George Harkness was no worse than the average man, and he made no profession of being any better. In fact, he knew he was neither good nor virtuous and his state did not trouble him at all.
He got along comfortably at the office where no complaints were ever heard against him. He took part in games and amusements; but no one would have troubled greatly if he had failed to turn up at the office, nor would they have given more than a passing thought to him had he disappeared altogether from the sports.
Exactly the same spirit marked the religious life of George Harkness—careless indifference. Brought up in a God-fearing home, he had attended Sunday school, and gone to church. Now, being more or less his own master and free from home influences, he made no pretense toward religion. It did not appeal to him.
One Sunday evening, strolling aimlessly along the quiet streets, he came upon a little group gathered around an electric-light post. They were having "street preaching"; and for want of something better to do, George paused to listen. Just as he stopped, however, the speaker stepped down from the box on which he had been standing and the company began to sing.
Harkness did not wait to hear any more. It was not what he had expected; but as he passed on into the darkness a clear soprano voice seemed to follow him. The words she sang were so distinct that they might have been spoken right into his ear by someone at his side:
"You must do something with Jesus.
You must do something tonight!”
The voice still followed him, fainter and fainter, as he walked toward the busier section of town. Even in the noise of the tumult of the heavier traffic the words kept ringing in his ears: "You must do something tonight!”
In the repetition of the line the accent seemed to change from time to time. Now it was, "You must do something," and again, "You must do something," and yet again, "You must do something tonight!" Then he was startled as he thought he heard a voice at his side say with strong emphasis, "You... must... do something... with Jesus... tonight!”
As he neared the City Hall he heard a sudden cry. A bus stopped; a crowd quickly gathered; policemen came hurriedly to the scene; an ambulance was brought; and George Harkness, pushing into the crowd, saw the white face of a woman as she was lifted into the ambulance. For all he knew, she was dead. One moment well, the next minute silenced. Just a cry, and all was over for her.
The suddenness of it appalled him. So tragic, so incomprehensible. What had happened? What did it mean? Suppose it had been himself! What then?
He walked quickly. Now he was uncomfortable—miserable. The incident had upset him.
He stood a moment looking at some pictures advertising a theatrical play. How he wished that the place were open so he might go in and forget! Yet, somehow, the pictures repelled him. He purchased a Sunday paper and tried to read it by the light of a street lamp; but he could not interest himself in the news. Something was pressing upon him, a sense of imperative urgency. He could not escape it.
"You must do something with Jesus.”
He turned, almost unintentionally, and retraced his steps. A shudder passed over him as he reached the spot where the accident had occurred. "Suppose it had been me!" The thought flashed through his mind.
He turned from the brightly lighted boulevard to the quieter side street. The company of street singers was still there; but others now had gathered round, and quite a crowd was listening intently to the speaker.
He was appealing to the people urgently to face the question of their own life's relation to God and eternity—"The greatest question you will ever have to face." He told the story of the gospel, and pictured the darkness of sin, its hopelessness, its utmost misery, its terrible reward. He spoke of the eternal love of God as shown in the cross of Christ, and the offer of forgiveness through belief in His shed blood. "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ." Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23).
"I ask you to accept Jesus as your Savior—now," he cried. "Now is the accepted time—for you... NOW is the day of salvation.”
When the meeting was over and the crowd dispersed, George Harkness sat on an upturned box, motionless, his face buried in his hands. The speaker, seeing a man sitting there alone, went up to him and said: "Have you taken the Lord Jesus to be your Savior, friend?”
Harkness lifted his head at the kindliness of the voice, the gentle touch of the hand on his shoulder. By the light from the lamp the other man saw in his eyes a yearning that spoke of a soul in trouble.
Seating himself on the box by Harkness' side, he told again the story of God's saving grace and urged the man to accept His offer of salvation. "It was the hymn that did it," said Harkness after a while. "I can't get away from those words, 'You must do something tonight!'”
"I think God has called to you in those words, my dear friend. I think this is your appointed time; this is to be your day of salvation!”
They bowed their heads while the speaker prayed, and when they parted George Harkness knew that something momentous had happened to him. He had "done something... with Jesus." He had cast himself in faith upon His love and mercy, and had taken Him to be his Savior.
Out of the slumber of indifference to Christ and His claims, many souls would awake to the real joy of life if they would but listen to the pleading appeal of those simple words: "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28).