HARRY and Bobby, Mary and Beth were playing Sunday school just inside the fence. They were singing their favorite song:
“There was a dear old Christian
whose name was Uncle Joe,
And everywhere the old man
went he loved his Saviour so.
And down by the river he’d
watch the fishes swim,
He’d think about his Saviour,
and this is what he’d sing:
Oh, come, come to Jesus,
come, come to Jesus.
Only come to Jesus, and He
will take you in;
And, if you’re discontented
and lead a life of sin,
Only come to Jesus, and He
will take you in.”
A voice said, “Oh, if He only would.”
Mary and Beth were a little bit frightened, but Harry and Bobby had started again, so they sang too:
“At last Death’s dark angel with
his mighty arrow came
And took old Joe to Heaven on
the Hallelujah train.
As his spirit was ascending to
the palace of the king,
They thought they heard him
singing, just as he entered in:
Oh, come, come to Jesus,
come, come to Jesus.
Only come to Jesus, and He
will take you in;
And, if you’re discontented
and lead a life of sin,
Only come to Jesus, and He
will take you in.”
“Oh, if He only would; if He only would,” the voice said again.
This time Harry and Bob heard it, too. They weren’t frightened, though, being boys — at least, they weren’t MUCH frightened. They looked over the fence. There on the other side was a tramp.
“Oh, if He only would,” said the tramp again. “Oh, if He only would.” “Only would what?” asked Bob. “Only take me in,” said the tramp.
“Oh, if He only would.”
Harry and Bob didn’t know what to do. But Mama would. They took him home with them.
Mama did know just what to do. She gave him some supper, and she told him about the Lord Jesus. She told him that He said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37). The tramp went away happy in Jesus.
The tramp did just what Happy Joe did. He came to the Lord Jesus, and the Lord Jesus took him in. He will take YOU in, too, if you will only come to Him.
ML-04/29/1962