AT the edge of the pavement, outside the London Docks, an old man had stationed himself, with his truck of Spanish chestnuts and oranges. Business had led me to that part of London, and while waiting for an omnibus in which to return, I made a small purchase from the old man’s truck, and having done so, handed him a copy of FAITHFUL WORDS.
He slowly read the title aloud, “Faithful Words,” then added, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him,” and whispered, “Yes, I have faith in God.”
Supposing my friend to be a Christian, but wishing to test him, I replied, “For what have you faith in God?”
“For the salvation of my soul and the forgiveness of my sins,” was immediately his clear, bright answer. This all assuring reply convinced me that my poor friend and I were brothers—united by the Holy Spirit in the bond of all bonds —Christ! We talked together for about half-an-hour, in the course of which I said, “How long have you been, converted, and how did it come about?”
“Well-nigh forty years, sir, and I well remember the texts that then came to my soul: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,’ and, ‘Whom having not seen I love; in whom, (and here the old man slightly altered the text, making it more personal), though now I see him not, yet believing, I rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;’ I have been; happy ever since, and from that day it would if not have mattered if an infidel with all his Arguments came to me, it would have had no effect upon me.”
The old man told me how he had lost one eye while at work in an, iron-ship-building yard nearby, where he had been employed upon that huge, vessel, “Great Eastern,” and he went on to, say how happy and contented he was, adding, “I would not change places with a King, for my joys will last forever, but a king’s may take to themselves wings and flee away.”
His knowledge of God’s Word was astonishing, and he rejoiced me by saying that his wife, too, was a believer in the Lord Jesus.
While still waiting for the omnibus, and looking anxiously in the direction from which it was to come, I heard my old friend exclaim, “Here is another of ‘em, sir,” So turning quickly round, I found that a young man of about eighteen years of age had drawn up with his donkey cart and load of china, which he had been hawking in the neighborhood. The young man had a bright and intelligent face, and soon proved himself to be a believer rejoicing in our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Well, how long have you been converted?” I asked.
“Five months,” was his ready answer, “and I am so glad I am on the right side, sir; I was a bad, careless fellow, but was persuaded by some friends to go to a gospel preaching, and was converted; I am so glad I am on the right side,” adding, “I live with my parents, and they are Christians, too. I am not without my trials though, for the week after I was converted the wheel of my donkey cart broke, and that was a sad trouble to me.”
The acquaintance between the old stall-keeper and the young man had sprung up from one day when the old man had dropped and left in the road the cover of his chestnut oven, and on the young man picking it up, after thanking him, he had asked him if he were saved:, From that day there had often been an interchange of Christian good wishes and cheer between them. And the simple but hearty interest of these two men, one in Oat other, seemed to me quite an example to encourage God’s people generally to avail themselves of every opportunity for discovering themselves one to another.
The omnibus was approaching and I was bidding the old stall-keeper farewell: he said cheerily—
“See, sir, what a trade I’ve been doing since we’ve been talking together about the Lord’s Word— I’ve sold more in this half-hour than all the day before; I’ve hardly an orange left.”
W. M. C.