Years ago in a large city in Holland a Jewish doctor was converted to Christianity. Immediately his heart's desire was that other Jews in the city should be saved too.
With this object he went day after day to the suburb inhabited by Jews of the poorest class, and moving from house to house, preached the gospel to them.
To reach this suburb he had to pass the magnificent house of a rich Jewish merchant. One day he asked himself why it was that he was ready to go day after day and speak to the poor Jews, and never thought of making Christ known to the rich Jew in the big house?
The doctor being a prompt, decisive man wasted no time in acting upon his conviction. He knew that the merchant was often engaged in the city till late in the evening, so he decided to call upon him around ten o'clock at night, thinking by that time he would be sure to find him at home.
He was surprised at being at once admitted and shown upstairs, just as if he had been expected.
But this was explained when he was ushered suddenly into a large ballroom already filled with company. The music was playing and the dancing had begun.
The appearance of the little doctor, so unlike the rest of the guests, attracted considerable attention. He at once made out the master of the house and apologized for his untimely visit.
"I was unaware," he explained, "that you were engaged this evening, but as I have called upon a matter of great importance, I would ask if you would kindly appoint a time when I may call again without inconveniencing you."
"Certainly! Is the business pressing?
"It is a matter of life and death, but I will call again at your convenience."
"Allow me to ask one more question," said the merchant. "Whom does the business concern?"
"It concerns the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth," replied the doctor. "It is concerning Him, and Him only that I came to speak to you. I am glad that you will kindly allow me the opportunity of doing so another day."
"Stay!" said the merchant with a strange expression of joy and astonishment. "This is wonderful.
"I have been miserable for months past. How or why I know not; but one thought has continually haunted me day and night. Whether at business or at home, it has never been absent from my mind. I have tried to put it from me, but I could not. It is a thought that has left me no peace and it is this: "Who and what was Jesus of Nazareth? I have asked God in His mercy to help me and to send someone who could speak to me and tell me the truth about this great question. Now He has heard my prayer. I cannot let you go. There is no time like the present."
Then calling for the music to stop, the merchant addressed the astonished guests.
"This gentleman," he said, "has come to speak to us on a matter of great importance a matter in which each one of us is concerned. May I ask you to take your seats and give him your attention?
"And you, dear sir," he said to the doctor, "will you now speak fully and plainly? Tell us all you have to say, and keep back nothing."
At once, standing in the middle of the ballroom the doctor preached that wonderful gospel of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, which is indeed the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.
It was not long after that memorable evening that the merchant made a public confession of Christ and remained a constant believer, helping forward the gospel he had once blasphemed.
It is not known whether others in the ballroom that night received the truth into their hearts. The great question of this moment is, have you received the truth of the gospel unto yours?
End