A FEW months ago a young man was mentioned to me who was living an ungodly and disorderly life.
He was a man tolerably well off, but by way of having an employment he kept a tavern, an occupation well suited to his taste. He also gained sums of money from time to time by a lottery. He had bought a large number of lottery tickets, which might be drawn four times a year. When these times came round he was in a state of anxiety and excitement beforehand, and of wild delight, or of anger and discontent, afterwards.
It happened about three weeks since, that a course of Gospel meetings was held in a chapel on weekday evenings. This young man, whom we will call Charles, was asked by a friend to go with him to the chapel. Charles, however, replied he had no liking for Methodists, and his friend might go without him. Some nights after, however, his friend persuaded him to go and hear what the Methodists had to say. As they went in a gentleman came up to Charles and offered him a hymnbook, and in a polite manner showed him a seat. Charles was surprised; he thought Methodists (“mommiers,” as they are called in this French town) were sour, ill-mannered people. He paid little attention to the preaching, for it was so strange and new to him that he had a difficulty in taking in anything that was said. He found, however, that the New Testament was constantly referred to.
Afterwards, in thinking over the matter, it struck him it would be a good thing to get a New Testament, and find out what it all meant. For although he had listened so inattentively, there was something in that which he had heard which made him uneasy and uncomfortable. Till now he had never read a New Testament, nor, indeed, any part of the Bible. He found that the Lord Jesus Christ was the sum and substance of the whole book. He read on, understanding little of what he read, and instead of finding comfort and peace of mind, he became more anxious and uneasy. He began to realize that he was a sinner, and under the condemnation of God. Yet he could not lay the book aside. In his spare moments he read on in spite of himself.
One night he went to bed, but could not sleep. All his soul seemed dark as the night around him. He got up, lighted his candle, and sat down to read more. It was a cold night; he put on his cap and remained leaning over his book, his eyes fixed on the printed pages. But it seemed to him that all was blank to him words and sentences that he could read with his eyes, but nothing to satisfy the bitter longing of his heart for peace and rest. “It has nothing for me,” he said. At that moment a spider which had dropped on his cap, came slowly downwards on its fine thread before his eyes. It hung above the book. He watched to see upon what words it would alight Lower and lower it came, and it rested on the words: “What is that to thee? Follow thou Me.”
“Yes,” he said, “all is dark to me, but I will follow Him.”
When morning came his resolution was made. He gave up the tavern then and there. He then went to the lottery office and sold his tickets. “No more of that,” he said. What next to do he knew not, but he felt drawn to the chapel.
That night a young man whom he knew was sitting near him. After the preaching this young man stood up, and, with tears of joy, said aloud, “I am His―He has saved me. I am His for ever.” Christ had found His lost sheep.
Charles turned pale as death. It was a sight which filled him with awe, and he realized at that moment that Jesus was also his Saviour, and that for him, also, He had died and had risen again, to be the living Lord and the eternal joy of his soul. He, too, stood up, and said, “He has saved me.”
And together these two who had passed from death to life gave thanks to Him who loved them, and who had washed them from their sins in His own blood. They are witnessing for Him in this town, and are longing to bring others to Jesus.
Will you not pray for them, that they may be faithful, holy in their walk and conversation, and much blessed in their service to Him who has delivered them from this present evil world to be His joy and crown?