IN CHINA a man had lived for sixty-two years as a Buddhist. For thirteen years men had looked to him to cast out demons from the sick and to rescue the dying from the torments of hell. His home was in the mountains of southern Hunan.
Among this man’s acquaintances there was not a single Christian. The nearest missionary was two days’ journey off. But somehow a copy of the Gospels came into this man’s hands. It was written in his own language.
At first as he read the little book he was very much attracted by certain portions of it. But his long life as a Buddhist and a leader among them, made it hard for him to believe what he read about the living God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Sometimes when he had read a few verses he would throw the book down, only to take it up again because of the sweet story he knew was there.
One of those times, in his reading he came to the word “Saviour.” It came with all the force of a message addressed to his own heart. Now at last he saw the meaning of the gospel, the story of God’s love to men and women, boys and girls. Conscience tells us that we have sinned against God but the Bible tells us that that same God has provided a Saviour.
The Chinaman read on in his little book, perhaps coming to that wonderful and familiar verse, 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): “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He saw that he had only to believe. Then, in proof of what he had done, he gathered up all his idols and destroyed them. The living God was his God now.