THIS was a father's call to his son, a fine, promising lad, steady, obedient, and his father's right hand in the tinsmith work in which he early became an adept. And he is still his father's fellow-workman. But while most dutiful, and everything that should naturally fill a father's heart with joy, yet was there wanting something more than nature to fully satisfy that father's heart. In a word, the father earnestly desired to see his son born again, born from above, a new creature in Christ Jesus.
We can well conceive the yearning of that father's heart, himself an earnest worker in the gospel, and an instrument of blessing to many. Even as with the great apostle to the Gentiles in regard to his kinsmen after the flesh, there must naturally be the deepest longing for the salvation of one so near and dear to him. Sparing no pains in training up his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and calling on Him day and night on their account, no wonder he should irresistibly rise up one midnight, and, arousing his son, insist with earnest pleading and crying to God in his behalf, that he should decide for Christ without longer delay. And He who heard the midnight cry of His servants in the dungeon at Philippi (Acts 16.) was again listening and ready to bless. Moreover, as He answered then in the salvation of the jailor and his house, so now was another answer vouchsafed in the breaking down of the barriers between that young soul and God. After two hours' wrestling, the mighty work in that boy's soul was done. Far beyond the starry vault, on that early morn, there was joy in the presence of the angels over another soul ransomed from sin and death, and made a child of God and an heir of glory.
The above was the father's story, and every syllable of it was confirmed by the son whom I saw a few weeks after. He is a nice, bright boy of about eighteen or nineteen, and confessed to some exercise of heart previously. But what helped him to decide that night and yield himself to the Lord, was the solemn vision of judgment brought before his mind by Acts 17:31,31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31) one of many scriptures read by himself and father on that blessed occasion.
God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent; because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead " (Acts 17:3131Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)).
E. H. H.