We cannot all be ministers or missionaries, we cannot give all of our time to direct Christian work, but there is one form of Christian service that anybody may undertake, that is, tract distribution. “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:3434O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew 12:34)), but how far will the speaking reach? How thankful ought we to be for the printed page, which not only carries the message to quarters which the voice often fails to reach, but also preserves the impressions of truth when the sound of the human voice speaking it has died away. True, leaden type will never take the place of the human voice, but we ought to be thankful for the blessed aid it renders to the human voice.
Tracts can go everywhere. They can go to many places to which you cannot go.
A minister gave a negro a tract. He asked him what he thought of it. “Oh, massa, it do my soul good. I never knew before why dey calls ‘em tracks, but when I read dat little book, it track me dis way and it track me dat way; when I go out in de barn, it track me dare and when I come back in de house, it track me dare; it track me everywhere I go. Den I know why dey call ‘em tracks.”
What a thrilling history might be written concerning the work of tracts. Richard Sibbs wrote a tract entitled “The Bruised Reed”; a tin peddler gave it to a boy named Richard Baxter; through reading it he was brought to Christ. He wrote “A Call to the Unconverted.” Among the thousands saved through it was Philip Doddridge, who wrote “The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul.” It fell into the hands of William Wilberforce, the great emancipator of the slaves in the British Colonies, and led him to Christ. Wilberforce wrote “A Practical View of Christianity,” which fired the heart of Leigh Richmond. He wrote” The Dairy-man’s Daughter.” Before 1819, as many as four million copies were circulated, and it has testified for Christ in over fifty different languages. Look at this! Not a flaw in the chain! Richard Sibbs, Richard Baxter, Philip Doddridge, William Wilberforce, Leigh Richmond.
A man stepped into a street car in New York, and, before taking his seat, gave to each passenger a little card bearing the words, “Look to Jesus when tempted, when troubled, when dying.” One of the passengers carefully read the card and put it in his pocket. As he left the car he said to the giver, “Sir, when you gave me this card, I was on my way to the ferry, intending to jump from the boat and drown myself. The death of my wife and son had robbed me of all desire to live, but this card has persuaded me to begin life anew. Good day, and God bless you.”
Many years ago, a lady gave some leaflets to two actors. One of the actors was led by this tract to attend church, and was converted. It was Dr. George Lorimer, pastor of Tremont Temple, Boston. Through his influence Russell H. Conwell was led into the ministry. Thus the great Baptist Temple in Philadelphia, together with the work of the Tremont Temple, and the personal influence of these two notable pulpit speakers, is really traceable in its origin to one little leaflet in the hands of a woman. The Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was led to Christ by a tract. Thousands have been won to Christ by tracts. Many of the best Christian workers are using them continually and seeing results. Many use them who will never see results on earth, but will in the better world. Whether we see results or not, it is our blessed privilege to know and rejoice in the fact that if we sow good seed, the harvest will certainly be for His glory. “Know now that there shall fall into the earth nothing of the word of the Lord.” (2 Kings 10:1010Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. (2 Kings 10:10).) “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” (Eccl. 11:11Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. (Ecclesiastes 11:1).) Tract distribution enables you to “sow beside all waters” and to be “instant in season and out of season.” Remember, too, that when you put a tract, Gospel paper or Gospel book in the hands of a sinner and it is the means of his salvation, it starts a circle for our Lord that will continue to widen until He comes. Remember, too, that God multiplies the seed that is thus sown. What encouragement this, and what an incentive to “sow beside all waters,” knowing that He will give the increase!
Have you won a soul for Christ? Do you wish to meet your blessed Lord with no fruit to bring from your earthly life? Have I not set before you an open door of service?Will you enter in? C.E.M.