DURING the autumn of last year, a poor fruit-seller occasionally called with his fruit at a bookseller’s in a seaside town. Though the keeper of the shop had not spoken to him of his eternal welfare, she became interested in the man. There was nothing attractive either in his ways or person. A short, thick-set man of about forty, dressed in a blue cotton blouse, with a face that told of previous intemperate habits. But he had a soul She thought she would give him a little book.
“Thank you kindly, ma’am,” said he, as he took it; “you are good to think of the likes of me.”
“God is good, my friend, not I. He made your fruit to grow and ripen; He ‘made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.’ He gives rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.’ And it is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance. If you’ve never thought of God, think of Him now. Read the book I’ve given you, and may God bless its message to your soul.”
A surprised yet grateful look passed over his face, as, again thanking her, he hurried away.
Scarcely a week had passed, when one afternoon the fruit-seller walked into the shop. “I’ve thought of your words, ma’am,” said he, “and my sister read the book to me.”
“What words?”
“About God’s goodness. I can’t forget them words, and more, I don’t want to. I’ve been a wild sort of a fellow for over twenty years, now I’m broken down in health, and I’ve come here for a month or two, and sells fruit that my father sends me from his garden at Swindon. But in all my knocking about, never did I hear such words as you give me. They’s set me a-thinking there is a God, and I never thought that there was afore. I looks up at the sky, and I says, there is a God who made it. I looks at the earth, and I says, He made that too, and I fears Him.”
“God’s word says, ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’” (Prov. 1:77The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7).)
“But, ma’am, I wants to know more; will you tell me how I can be saved?”
As he spoke he put his basket upon a chair, and seated himself upon another, while his anxious ear awaited the shopkeeper’s message.
As simply as we should tell a child was the gospel told to him, and the tears stood in his eyes as he listened. It was all so new to him, and it was just what he wanted. He was a poor, broken-down sinner, guilty, and he knew it―lost, and he knew it. Wasn’t he like the prodigal son, in want of the “best robe,” the “ring,” the “shoes”? Indeed he was. But there was more to tell him. He must hear yet more of repentance towards God, as well as of faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. And he heard that God “now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30, 3130And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:30‑31).)
Think what it cost the Lord when He was Sin-bearer and bore the wrath of the holy God in His own body on the cross. Should not such thoughts produce in us true repentance as we consider our guilt? True, the Lord Jesus is no longer under wrath, He is risen! ―raised from the dead for our justification, but the true believer’s thoughts go back to Calvary, for it was there the Son of God endured so much on account of sin.
“I’m a poor ignorant fellow,” said the man, “but I do believe that Jesus died instead of me.”
“And God knows the sincerity of your belief,” said the shop-keeper, “and He says to you. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.’” (Rom. 10:9, 109That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9‑10).)
The shop keeper and the fruit seller parted expecting to meet again, but God ordered it otherwise. Within a month from that afternoon the man was present with the Lord.
Through some neighbors who visited him in his last hours, this friend heard of his happy departure. All was peace and joy; he had no doubt as to his soul’s security.
“Going to be with Jesus!” “All is peace!” “So happy!” These were some of his last words, ere the spirit left the sphere of sin, want and misery, for the haven of eternal blessedness. E. E. S.