baptized would tell something of his life's history. When the blind man’s turn came to speak, there was a hush everyone listened and was deeply moved. And, surely, it was a wonderful story he told. This is who he said:
“When I was twenty-five years old I became convinced that to worship idols is vain and useless. I felt sad and helpless. One morning, as I say the glorious sun rise like a ball of fire in the east, I fell down and cried: ‘Oh Sun, take the burden from off my heart!’ And in the evening, when the sun was going down, I prayed again: ‘Oh Sun, before you go, leave me a blessing and take this burden from my heart!’ And so I prayed again and again, but the weight of sorrow was not lifted from his heart. Then I began hoping that the moon might be able to help me. For twelve months, I kept calling upon the moon, but I got no peace, and for a whole year I called upon the shining stars, but found no relief. Finally, I threw myself upon the ground and cried: ‘If there is a Ruler above the stars, Oh, reveal Thyself to me.’ But no answer came to me from the skies, and weary, tired to death and sad, I wandered on my way until I became a blind old man. Then six months ago, on the day when the little mission hall was opened, I heard about the great God who is above all, and loves the children of men. Then, as I listened to the message that day, after my long search, such joy and happiness filled my heart that I could hardly understand; that is why I jumped up and cried: ‘That is just what I need.’
“And now,” the old man concluded, ‘I have only one wish, and that is to be baptized. Then I will say, as old Simeon did in the temple when he held the young child Christ in his arms: ‘Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace... for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,’ and the heavy weight is taken away from my heart.’ "
Dear children, I wish you would find in your New Testament the beautiful words of the gospel text which so stirred the heart of that old blind man. Many of you know it by heart already.
Now look up and memorize Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12), and believe it to the salvation of your own precious soul: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
ML-10/30/1966