A wealthy farmer was lying very ill in the city of Richmond, Virginia. He had a dangerous and infectious fever and the physician had little hope of his recovery.
The sick man had no knowledge of God’s salvation and, indeed, he had lived without any thought of God or of what would become of him after death. When the doctor told him that he had not long to live, he said, “It’s too bad, a man so young as I am, with so much to live for, to think of dying now! But everything has always been against me.”
His nurse, afraid of catching the fever herself, left him now, but the doctor suggested that he might get a Chinese boy to wait on him.
“O, it makes no difference,” said the sick man; “you may as well let me die like a dog. It will soon be over, anyway.”
In another part of the city there was a Chinese laundry. One of the boys who worked there was named Ching. He was born in China but after coming to America he learned to read English. He was a born-again Christian too, and he loved his Bible. The love of God in his heart and the hope of going to heaven made him very happy. The great desire of his heart was to get an education and then go back to China to tell his countrymen about Jesus and His great salvation. But working in the laundry, he saw no way yet of getting an education.
The doctor was acquainted with Ching and, calling at the laundry, he asked him if he would be willing to wait on a patient of his who was sick with a dangerous fever.
“He is a rich man, and will pay you well,” said the doctor.
Ching said he was willing, for he felt sure that God would take care of him. The doctor took him and introduced him to his patient. A few days later, when the sick man lay dozing on his bed, Ching was sitting nearby, reading his Bible. Presently the man opened his eyes, and seeing what Ching was doing, he asked, “What stupid book is that that you are always reading?”
Although this remark offended Ching, he meekly replied, “This no stupid Book; this my Jesus’ Book; this my passport.”
“Ha! Your passport—what do you mean by that?”
And then Ching merely read two short verses:
“Did you say ‘all sin,” Ching? Read that again. Would it cleanse my sin?”
He read it again, and then said, “Yes, sir, it will cleanse your sin, it will satisfy all your hopes and longings and take you to heaven.”
The sick man then asked Ching to kneel by his bed and to pray that God would pardon his sins, give him a new heart, and make him a happy Christian. This was repeated day by day for some time. Then a change came over the sick man. He saw that it was not Ching’s prayers which would save him. He saw that he was a lost sinner but that Jesus died for him. Putting his trust in Him, he found pardon, peace and salvation.
God in His mercy healed the sick man’s body as well. The fever was broken and, in due time, he was quite well again. When he learned that Ching was anxious to get an education and then return to China to preach the gospel there, he gave him money enough to pay for his education.
Faithful to his Saviour, the wealthy farmer used his abilities and his wealth in gospel work in the Southern states. Ching obtained his education and then returned to China. He labored faithfully to make Christ known among his countrymen.
ML 10/20/1968