He was a desperate character, deeply sunk in sin, altogether too bad to be made any better. He eked out a miserable existence catching rats near the wharf, for which he received a small sum according to the number caught.
Vile though he was, one Eye pitied him and one Heart yearned over him. "BUT GOD who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins," was about to display those riches in a vessel of mercy "which He had afore prepared for glory." If ever a "vessel of wrath filled for destruction" was made anew even as it seemed good to the Potter to make it, this man was he!
A sudden stroke of paralysis laid the old rat catcher helpless on his filthy bed. To the wretched hovel he called "home," came a messenger of mercy, a Christian who had often tried in vain to reach his ear and rouse his conscience.
As his visitor entered, the afflicted man fiercely demanded: "Who told you to come?”
"No one told me to come. I heard you were ill, and I came to see if I could be of help," was the kind reply.
"Then you can go again," the sick man answered harshly. Except that he was helpless, it seemed that he would have forced his visitor to leave.
"I am not going until I've told you what I came for," the Christian responded. He feared that this might be his last chance to tell the poor man the good news of God's grace, and in spite of oaths and curses he determinedly stayed.
"Have you thought why you are now paralyzed? Think of your wicked life! It is God's mercy that He did not take you away with this stroke. He is giving you opportunity to hear His Word and be saved." Rapidly he told the helpless man of another paralyzed one who was brought to Jesus when He was on earth. He ended with, "and you need what he got—his sins forgiven.”
No response but oaths did he hear; and he left, thankful for this one more opportunity to tell this slave of sin of a Deliverer. Sad to say, the warning fell on heedless ears.
Time passed. One day the same messenger of God's grace was called to see a dying saloon-keeper. The only entrance to the sick man's room was through the saloon, and at the bar he spied the rat catcher drinking with a companion as disreputable in appearance as he.
The building was old and the walls thin; and as the missionary read the Scriptures and pointed the dying man to the Savior, voices in the saloon easily penetrated to the sickroom. The missionary soon realized that the two men drinking together were plotting against his life. What a picture! Death rapidly approaching to claim its victim here, and murder plotted and planned against him there!
His visit over, the man of God confidently commended himself to his Father and went out to face his would-be murderers. He eventually got safely away, although for nearly an hour they barred his way—the two who refusing his Master also hated His servant.
Again time slipped by. Walking down the street one night the missionary was suddenly accosted by the rat catcher. "Preacher, speaking straight as one man to another, will you do me a favor? Lend me two bits.”
"And speaking straight to you as one man to another, what do you want it for? Liquor? If so, you have come to the wrong man.”
"No, Preacher, I don't. I'm hungry; I want to buy some bread.”
Ah, the prodigal had spent all now. Like rats deserting a sinking ship, his old companions had turned their backs on him. With advancing years and infirmity, his meager wages as rat catcher had dwindled to nothing. He had come to an end of all his resources and was indeed in want.
Assuring himself by a few well chosen questions that the man was telling the truth, his friend entered a nearby baker's shop, bought a loaf of bread and handed it to him. Taking it, the man poised it on the palm of his hand. He looked earnestly, first at it, then at the missionary.
"Do I understand, sir," he said at length, "that you lend me this loaf?”
"No, I give it to you.”
"Do you remember coming to see me when I was laid up?”
"Perfectly.”
"Do you remember what happened in the saloon when you went to see the man who was dying?”
"Yes. I don't muddle my brains with liquor, and I have a very good memory.”
"And remembering all that, you will lend me this loaf?”
"No, I give it to you," repeated the missionary.
"Then don't be surprised if you see me at the Mission Hall on Sunday!”
"I'm not surprised at anything that happens there!"—and they parted.
Sunday night came. The rat catcher was true to his word. Attentively he listened to the news of salvation waiting for and offered to him. His hard heart had been touched by the kindly act of a few days before. That loaf freely given in his dire need by the man whom he had abused and desired to murder, made him willing to hear about God's free gift—the "Bread of God, come down from Heaven." Now the Holy Spirit could give him understanding of "the unspeakable Gift" from above; and as simply as he had taken the loaf as a gift from his friend, he received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior.
The rat catcher was caught—caught by the chains of divine Love. As a brand plucked from the fire his new life shone out in the old surroundings. Throughout his remaining days he witnessed to all of the free gift of God's love, and by his living testimony he won many poor souls to Christ.