IN the city of Caesarea in Cappadocia, there lived a Jewish physician, whose name was Joseph. He was a very clever and capable man, and no doctor in the whole country could be compared with him.
Now in the same city there lived a very godly man named Basilius. He was well acquainted with Joseph, and had often spoken to him about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who had come into the world for the salvation of all mankind. He had often expressed the wish to his friend Joseph that he might know the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, before he (Basilius) was taken from this earth. But the physician always remarked that he intended to live and die in the faith of his fathers, i.e. to remain a Jew. Even when Basilius tried to prove to him that Christ was the beginning and end, as also the center of all God’s counsels, being the fulfillment of God’s promises, the physician’s ears seemed closed to all.
Basilius, one day became seriously ill; he felt his end was drawing near, so sent for his friend Joseph, the physician; who, when he arrived, examined Basilius very carefully; then turning solemnly to the friends standing by, said:
“His end is very near!” But Basilius, who heard those words, asked;
“What, can I not be kept alive till tomorrow?” The physician answered;
“That cannot be, you will never see tomorrow; if you have anything to set in order, then hasten, for in one hour your life will end.” Then the dying man said;
“But what if I live till tomorrow noon?” Joseph answered in the pride and security of his ability,
“Then I would die!”
“Yes, yes,” answered Basilius, “may you die; that is, to sin and unbelief, and then to live for the Lord Jesus, who came into this world and died on the cross, even for your salvation.” The physician answered earnestly;
“Very well, if it adds to your comfort, I will promise you, that I will be converted, and become a Christian, if your life is prolonged.” Saying this he left.
Basilius folded his hands and prayed;
“Lord Jesus, Thou Who hast given this poor body life and breath, and hast granted me strength to use this breath in Thy service so many years, do Thou grant these dying members life and breath for a few more hours; so that the soul of that man, O my God, may be partaker of Thy salvation and blessings.”
The next morning the physician was called for. He entered the room, and behold, the old man was still alive, and greeted his coming friend in his usual kind way.
The latter was so astonished, he sank down upon his knees, beside the patient’s bed, and said,
“Now I acknowledge of a truth, that your God, O Basilius, is the true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our father’s comfort and hope; for He only could perform this miracle, to give new energy to the almost motionless heart, and to restore sight to the dimmed eye. Very well, I will do what I promised yesterday. I commit myself in faith to Thee, Lord Jesus, and am ready to be baptized in Thy name, with my whole house.” Basilius had the desire to perform this baptism himself, therefore he prayed to the Lord;
“From my youth, Thou has been the strength of my weakness, therefore it is but a small thing for Thee to grant me the necessary strength for this service too.”
When the appointed hour for the baptism arrived, there stood Basilius, (he who was to have been dead), and called upon the gathered assembly for prayer and praise to God. Then he baptized his friend Joseph, and his whole house.
As the city’s most prominent persons appeared at this solemn service, Basilius used the occasion to once more testify to all that there is salvation in no other name, but only in the Name of Jesus.
It was by this time almost three o’clock in the afternoon, when suddenly a great change took place in Basilius’ expression; it seemed as if his face beamed with divine light and love, and then he passed away.
The converted physician was now a new man, and to all who knew him, he was an example of faithful love to the Lord and to the Lord’s people.
ML 07/31/1927