PH 7:16It is rather more than thirty years ago that a missionary of the Basle society, named Samuel Hebich, lived and labored on the west coast of India.
He was a remarkable man,—fearless, earnest, and also more successful as a soul-winner among Europeans than any other of whom I have heard, The striking characteristics of his ministry were the personality of the Lord Jesus and the personality of Satan, and the conquest he made of the most determined opposers of the truth were many and striking.
One regiment that had been stationed at Cannanore were so powerfully affected by his preaching and house-to-house visitation, that no less than seven officers and most of their wives were truly converted to God, and were not ashamed to confess their faith in Christ. Several non-commissioned officers and others followed, so that ere it had left the station it had earned the sobriquet of " Hebich's Own."
From Cannanore, this regiment was sent to the French Rocks, a military station near Seringapatam; and after they had been a year in these quarters, the Christians especially invited their beloved friend to pay them a visit, which he gladly responded to. From one house to another, according to his wont, he visited, and, though with tenderness of manner, put the most searching questions to his children in the Lord. These elicited a fact which gave him no small uneasiness, namely, that the prayer-meeting, once so thronged and so much set by, had dwindled away till some were not sure that it existed at all.
His presence stirred up their hearts. Every night he held meetings, and they were fully attended not only by those who had good cause to love the man, and listen to his words, but by others from the neighborhood, who had heard of him, and longed to obtain some blessing for themselves.
It was thus the writer found himself in the company of those thus gathered; and he was greatly struck by his first sight of the German missionary, as he stood behind a table with a large open Bible on it.
I shall endeavor to give his discourse on this particular occasion, as nearly as I can remember it, in his own language. There is a force and a pathos in foreigners' English that so materially helps one to remember the subject, that I shall not attempt to improve it.
He read the fourth of Ephesians, and expounded it till he came to the sixteenth verse, which he read slowly, and repeated the words, "fitly shoined togeder."
He paused a few seconds and abruptly put the question, " Did you ever see a tob?" This homely appeal roused the audience, and caused a smile to pass over every face.
" If you go to P— (a factory in the neighborhood), you will see some very large tobs. You and I cannot make a tob; it requires a good carpenter to make a tob, or it will hold no water, because it is not made of one piece of wood, but of many, and the many filly shoined togeder. There are four tings to make a coot tob.
“1. It must have a coot bottom.
“2. Each of de pieces must be fitly shoined to de bottom.
“3. Each von must be fitly shoined to his fellow,
"4. Each von shall be kept close by de bands outside.
" Von peece may be narrow and de next peece be vide, yet it shall be a coot tob; but if a leetle shtone or bit of shtick vill come between de peeces it vill not do at all. If de peeces are near, but do not touch, it vill not do at all; and if all de peeces but von touch, and are fitly shoined togeder, and dis one fall in or out of de circle it is no tob at all. Now, if vee haf a cood bottom, and efry piece be fitly shoined to de bottom, and all are fitly shoined togeder from de top to de bottom, haf vee now a tob? No, it vill not hold vater for von moment till de bands are put on. De bands press hard on each peece of god, and den dey are more fitly shoined togeder.
" 'Oder foundation can no man lay dan dat is laid, vich is Jesus Christ.' Here vee haf de cood bottom for our tob. It is perfect, and efry von dat truly believes is resting on dis cood bottom, and is fitly shoined to it by de Holy Spirit of God.
" Dere are many who call demselves Christians who are not so joined, but vee are not speaking of dem now.
" In de Acts of de Apostles vee read often of being filled vit de Holy Ghost,' and ven gadered togeder for prayer vonce, de whole house did shake vid His power. Shust so now He fills vid peace and shoy de soul dat loves de Lord Jesus, and likevise de company gadered togeder in His name. Sometimes! not alvays. Sometimes! not alvays. Vy not alvays? Vee shall see. Vat is de shmall shtick or shtone between de peeces of god dat make de tob? It is de leetle quarrel,-de hard vord,-de de dirty bit of money, dat keeps broder from being fitly shoined to broder. Vat is de space between de peeces from top to bottom, troo vich you can see de light? It is de coldness dat you feel but do not tell. De major's vife and de captain's vife vill bow, but not speak or greet each oder as formerly, because vispering has come between dem. Vat is de peece of god dat falls out de circle? It is de proud, unforgiving spirit dat efry von can feel is in de meeting, and vich causes all heavenly peace to run out. You are fery sorry dat you have no blessing, and you leave de meeting because it can do you no cood. You stay at home vit de debit, and become dry indeed.
Oh, beloved, be fitly shoined togeder! You haf no power of your own. Dat vich shall keep you is de encircling bands of de love of Jesus from head to foot, and as dis power presses on each of you, so vill you become yet more closely shoined togeder. Den de Holy Spirit shall fill you to overflowing. Den all who come into your midst shall be refreshed, and de name of de Lord Jesus be glorified! Amen!"