A regiment of soldiers was hurriedly billeted on a certain village in which there lived several Christians who were in the habit of coming together in one of their houses for reading the Word of God and for prayer. All were soon lodged among the villagers except one who had a repulsive countenance and whose untrimmed beard and hair gave him still more the appearance of a savage, so much so that he terrified everyone.
Accompanied by an officer he rapped at the door of a citizen who was frightened, as the others had been, but knowing it was his duty to be obliging and to receive at least one soldier, he begged the officer to send him two soldiers instead of the one offered. The offer was accepted, and the officer and soldier went away to find lodgment at one of the neighboring houses; the search, however, was in vain, and the officer who had not as yet found a place for himself, left the soldier to get out of his difficulty the best way he could.
Repulsed from house to house he came at length before the door of a hall in which was an assembly of Christians. The owner of the house was standing at the entrance, but he went in with several others just as the soldier approached to speak to him. A little after, however, he came out again and seeing the soldier walking up and down before the place he asked him where he lodged.
“No person has been willing to receive me,” was the frank reply of the soldier, “but I hope I shall be received at last by you.”
He was about to utter a refusal when the words of Scripture came to his mind.
“Come in,” said he, “but promise me that you will conduct yourself properly.”
The hall, which was filled with seats, made a vivid impression on the soldier, and he asked:
“Is this a church?”
The master of the house asked him to sit down, which he did at once.
Soon the hall was filled. After a hymn and prayer there was a portion of Scripture read and explained. The happiness in the knowledge of Jesus and the trust in Him was much dwelt on.
The soldier who was for the first time in his life at a meeting of Christians was greatly moved even to tears and could not refrain from crying out:
“O! if I were only like you! but I am a wretched godless creature, probably destined to be killed in battle and then to come before God. O, if I was only like you!”
He was soon surrounded by friends who spoke to him of the Saviour’s love whose heart never repulsed even the worst of evil doers, His happiness was in seeking and in saving the lost.
The soldier was converted, and that night he went to rest full of joy and gratitude towards his Saviour.
The next morning at daybreak, he came again to the first person who had refused him a lodging.
“I must tell you,” said he by way of salutation, “by what good people I have been received,” and he recounted his experience of the previous evening.
The villager, frightened at first by the return of the “savage” whom he had repulsed, recovered himself on seeing that his intentions were good, and began to laugh, saying:
“My poor chap, those Christians have turned your head and you will become like one of them unless you stop your ears when they speak of mercy, grace, and salvation or of perdition. I detest the whole crowd and I certainly shall never attend one of their meetings.”
“And I tell you that you shall come,” cried the soldier in a tone of voice that did not admit of any reply. “How dare you curse people who love God sincerely and manifest the sincerity of their words by their actions? This evening I shall come for you to take you to their meeting.”
Sure enough at the appointed time the soldier returned and the villager, frightened again by his appearance, followed him without saying a word, to the meeting room where the soldier made him sit down by himself.
“Attention! Open your ears,” said the soldier to the villager at the commencement of the meeting.
He did so, and so effectually, that before the close of the meeting his rebellious heart was broken. His debt towards God came home to him in all its enormity and the simple announcement of the love of God to the sinner won his heart.
“Well, what do you say to it now?” asked the soldier on coming out. “Shall it be necessary to bring you again?”
“No, certainly not; and I thank you for having brought me to a house where I have found the salvation of my soul,” replied the villager, pressing his hand.
The following day the regiment was on the field of battle, and as nothing after was heard of the converted soldier, it is very probable that the bullet he had at first feared had done its work and had brought him into the presence of God whom he had been brought to know as his Father in Jesus Christ.
As to the villager, he became a faithful follower of the Lord, loving His Word and His people, whom aforetime he had detested.
Dear reader, we have here two fruits from a single grain. How marvelous are God’s ways of grace to the undeserving.