It was Sunday afternoon and a little ragged boy was slowly wending his way along one of the less frequented streets of the big city. His eyes were fixed upon the ground, and presently he came to a stop, attracted by the sight of something pretty. It was a card that had been dropped from the Bible of a Sunday school girl. The boy picked it up carefully, holding it at the edges lest his dirty fingers should spoil it. It was pretty, he thought. The colors of the border were so bright, and the gold letters shone in the sunshine. How he wished he could read those words; but that was impossible, for the poor child had never been taught. Fearing some of his companions would come and take his pretty card away from him, the ragged boy put it into his pocket, saying to himself, “I’ll get old Molly to read them words to me tonight. I bet they’re something good, or they wouldn’t have taken the trouble to make ‘em so pretty.”
So saying, the boy walked on, and being soon after joined by some of his companions, he forgot the card for a time. But in the evening, before he returned to his home, he went to a house in the same court, felt his way up a dark staircase, and opening a door called out, “I say, Molly, are you there?”
“Yes, come in, Jack,” answered a shaky voice. So he went in, and there, by a rickety table, on which stood a rush candle, sat an old woman trying to read.
“Now, Molly,” said Jack, “I want you to read these gold words to me, I don’t know anyone else as can.”
“All right, my boy,” answered the old woman, “I’d do more nor that for you, Jack, for you be always ready to do a kind turn for me.”
She took the card in her hand, and after admiring it for a minute, read slowly, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
“What does that mean, Molly?” asked Jack.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you, boy. I don’t know much about them things.”
“But who is the Lord Jesus Christ?”
“I have heard say that He is the Son of God, who lives up in the sky.”
“I wonder what ‘thou shalt be saved means; what are we to be saved from?”
“I think I can tell you that, Jack,” said Molly. “When I was a child like you I used to go to Sunday school, and I used to learn a few things there, but I have nearly lost them now. I do remember that they used to tell us sometimes that everyone who was wicked and didn’t serve God as they ought, would be put into a big fire when they died — a fire called hell, and I expect it is that we want to be saved from.”
“Well,” said Jack, “I wish I knew more about that Lord Jesus Christ, that I might believe on Him, ‘cause I shouldn’t like to be put into that fire at all. Good night, Molly.” And putting his card into his pocket again, he went home to bed. But it was a long time before he slept, his mind was so full of the verse on his card.
The next day, he made up his mind to try and find someone who would tell him something about Jesus Christ, and when he was going out of the court, seeing Molly in front of him, he asked her if she knew how he could find anyone who knew anything about Him? She said there was a gentleman that lived at one of the houses where she sold oranges, who she guessed would tell him all he wanted to know, and showing Jack where the house was, she went on her way.
It was some time before Jack could get courage to knock at the door, but he did at last, and it was opened by a servent, who thought he was a beggar, and wanted to send him away. But the geleman passing near the door, saw him, and asked him what he wanted. Jack pulled out his card, and asked him if he would be so kind as to tell him what those words meant. The gentleman smiled kindly, and taking Jack by the hand, led him into a room, and bade him sit down while he explained the verse.
“My boy,” said the kind man, “God made everything. He made this world. He made us. God is a holy God and hates sin. All the bad things we do are sin. And God must punish sin. You cannot hide your bad doings from God, and He knows all your thoughts. But God is love. And He sent His own Son into this world. Jesus is His name. Jesus came here from heaven about 1900 years ago. He came to tell man that God is love. He came also to die for man, and to bear the punishment against sin which we deserve. It was a cruel death, Jack, that Jesus died. Wicked men nailed Him to a cross of wood and hung Him up to die. In those last three dark hours, hanging there, He was bearing our punishment. God laid our sins upon Him. When He was dead Jesus was put into a tomb, but God raised Him up from the dead, and Jesus is now in heaven. He is full of love, my boy, and waiting to receive you. He will forgive all your sins and make you ready for heaven. ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.’ “
Jack did believe, and his face was radiant with happiness, for he felt he had found a Friend who would never leave nor forsake him, and when he left the house he felt that he had begun a new life. And now, dear young friends, which of you will believe in Jesus as Jack believed, and be saved?
“HE SATISFIETH THE LONGING SOUL, AND FILLETH THE HUNGRY SOUL WITH GOODNESS.” Psa. 107:9.
ML 05/10/1959