A Day of Responsibility and Duty
MULTITUDES are perishing all around us. Those who are unsaved, unwashed in the Precious Blood—they are passing away from earth, without any hopes of heaven.
“Men die in darkness at your side,
Without a hope to cheer the tomb.”
This is a solemn reality. Have you thought about it? We must haste to the rescue of these immortal souls. A dear Christian thus exhorts us: “What we do we must do quickly. There may be today an opportunity for the fulfillment of a good purpose that may never come again. The man who is ready to perish today may have perished tomorrow.”
Some years ago a friend told me that he felt very much impressed to speak plainly and definitely to one of his workmen about giving himself to Christ. Throughout the day the thought haunted him. However, he banished it again and again from his mind. Towards evening, with a more tenacious grip than ever, the thought possessed him. At last he resolves that he would fulfill it. Alas his courage failed. As he went home he said to himself: “Cost me what it may, I will speak to William the first thing in the morning.” When he reached his office next morning at nine o’clock, the first word that he heard was that William, that morning, had been found dead in bed. As he told me the incident the tears streamed down his face, while his heart was wrung with anguish.
Golden moments come to us, and often unawares. Unimproved, they go by never to return. “A door that shuts never opens again; other doors may open, but not the same a second time.”
I am pleading for the soldiers and the sailors of Great Britain and France. A very remarkable demand has sprung up in the French Army for the Word of God. About one thousand French soldiers send to me every week for a. French Testament. They fill up a post-card provided by us with a request for a Testament upon it. This is posted to England, and the Testament is given and sent post free. This work can he extended very largely. To send one hundred Testaments to one ‘hundred soldiers—French or English—costs 30/-. To send one thousand to one thousand soldiers costs £15.
If we haste to the rescue we shall all help to evangelize trance through her soldiers. Now is the day of golden opportunity—never to come again, in our lifetime.
A dear friend wrote to me and told me that a brother and sister came to him and said they wished to give a birthday present in memory of their mother. They thought sending Testaments to the soldiers in France would be better than a wreath which fades. He told them it would be sowing seed to bring forth fruit unto Life Eternal, in some man’s heart. They wished the gift to reach France on August 21St if possible—” In memory of a sweet mother who fell, asleep July 15th 1917; her birthday was on August 21St.” This mother had often subscribed to our work when she was alive.
So this gift for one in heaven has gone to France, and may a mighty harvest result from such sweet sowing.
The English soldiers are still most eager for God’s Word. We send about ten thousand Testaments a month to them, and six thousand five hundred and thirty-seven parcels have gone at the time of writing.
Why do I tell you these things? Because I, want you to thank. God with me, and by your prayers and practical sympathy show that you are fully aware of the need of hastening to the rescue of these precious souls now.
If you wish to help us-send more and more Testaments and Tracts to the troops, please send to
DR. HEYMAN WREFORD,
The Firs,” Denmark Road,
Exeter.
“He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a-cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound towards you” II. Corinthians, 6:7-8.
P.S.— Letter just come from Flanders.
“Dear Sir, ― have received the parcel of New Testaments, hooks, etc., for which I earnestly thank you. We had only just come out of an advance, after a very trying time, the fighting being very serious. I wish you could have seen the eagerness of tine chaps to get a Testament, and some of the good books and guides you sent me. You would be rewarded, I am sure, if you could have heard how the chaps prayed to God, offering their thanks to Him for the safe deliverance from the great danger they had been through. I assure you their prayers were straight from their hearts.— Pte. F. G.—”