CAFFRE was a fine, tall athletic young man in Africa. At times he had attended the mission services and had sat under the gospel. But Caffre was not a Christian; often he yielded to the voice of the tempter and went on in his sinful ways.
One day it came into his mind to steal a horse from the white men in the village, a common practice among his tribe. So leaving home one night he walked into town and there he saw some fine horses tethered and grazing in a clearing. Seizing one of them Caffre started out for home as fast as he could, pleased to think he had not been seen.
As he rode along, all at once he heard a voice inside him say, “Thou shalt not steal.” Caffre stopped; he could go no further.
“What is this?” he said to Himself. “I’ve heard these words often from the missionary, but I never felt as I do now. It must be the voice of God.”
Getting off the horse, he held the bridle in his hand, wondering whether he should go on home or return and restore the horse to its owner. Almost an hour passed by. At last he decided to take the horse back and this he did. Then truly repentant he set off for home, determined to serve God from then on. But he could not sleep that night thinking of his sinful past life. The arrows of conviction stuck fast in his conscience.
The very next day he took one of his cattle and taking it to a nearby village he sold it. With the money he bought a nice outfit so that he could attend the services and listen to the Word of God.
But all this did not make Caffre a Christian nor wash away even one of his sins. Not until he came to the Saviour confessing his guilt, did he receive forgiveness and then he felt the burden on his soul was gone. Caffre became a happy Christian, a faithful follower of his Saviour and a blessing to his people.
ML-05/09/1976