MR. LAN, a wealthy Chinese business man, had to take a long journey from the north to the south of China.
“It is a risky thing to do, Mr. Lan,” his friends told him. “You may meet with bandits in the hills who will rob you of all your money.”
Now Mr. Lan had heard some of his friends speak of a holy Book which Christians reverenced; they called it God’s Word. He himself had never seen a copy, but he thought it would be a very good thing to own one. So one day he went to call on a missionary who lived in a city not far distant.
The missionary received him kindly, and after a lot of polite talk about nothing in particular, Mr. Lan said, “I should like to buy a Bible.”
Of course the missionary was delighted and went to bring a copy. “Has my honorable friend ever read any of the Bible before?” he inquired of his visitor.
“Oh no,” Mr. Lan told him hurriedly, and then to the missionary’s surprise he said, “This book is too small.”
Thinking that he meant the type was too small, the missionary fetched one with larger print. Turning it over in his hands, Mr. Lan murmured, “Too small, too small.”
“But the type is larger and clear,” urged the missionary. Still Mr. Lan persisted, “Too small, too small.”
Finally the missionary produced the largest Chinese Bible printed — about the size of a family Bible. Mr. Lan was delighted. “Ah,” he exclaimed, “that is good! I shall be all right with that.”
“Will my honorable visitor permit me to show him some parts of the Book which will help him understand the way of life?” suggested the missionary.
But Mr. Lan seemed in a hurry to leave. “Another time,” he said. So his friend could only impress upon him that this Book was God’s holy Word, and was a sure guide to heaven.
With his Bible wrapped in some blue cloth, Mr. Lan hurried away.
A few days later he started out on his long journey. Stopping at an inn at the end of his first day, he unpacked his bags, found the big Book he had bought, and placed it at the head of his bed. Laying his head on the Book he settled himself down to sleep.
“I’m glad I have this holy Book,” he thought, as he closed his eyes. “I shall be perfectly safe as long as I sleep on such a book.”
For some nights the traveler laid his head upon the Bible, but somehow he could not sleep comfortably. He would lay awake for hours, tossing and turning his head from side to side, finding the covers and corners of the Book very hard.
At last, in desperation one wakeful night, he thought, “What a fool I am, tossing about like this, unable to sleep, when I might be amusing myself by looking inside this holy Book!” So he lit his little oil lamp and began to read. A marker had been placed at Isaiah chapter 53, and so for the first time in his life this wealthy Chinese merchant read of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus foretold.
“He was wounded for our transgressions,” he read; but he was puzzled. “What man would do such a thing?” he asked himself. “Most extraordinary!”
In the margin was a reference to the Gospel of Matthew, and there he read the whole story of the trial, the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Fascinated, Mr. Lan read on — right through Mark, Luke and John. Soon it became plain to him that Jesus was God’s divine Son, that He loved sinners, and even gave up His life for their salvation.
After that it was not long before Mr. Lan discovered that the pillow which he had used for his head was the pillow for his heart. He joyfully believed God’s Word, he confessed he was a sinner before God, he received the Saviour, and the rest of his journey he would read aloud the good news of salvation to every one who would listen.
We have heard the joyful sound:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Tell the message all around:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land,
Climb the steeps and cross the graves;
Onward!—‘tis our Lord’s command:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
ML-09/26/1971