One day a minister was telling about the mighty power Christians call on for help when they say, "for Christ's sake!" or "in Jesus' name!" and he told a story that made a great impression on me.
When the war came on, he said, his only son left for the army, and he suddenly became interested in soldiers. Every soldier that passed by reminded him of his son. He went to work for soldiers. When he met a sick soldier one day, so weak he couldn't walk, he took him in a carriage, and got him into the Soldiers' Home.
Soon, he became President of the Soldiers' Home in Columbus, and used to go down everyday and spend hours looking after those soldiers, and seeing that they were comfortable. He spent a great deal of time and money on them.
One day, the man said to his wife, "I'm giving too much time to these soldiers, I've got to stop it. I've got to attend to my own business." So he went to the office resolved in future to leave the soldiers alone. He went to his desk, and started writing.
Pretty soon the door opened, and he saw a soldier hobble slowly in. He got a fright at the sight of him. The man was fumbling at something in his pocket, and he got out an old soiled paper. The father saw it was his own son's writing.
`DEAR FATHER, This young man belongs to my company. He has lost his leg and his health in defense of his country, and he is going home to his mother to die. If he calls on you treat him kindly, 'FOR CHARLIE'S SAKE."
"For Charlie's sake." The moment he saw that, a pang went to his heart. He got up for a carriage, lifted the maimed soldier, drove home, put him into Charlie's room. He sent for the family physician, kept him in the family and treated him like his own son.
When the young soldier became well enough to go home to his mother, the father took him to the railway station, put him in the nicest, most comfortable place in the carriage, and sent him on his way.
"I did it," said the father, "for Charlie's sake."
Now, whatever you do, my friends, do it for the Lord Jesus' sake. Do and ask everything in His name, in the name of Him "who loved us and gave Himself for us."