I remember when holding a meeting in Kansas, I saw a little boy who came up to the window crying. I went to him and said: "My little boy what is your trouble?"
'Why Mr. Moody, my mother's dead, my father drinks, and they don't love me, and the Lord won't have anything to do with me because I am the son of a drunkard."
"You have a wrong idea, my boy," I replied. "Jesus will love you and save you and your father too," and I told him a story of a little boy in an Eastern city.
I told the little boy who was crying about another little boy whose father would never allow hypocritical Christians to come into his house, and would never allow his child to go to Sunday School. But a kindhearted man spoke to this little boy and brought him to Christ.
One day, when the boy's father had been drinking, he came home and heard his son praying. He went to him and said: "I don't want you to pray any more. You've been along with some of those Christians. If I catch you again I'll flog you."
The boy was filled with God and he couldn't help praying. The door of communication was opened between him and Christ, and his father caught him.
'Didn't I tell you never to pray again?" he said. "If I catch you once more you must leave my house."
Not very long after this when the father had been drinking more than usual, he came in and found the boy offering a prayer.
"Leave this house," he raged, pushing the boy. "Pack up and go."
The little fellow hadn't many things to get together, and he went up to his mother's room.
"Goodbye, mother." "Where are you going?" "I don't know where I'll go, but father says I cannot stay here any longer; I've been praying again," he said.
His mother knew it wouldn't help to try and keep the boy when her husband had ordered him away, so she drew him to her and kissed him and said goodbye. Then he went to his brothers and sisters and kissed them good-bye. When he came to the door his father was there and the little fellow reached out his hand "Goodbye father. As long as I live I will pray for you," and he left the house.
The boy hadn't been gone many minutes when his father rushed after him.
"Son, if that is religion, if it can drive you away from father and mother and home, I want it."
Just as I told this story to the little boy who was crying perhaps I am telling it again to some other child who has a drinking father and mother. Lift your voice, and the news will be carried up to heaven.