In a country home, there was great rejoicing, one winter's day, at the birth of a son. Bonfires were lighted in the grounds, and the satisfaction of the glad father was expressed in many substantial ways to all around.
Anthelme, for so the welcome babe was named, grew into a sturdy, healthy, energetic little soul, full of love for those who so loved him, and eager in his childish way to show it. His wisdom, however, was not always equal to his zeal. One day wishing to express, by an offering, the homage of his heart to his mother, he emptied into her lap in triumph, an apron full of tulip buds, having for the purpose entirely stripped a rare collection of plants, whose development she was eagerly watching. Alas! some of our zealous efforts to serve the Lord are as bungling!
When Anthelme was two and a half years old, to his delight, a little brother was born.
The two boys were simply inseparable, leading a joyous life together in the sunny gardens that surrounded the house. Here, at their merry play, one day Philippe's little life was nearly brought to an untimely end; for, as he scampered heedlessly about, he fell into a large, open tank, where the rainwater from the terraces above was collected for watering the garden.
Anthelme with a courage and presence of mind unusual in a child of five years old, leaned over the edge of the tank, and, as Philippe rose to the surface, seized the little fellow by his clothing and dragged him out in safety. Thus, through God's mercy, he was used to save his brother's life, who was to be the means, in later years, of bringing him a far greater salvation.
As they grew up, the two brothers developed different tastes, which without diminishing their affection for one another, drove them to seek other companionship.
Anthelme became an enthusiastic sportsman, and was never so happy as when, with gun on his shoulder, and dogs at his heels, he trampled through forest, and over mountain and valley.
Philippe took a more intellectual turn, he was an ardent lover of music.
The family having now moved into the city, he was able to encourage these tastes to the utmost; his unmistakable talent for poetry, and his musical ability made him a favorite with the marked literary characters of the day.
And yet it was just as the world smiled its brightest upon him, that God gave Philippe to see, as it were, a brightness above the sun at midday, which was forever to dim to him all the false lights of earth.
His mother had lately been led to the knowledge of the Savior, through a godly minister. Her first thought was for the salvation of this beloved child. Praying God that the one, who had been used in blessing to her own soul, might be also used to her son's conversion, she entreated the pastor to seek out the young man, and try to win him to Christ. Philippe yielded to his solicitations to accompany him on a tour he was about to make where there had recently been a revival, many people having found joy in accepting the gift of God, eternal life through Jesus Christ.
An extraordinary change its was for one, fresh from the whirl of gay society, to find himself in the company of simple peasants and humble farmers, whose chief theme of conversation was the Savior's love, and who spoke with joyful certainty of spending an eternity with Him.
It was a new and strange world to Philippe. He could not doubt the reality of the faith and joy of the Christians among whom he was thrown. Day by day the impression, made upon him by their simple testimony, deepened in his soul, and the vanity and emptiness of his own life stood out in bitter contrast.
A deciding point came one evening, when, at the close of a little meeting in one of these pious households, the pastor turned to the young stranger and asked him if he would pray. Philippe, feeling it impossible that he, who had never before bowed his knees, nor opened his voice in prayer, should do so now in public. However, he knelt down, and, as he afterward said, "For the first time in my life, I felt there was a living God, present among us.”
As he stammered forth a few broken sentences, then and there light streamed into his soul. God, in tender mercy, revealed Himself as the Savior-God to the young man who knelt trembling before Him.
From that night Philippe's lips were opened to confess Christ as his Redeemer and his Lord. Through long years, whether in sickness or in health, he never wearied of his Master's service, but gave himself in loving living sacrifice to the One who had purchased him at the price of His own blood.
Like Andrew, who, having been found himself of the Lord, "first findeth his own brother.... and brought him to Jesus." Philippe's first desire, on his conversion, was to bring his dearly-beloved brother to the Savior's feet. Long and prayerfully he considered how best to reach him. It was no easy problem to solve, for Anthelme ever openly avowed his utter distaste for anything of a religious character, and would never attend preaching. When his pastime he so loved, was out of season, he would frequent the gavest circles of society, where his ready wit and graceful, courteous bearing, made him one of fashion's favorites.
Serious thought, and grave conversation seemed alike impossible with the young worldling, and Philippe felt he must wait for a God-given opportunity before he ventured to open his lips to his brother about eternal realities.
And the Lord gave him what he sought.
One Autumn day, Anthelme set off early with a party of sportsmen across the hills. They roamed far and wide, until, at the setting of the sun, the party dispersed at some miles' distance from home. Hungry and dissatisfied with his day's sport, Anthelme came in to find that the family had already finished their evening meal and had quitted the dining-room. With some impatience he called for his repast, declaring himself dying of hunger, and then restlessly strode up and down the deserted room.
Philippe had foreseen that, on his brother's return, he would have some little time to wait while his dinner was preparing, and that such delay would be wearisome enough to the hungry sportsman, who would probably welcome any distraction to kill the time. With this thought he went to his little stock of gospel tracts, and prayerfully selecting a pamphlet, placed it along side of the plate laid for his brother.
As Anthelme paced backwards and forwards, his eye fell on the tract lying by the empty plate.
"What have we here?" exclaimed he.
And to pass the time, he took it up carelessly, and glanced it over. His attention was arrested; he seated himself in the chair at the table, and forgetting all about his famishing state, and unmindful of the tardiness of the servant, read with an ever deepening interest of God's claims upon the sinner, and of his need of the Savior's cleansing blood. When the last page was reached, Anthelme turned back again to the first, with an ever increasing gravity re-perused the whole slowly and seriously.
Through the partly opened door Philippe had been cautiously watching the success of his strategem, while lifting up his heart to God for blessing on his beloved brother. Now, as Anthelme again finished the last page, he could restrain himself no longer. In trembling solicitude, he approached, and resting his hand lovingly on his brother's shoulder, asked,
"What think you of that pamphlet?”
"What do I think of it?" repeated Anthelme, excitedly; "why, that the author is right, and that what he says is the truth.”
Great was the joy of Philippe to find that his brother's conscience was truly awakened. Tenderly he pointed Anthelme to the Savior, telling him how willingly He had received him but a little while previously, and earnestly prayed with him, and for him. From that hour Anthelme rested not, until he could say that he, too, had known and believed the love that God had to him and could stay his soul on the finished work of the Crucified One, Christ Jesus.
And so Philippe was the means of bringing life eternal to the brother, who, in childhood, had saved his life, from a watery grave.
Now were the young men more closely united than ever. Strong as had been their fraternal affection, love in Christ was a yet closer bond. They walked hand in hand in the narrow path that leadeth unto life, building one another up in their most holy faith; strengthening one another in courage to confess Christ.
By God's grace, the two brothers now, once and for all, turned their backs upon the world and its allurements, "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." Now that He had become precious to them, they abandoned the vain pleasures that had formerly charmed them.
They relinquished every ambition as to fortune or position, and laying their all at the feet of Jesus, were filled with but one desire, to preach Christ, and His wonderful work of redemption at Calvary's cross.
"Them that honor Me, I will honor," and He fulfilled His word to these young men, blessing them much in ministry to souls, so that many were through them brought to the knowledge of Christ as their Savior and Lord.