THE following incident occurred in a pine forest of Wisconsin in pioneer days. Once in each month an itinerant preacher came to the community and preached in the log school house.
On one occasion he used for a text, “God is Love.” He, dwelt on the wonderful provision God had made for all the needs of the human race. For homes, He had produced the forest, from which all kinds of lumber is made. From the quarry, all manner of stone is taken for the stately mansion or the lowly cot. Then there are the materials from which are made nails, mortar, glass and paint, that homes may be comfortable and beautiful. For meat, He has given many of the animals, fowls, and fish. He has provided grain which may be prepared in innumerable ways. For variety, He has given fruits and vegetables that abound in every clime.
After an elaborate discourse along this line, the speaker argued that man ought to worship God as his Creator and Provider.
Now there was in the congregation a young man who, while not opposed to “religion,” seemed never to have a serious thought. He was leader at the dance, the life of every party, a strong debater at the literary society, and, apparently, lived for fun. After the meeting, he remarked to some companions: “I could preach a better sermon from that text myself.” They challenged him to undertake it. He replied: “You secure the house and announce the meeting, and I will try it.” This was done.
During the week the young man diligently read his Bible — something he had never done before — noting especially those portions which speak of the love of God for sinners and his desire that they should be saved. Sunday came and a crowd of people gathered to “hear a wag preach a sermon.” A school director was there to see that order was kept. The pseudo-preacher called on him to open the meeting with prayer.
Then he announced his text, “God is love.” He showed that while God cared for man as His creature, providing for his temporal needs, that He did the same for all His creatures, including the “fowls of the air,” and the “lilies, of the field.” He also showed that man has a deeper need, in that he has a precious soul which must spend eternity either in a place of bliss or one of torment; that God has shown His greater love for man by meeting that need; quoting: “In this was manifest the love of God towards us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9,109In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9‑10)) that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)); and that “God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)).
As, with tears in his eyes, he commented on these and other verses, he said to his hearers, “You have known me as a man of the world, loving its pleasures and sins; but I read: ‘Love not the world, neither the things that, are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him’ (1 John 2:1515Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)). Now the love of Christ constrains me to forsake the pleasures of sin which, are but for a season and to show by a life of service that I love Him, because He first loved me.’” (1 John 4:1919We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19))..
Mr. Samuel Chase, who told me the story, was one of those who trusted Christ at that tune. When I knew him, his profession seemed very real.
Kind reader, are you in any case like the young man before his awakening, careless and neglectful of your eternal welfare? Have you ever sought out the many places in His Word where God declares: “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,” and how He would “Have all men to be saved,” and in order to make it possible that we might be saved, God had to “Lay on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53: 6)?
The way people get saved is by hearing and believing God’s Word (Rom. 10:1111For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 10:11)), for the One Who “loved us and gave Himself for us” declared, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word and believeth on Him that sent Me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).