SOME years ago, I was conducting gospel services in a village in the North of England.
As my custom was, I started visiting house after house, inviting the people to the services, and at the same time speaking a few words at each street corner. Now there was in that village a pious man with a bad wife, who was constantly objecting to her husband being, as she called, religious; she took every opportunity to hinder him in his spiritual progress. At times she was even violent, yet the husband took it all very quietly, commending her often to God in prayer. The answer to his prayers was apparently a long time coming, but God was not unmindful of them, and at last sent me to this particular village.
The first night the preaching-house was so filled that the Town Hall was taken for the following Sunday, and many souls were saved each night. To God be the glory!
Poor George, seeing how graciously God was working, and that some of the worst characters in the place were amongst the saved, told me about his wife, asking me to speak to her I said that I was sure to see her, as, during the course of my meetings, if possible, I would visit every street and house. When he went home, the first Sunday night, he told his wife about the preaching, and the souls that were saved, and entreated her to come to the Town Hall on the following Sunday. She got angry, and said, “No, indeed! I will not go to hear anyone preach.”
“Well,” replied the husband, “if you will not go to hear this preacher, he is sure to come and see you, for he is going round from house to house in the afternoons, speaking to the people, and therefore you will have to hear him.”
At this her anger increased, and she shouted out, “Look here, George, you tell him from me, that if he comes near me I’ll poker him!”
Poor George was terribly alarmed, for he knew his wife was quite capable of carrying out her threat. He consulted a few Christian friends on the matter, and they persuaded him not to tell me anything about it, but to leave it all with God, feeling sure that if He guided me to that house, He would certainly look after me, and give me a word for this poor misguided woman.
I well remember the Sunday afternoon in question. It was a cold winter’s day, and sleet was falling. Though delicate at the time, I felt the open-air preaching and visiting so essential to bring blessing to the meeting in the evening, that I was determined to go out, and did so. After singing a short verse of a hymn at each street corner, and repeating a few words of Scripture, and giving an invitation to the preaching at night, I slowly passed down the street, speaking a word at each house on the way. At last I came to the street this woman lived in. During the singing of the verse of the hymn, the various doors opened, and she, though so full of hatred, yet felt curious just to see what this soldier-preacher was like, and, with her baby in her arms, she also stood at her door. I delivered my short address, and came slowly down the street; thank God, not knowing of the poker application which threatened me. As I went I prayed, and when coming to this woman, being very fond of children, kissed her baby, saying that I had two little ones at home myself. While thus speaking, I noticed that the woman looked very pitifully at me. Then she said, “You look very ill and tired, sir.”
“Yes,” I replied, “my business is important, and probably my time on this earth is short, and I feel that sleet or snow must not stand in the way of my entreating poor sinners to be reconciled to God.”
“Dear me!” she said; “won’t you just step in, and let me make you a nice cup of tea? See, the kettle is boiling.”
“Yes, indeed, I will, thank you,” I answered, “for I feel quite tired and cold.”
So instead of the poker, I got the cup of tea, thank God and on I went to invite others.
Now when the husband came home from Sunday school, his wife was very quiet, and he, poor man, was also quiet, wondering if I had called, and what kind of a reception I had met with.
The silence was broken by her looking up and saying, “George, I have been thinking that after all I should like to go and hear this soldier preach.”
With joy he replied, “Certainly, my dear; you go tonight, and I will mind the children.”
“But no,” she objected; “if I went now after what I said, they would get a policeman to put me out.”
“Oh! no,” he replied, “they will not; do go.”
But she could not be persuaded to go that night. However, the following Sunday night she was there, and during the preaching was deeply convicted of sin. At the after-meeting, while I was passing down the seats, a woman whom I asked if she was saved, replied, “Yes, but my friend here is not.” I looked, and there saw a woman weeping bitterly, whom I recognized as the one who had given me the cup of tea. As I spoke to her, and pointed her to Christ, the tears came thick and fast, and she called aloud to God for mercy. Thank God, that night she went home rejoicing in Christ, and the following Sunday was amongst the band of workers who helped me in the work.
At the close of another happy service, where many more sinners were saved through the precious blood of Jesus, this woman insisted on about twenty-two of us going to her humble home to supper. It was a joy to all hearts to see her placing on the supper-table every eatable she possessed, and frequently ejaculating praises to God for having saved her soul. One of the Christians present turned to me, and said, “Well, John, this is better than the poker, is it not?” I looked up surprised, as I knew nothing about the poker. The poor woman burst into tears, and caught hold of me with both her hands, exclaiming, “O! sir, will you forgive me for saying that?”
All present felt that here was a case as stated in Romans 10:2020But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. (Romans 10:20), “I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.” We arose, and sang:
“Glory, honor, praise and power
Be unto the Lamb forever! Jesus
Christ is our Redeemer!
Hallelujah! Praise ye the Lord.”
If anyone interested in gospel-work reads this, let us entreat you not to neglect house to house visitation, and to remember that if ever we need prayer, it is when presenting Christ to the poor and needy. Therefore, as we go, let every step be a step of prayer, and of unbounded faith in God, and in His power, through Jesus Christ our Lord. J. H.