I SUPPOSE you must wonder what the strange title to this story must mean! I wondered too, when I first read it, and I was very much surprised to find that it was the name of a boy. Yes, Blooming Virtue was the name of a dear boy who was born to Christian Chinese parents, in the faraway land of China.
One day when his father was not at home, a band of robbers came into the village and began to steal the belongings of the people, and also took away with them a number of the boys of the village. Among them was Blooming Virtue. When their evil work was done, they started along the road to the next village. About half way to the village, they met Blooming Virtue’s father, returning from his work in the fields.
“Father, do help me,” cried the boy. “They have robbed our home, and are taking me away. Please help me.”
The poor father was quite helpless against those wild armed men, and with a breaking heart, he just stood by the side of the road and allowed his son to be taken away. Then he hurried to his own village, and was soon on his knees, with his dear wife, in prayer for their dear son, Blooming Virtue.
The robber band kept moving from place to place, and for a long time nothing was heard of Blooming Virtue, but still his father and mother kept praying for him, that he might be delivered and returned to them.
One day a friend was out hunting wild ducks, and he spied some of the robbers. Quickly he notified the boy’s father, and together they set out to see if they could find the stolen lad. Sure enough they met some of the robbers, and were able to follow them secretly without being discovered. At last they came upon the robber’s hiding place. Was their prayer going to be answered? Keeping themselves from sight as best they could, they eagerly watched till at last they caught sight of Blooming Virtue. But how he had changed! He looked so frightened, and seemed quite unable to smile at all. With the Lord’s help, they were able to rescue the stolen boy, and hurried away among the trees bore anyone else saw them.
What joy there was in that home when Blooming Virtue was once more back among them. Quickly they all fell on their knees and thanked the Lord for answering their prayer in caring for their boy, and in helping them to rescue him. When the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, He said that He had come to “preach deliverance to the captives.” What did He mean by this? Did He mean that He would go to all the prisons and set the captives free? No, I believe there are a good many people who have never been inside a prison, or stolen by a band of robbers, but they are captives just the same. Perhaps you are one of them. Yes, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you are most certainly a captive to sin and Satan, and the Lord is able and willing to set you free right now. You cannot set yourself free. “A man shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” The Lord Jesus loved you and me, much more than Blooming Virtue’s father loved his son. He loved you so much that He went to the cross and died in order that He might set you free.
ML-02/07/1960