A GENTLEMAN was once preaching to a large congregation of Christians, and urging upon them to work for the Master. At the close of his address, a little boy from the farthest end of the hall made his way through the crowded seats to the platform, and touching the preacher’s arm, said,
“If you please, sir, what can I do for the Lord? I am willing to work for Him.” The gentleman hardly knew how to answer, so he quietly lifted up his heart to God.
“Well,” said he, “are you converted?”
“O! yes, sir,” was the quick answer.
“Have you a mother and father?”
“I have a mother, sir.”
“Well, and is she saved?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And your brothers and sisters?”
“I haven’t any, please, sir.”
“Then have you a companion?”
“O, yes, there’s Charlie,” was the reply.
“Well, my boy, is Charlie converted?”
“No, he ain’t sir.”
“Then go and try and get him saved, and that will be working for the Lord.”
With a glad heart the little fellow ran off. As soon as he got home he rushed up to his little room, and knelt down.
“Please, dear Lord, save Charlie. Please, Lord, convert Charlie;” was his cry.
Presently Charlie himself came bounding up the stairs in search of his companion. He paused outside the door, quite awed at hearing his own name repeated so many times, because he understood that Johnnie was praying for him.
“Come here, Charlie, and kneel down,” said his friend. Charlie came, and soon he was sobbing as though his heart would break.
“Come to Jesus, Charlie; come to Jesus,” urged the little fellow; and then he continued his prayer,
“Please, Lord, convert Charlie.”
“O! but I’m so wicked,” sobbed Charlie.
“Never mind that, Jesus’ll take all your sins away if you’ll only trust Him.” And Charlie did trust, and there and then the Lord gave him the assurance of forgiveness.
The next morning Johnnie went in search of the preacher and found him at home.
“Well! my boy,” he said, recognizing the little fellow.
“If you please, sir, Charlie’s converted,” burst from Johnnie’s lips, and then he went on to say how it had come about, “And now what else shall I do?”
“Go and get the neighbors converted,” said the gentleman, “tell them of Jesus.”
Away went Johnnie, his heart quite full at the thought of doing this.
One by one, he told the people who lived near his mother’s cottage about the love of Jesus, until he won fifty precious souls for his Master, and today they can praise God for the “little child who led them.”
ML 03/19/1933